Understanding Your Rights With The NHS Patient Charter

The NHS Patient Charter is a simple, practical guide to your rights when using NHS services, and to what you can reasonably expect from the care you receive.

It sets out clear standards to help ensure everyone gets safe, high-quality care, and encourages a partnership built on respect, trust, and communication between patients and healthcare professionals.

Under the Charter, you can expect:

• Timely access to care and treatment

• Clear information about your health, treatment options, and choices available to you

• Respect, privacy, and dignity at all times

• Involvement in decisions about your care and treatment

• Confidential handling of your personal information

  
  

The Charter also reminds patients that their voice matters. You have the right to ask questions, share feedback, and raise concerns or make a complaint if something doesn’t feel right. This helps the NHS continue to learn and improve.

At Healthwatch West Berks , we believe everyone should know about the NHS Patient Charter and what it means for them. It should be clearly available on every GP surgery’s website, so patients can easily find out about their rights and how to speak up if they need to.

Understanding your rights isn’t just about knowing what to expect, it’s about feeling confident to be part of the conversation about your own health.

What do you think? Do you feel the NHS Patient Charter is being met in your experience? Have you seen it displayed in your local surgery or hospital?

We’d love to hear your views, your feedback helps make sure local health and care services truly meet the needs of our community. Tell us at Have Your Say | Healthwatch West Berkshire or call us on 01635 886210