Patient Safety Commissioner: consultation analysis

Chapter 7: Responses on impact assessments

The remaining questions related to the impact assessments to be carried out on the policy of establishing the Patient Safety Commissioner role in Scotland. All were open questions inviting free text responses.

Question 12: What are you views on how creating a Patient Safety Commissioner might affect the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and sex?

68 respondents answered this question (30 organisations and 38 individuals).

Respondents were generally of the view that creating the PSC role would have a positive impact on protected characteristics or at least would not have a negative impact.

Question 13: The Fairer Scotland Duty places a legal responsibility on certain public bodies in Scotland to actively consider how they can reduce inequalities caused mainly by people's financial situation. What are you views on how having a Patient Safety Commissioner might affect this inequality?

66 respondents answered this question (27 organisations and 39 individuals). A significant number were of the view that the PSC should have a positive impact on reducing inequalities caused mainly by people's financial situation or would not have a negative impact. However, others were unsure and felt they needed a clearer understanding of the role before being able to comment.

Question 14: If you live in an island community, what are your views on how having a Patient Safety Commissioner might affect access to safe, high-quality public services where you live?

23 respondents answered this question (11 organisations and 12 individuals). A number of those who responded were of the view that the establishment of the PSC would have a positive impact or no negative impact on island communities, whereas others were unsure or felt they could not comment.

Question 15: What are your views on how having a Patient Safety Commissioner might affect respecting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of children and young people as set out in the UN Charter for the Rights of the Child?

57 respondents answered this question (21 organisations and 36 individuals). About half of those who responded were of the view that the PSC would have a positive impact on the rights of children and young people or no negative impact. Other respondents were unsure or commented on the need to consider the relationship between the PSC and the Commissioner for Children and Young People.