Confidentiality

The practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt.

Model Publication Scheme - further information

Comments & Complaints

We always try to provide the best service possible, but there may be times when you feel this has not happened. The following information explains our in-house complaints procedure, drawn up to respond to patient grievances.

Our practice procedure is not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation. We hope you will use it to allow us to look into and, if necessary, correct any problems that you have identified, or mistakes that have been made. If you use this procedure it will not affect your right to complain to the health services authority.

Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient's consent will be necessary if a compliant is not made by the patient in person. If you wish to make a complaint, please telephone or write to our practice manager. Full details will be taken and a decision made on how best to undertake the investigation.

We believe it is important to deal with complaints swiftly, so you will be offered an appointment for a meeting to discuss the details within one day. Occasionally it may take a little longer, but we will keep you informed throughout. You may bring a friend or relative with you to the meeting. We will try to address your concerns, provide you with an explanation and discuss any action that may be needed

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The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

1. Getting it right
2. Being customer focused
3. Being open and accountable
4. Acting fairly and proportionately
5. Putting things right
6. Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

Practice Charter

We aim to provide the best possible service to our patients and hope you will feel that we achieve our aim.

The care of your health is a partnership between yourself and the primary health care team. The success of that partnership depends on an understanding of each other's needs and co-operation between us.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU

• You will be greeted courteously
• You have the right to confidentiality
• You have the right to see your medical records subject to the limitations of the law
• You will be seen the same day if your problem is urgent
• You will be seen by your own doctor whenever possible
• You will be informed if there will be a delay of more than 30 minutes for your appointment
• You will be referred to a consultant when your GP thinks it necessary
• You will be given the result of any test or investigation on request or at your next appointment
• Your repeat prescription will be ready for collection within 24 hours of your request
• Your suggestions and comments about the services offered will be considered sympathetically and any complaint dealt with quickly

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO US

• Please treat all surgery staff with due respect - we are all just doing our job
• Do not ask for information about anyone other than yourself
• Tell us of any change of name or address, so that our records are accurate
• Only request an urgent appointment if appropriate. Home visits should only be requested if you are really too ill to attend surgery, and night visits should be for emergencies only - the doctor on call will be at work as usual the next day
• Please cancel your appointment ASAP if you are unable to attend
• Please be punctual, but please be prepared to wait if your own consultation is delayed by an unexpected emergency
• Please allow sufficient time for your consultant's letter or test results to reach us
• You will be advised of the usual length of time to wait
• Please attend for your repeat prescription review, when asked, before your next prescription is due
• Do let us know whenever you feel we have not met our responsibility to you
• We would, of course, also be pleased to hear when you feel praise is due.