ABSTRACT
The advent of patients' rights has become more widespread worldwide. There has been recent debate that patients have both rights and responsibilities, although it is not clear whether sanctions could be imposed on patients who 'breach' their responsibilities. The chapter describes the approaches of situation in the National Health Service (NHS) and compares it with other healthcare providers worldwide, and establishes whether a consensus exists, and whether other factors such as the methods of healthcare delivery impose their own restraints. The NHS is funded by UK taxpayers who are entitled to treatment first set out in the Patient's Charter. The Scottish Executive recently developed a draft set of proposed patient responsibilities to sit alongside proposed patient rights. In the UK, individual providers such as General Practitioner surgeries have produced information on the rights and responsibilities of patients registered with their practices.
