We exist to champion safer care across Scotland's health and care system.
Established under the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Act 2023.
Independent office
Reports publicly to Parliament
Focused on systemic patient safety improvement
Authority to investigate themes and make recommendations
Not a regulator. Not a complaints body. Not an inspector.
My focus is system learning and risk reduction.
The Commissioner will ensure that patients, families and the public are listened to and included at every stage of the safety system, particularly those whose voices have historically been marginalised.
Patient experience and lived experience will directly inform priorities, investigations and recommendations.
Why it matters:
Patients, families and the public provide vital insight into where care is unsafe, where harm is occurring and where systems are not working as they should. Including all voices—especially those too often unheard—helps identify risks earlier, build trust and drive safer, fairer healthcare.
Safety is everyone’s responsibility across health and social care. The Commissioner will promote whole-system leadership, co-design, collaboration shared accountability and effective whole system risk management so that safety is embedded in everyday practice, not dependent on individuals or isolated organisations.
Why it matters:
No single body can deliver safety alone — it must be built into how the whole system works.
The Commissioner will prioritise learning from patterns, trends and recurring risks, promoting restorative and learning-focused responses to harm rather than blame.
Why it matters:
Patient safety is improved not by responding to isolated events alone, but by identifying patterns, understanding underlying causes and using lessons learned to prevent harm from happening again across the wider system.
The Commissioner will promote a culture of candour, psychological safety and transparency.
Health-care organisations should be open about safety incidents, share learning, and be accountable for acting on recommendations.
Why it matters:
When organisations are open about risks, transparent about decisions and accountable for action, patient safety concerns are more likely to be understood, acted on and prevented from recurring.
The Commissioner will use and promote robust evidence, data, research and lived experience to understand safety risks, measure improvement and guide recommendations to government and health-care bodies.
Why it matters:
Evidence turns individual stories of harm into system-wide action and prevention.
The Commissioner will operate independently of government and health-care providers, acting impartially, proportionately and transparently in the public interest.
Why it matters:
Independence and integrity are essential for credibility, trust and impact.
Patient safety is a system property, not an individual failing; learning, equity, openness, and the right to be heard are central.
The Charter explains what patients and families can expect when safety concerns arise, and what the Commissioner expects from health-care providers and public bodies—particularly following major incidents.
Purpose of the Charter
To make patient safety expectations clear and public
To set out rights, responsibilities, and standards of behaviour
To ensure learning and improvement after harm
Who the Charter Is For
Patients and families affected by safety concerns or major incidents
Health-care organisations and professionals
Public bodies and regulators involved in safety oversight
The PSC’s office will provide clear routes for people to share their experiences, concerns or ideas about patient safety. We will ensure these voices inform our priorities, investigations and recommendations.
You should feel that your concerns are taken seriously, and that what you say helps shape safer care for others.
Our findings, recommendations and progress reports will be published openly wherever possible.
We will explain the reasons for our decisions and share learning across the system.
You can expect openness and accountability in how our office works
We will use data, research and lived experience to understand risks and measure progress.
Recommendations will always be based on evidence.
You can expect that our work is thorough, factual and improvement focused.
When harm occurs, we will encourage organisations to respond with openness, compassion and a commitment to learning.
We will support approaches that rebuild trust rather than assign blame.
The PSC operates independently of government, health-care providers and regulators.
We will act independently in the public interest, guided by evidence and integrity.
