Definition
Someone who is receiving medical treatment.
The bigger picture
Avoid using the term where possible, particularly in relation to social care, as this reinforces stereotypes of disabled people as unwell or ‘invalids’.
Saying it differently
People
People receiving treatment
People accessing health care
What people say
“Patient. This term for me reduces me to my medical needs, or the role within the health care system, which for me undermines my identity and doesn’t see me beyond my health conditions.” – Clenton Farquharson