Practice Policies

Our policies that you might find useful

Access to Medical Records under the Data Protection Act

Online Access / Making a Subject Access Request (SAR)

Introduction
The Data Protection Act gives every living person (or authorised representative) the right to apply for access to their health records.

Online Access to Medical Records
As of March 2016, Coded information from Medical Records can be accessed as part of the Practice’s online services. For security reasons, you will have to visit the practice to undertake an identity check before you are granted access to these records.

To make a subject access request
A request for your medical health records held at Blacketts Medical Practice must be made in writing (e-mails accepted) to the data controller who is: Sarah Stelling, Practice Manager. Please contact the practice for alternative methods of access if you are unable to make a request in writing).

You can apply using an Application for Access to Medical Records Form which are available from reception if you wish.

Costs
Under the Data Protection Act you will not normally be charged a fee to view your health records or to be provided with a copy of them unless the request is judged to be unfounded or excessive.

CCTV Images

CCTV images will not be retained longer than is considered necessary, and will be then be deleted.

All images will be held securely, and all access requests, and access to images will be documented.

Except for law enforcement bodies, images will not be provided to third parties.

Images may record individuals and/or record incidents. Not all recordings are designed to identify persons.

Other than in accordance with statutory rights, the release or availability of images will be at the discretion of the Data Controller(s) for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 2017.

Images are held to improve the personal security of patients and staff whilst on the premises, and for the prevention and detection of crime, and images may be provided to police or other bodies.

Where access is granted in response to an application received, the image may be edited to exclude images of third parties who are also included within the requested image. This may be necessary to protect the identity of the third parties. In these circumstances the image released as part of the application may identify the “data subject” only.

Images will be located by the Data Controller or authorised person.

The practice regularly reviews compliance with the ICO’s CCTV Code of Practice; continued operational effectiveness and whether the system continues to meet its purposes and remains justified.

Complaints

If you have any complaints about any aspect of your application to obtain access to your health records, you should first discuss this with the Practice. All complaints will be acknowledged within three working days and a full response will be provided.

Alternatively you can contact the Information Commissioners Office (responsible for governing Data Protection compliance) –

Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF

Tel 01625 545745 or visit www.ico.org.uk/

Chaperones

Blacketts Medical Practice is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they consider one is required. The chaperone may be a family member or friend, but on occasions a formal chaperone may be preferred for example a Practice Nurse or other member of The Practice Team.

The Healthcare Professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations.

Cookie Policy

What Are Cookies

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are widely used in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

For more detailed information about cookies visit:

https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/

How We Use Cookies

We use cookies for a variety of reasons detailed below. Unfortunately in most cases there are no industry standard options for disabling cookies without completely disabling the functionality and features they add to this site. It is recommended that you leave on all cookies if you are not sure whether you need them or not in case they are used to provide a service that you use.

Disabling Cookies

You can prevent the setting of cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser (see your browser Help for how to do this). Be aware that disabling cookies will affect the functionality of this and many other websites that you visit. Disabling cookies will usually result in also disabling certain functionality and features of the this site. Therefore it is recommended that you do not disable cookies.

The Cookies We Set

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The below cookies are implicitly accepted by you.

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Third Party Cookies

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From time to time we test new features and make subtle changes to the way that the site is delivered. When we are still testing new features these cookies may be used to ensure that you receive a consistent experience whilst on the site whilst ensuring we understand which optimisations our users appreciate the most.
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More Information

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Data Protection Policy

Introduction

The Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) requires a clear direction on policy for security of information held within the practice and provides individuals with a right of access to a copy of information held about them.

The practice needs to collect personal information about people with whom it deals in order to carry out its business and provide its services. Such people include patients, employees (present, past and prospective), suppliers and other business contacts. The information we hold will include personal, sensitive and corporate information. In addition, we may occasionally be required to collect and use certain types of such personal information to comply with the requirements of the law. No matter how it is collected, recorded and used (e.g. on a computer or on paper) this personal information must be dealt with properly to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act 2018.

The lawful and proper treatment of personal information by the practice is extremely important to the success of our business and in order to maintain the confidence of our service users and employees. We ensure that the practice treats personal information lawfully and correctly.

This policy provides direction on security against unauthorised access, unlawful processing, and loss or destruction of personal information.

See also: Access to Medical Records policy, which covers Subject Access Requests under the Data Protection Act.

1.0 Data Protection Principles

We support fully and comply with the six principles of the Act which are summarised below:

Personal data shall be processed fairly and lawfully.
Personal data shall be obtained/processed for specific lawful purposes, and will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected.
Personal data held must be adequate, relevant and not excessive.
Personal data must be accurate and kept up to date, and every reasonable step will be taken to ensure any personal data that is inaccurate is erased or rectified without delay.
Personal data shall not be kept for longer than necessary.
Personal data shall be processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data.

2.0 Employee Responsibilities

All employees will, through appropriate training and responsible management:

comply at all times with the above Data Protection Act principles
observe all forms of guidance, codes of practice and procedures about the collection and use of personal information
understand fully the purposes for which the practice uses personal information
collect and process appropriate information, and only in accordance with the purposes for which it is to be used by the practice to meet its service needs or legal requirements
ensure the information is correctly input into the practice’s systems
ensure the information is destroyed (in accordance with the provisions of the Act) when it is no longer required
on receipt of a request from an individual for information held about them by or on behalf of immediately notify the practice manager
not send any personal information outside of the United Kingdom without the authority of the Caldicott Guardian / IG Lead
understand that breaches of this Policy may result in disciplinary action, including dismissal

3.0 Practice Responsibilities

The practice will:

Ensure that there is always one person with overall responsibility for data protection. Currently this person is Jayne Turner, should you have any questions about data protection. Sandi Wood will take on these responsibilities if the first named individual is absent with illness or on annual leave.
Maintain its registration with the Information Commissioner’s Office
Ensure that all subject access requests are dealt with as per our Access to Medical Records policy
Provide training for all staff members who handle personal information
Provide clear lines of report and supervision for compliance with data protection and also have a system for breach reporting
Carry out regular checks to monitor and assess new processing of personal data and to ensure the practice’s notification to the Information Commissioner is updated to take account of any
changes in processing of personal data
Develop and maintain DPA procedures to include: roles and responsibilities, notification, subject access, training and compliance testing
Display a poster in the waiting room explaining to patients the practice policy (see Data Protection Act – Patient information) plus a copy of the Information Commissioners certificate
Make available a leaflet and or a poster in reception on Access to Medical Records for the information of patients. Also display the certificate of registration with the Information Commissioners office.
Take steps to ensure that individual patient information is not deliberately or accidentally released or (by default) made available or accessible to a third party without the patient’s consent, unless otherwise legally compliant. This will include training on confidentiality issues, DPA principles, working security procedures, and the application of best practice in the workplace.
Undertake prudence in the use of, and testing of, arrangements for the backup and recovery of data in the event of an adverse event.
Maintain a system of “Significant Event Reporting” through a no-blame culture to capture and address incidents which threaten compliance.
Include DPA issues as part of the practice general procedures for the management of risk.
Ensure confidentiality clauses are included in all contracts of employment.
Ensure that all aspects of confidentiality and information security are promoted to all staff.
Remain committed to the security of patient and staff records.
Ensure that any personal staff data requested by the CCG or NHS, i.e. age, sexual orientation and religion etc., is not released without the written consent of the staff member

Data Protection Act – Patient Information

We need to hold personal information about you on our computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.

Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary.
Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.

All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other
circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends, or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not leave messages with others.

You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details and our patient information leaflet. An appointment will be required. In some circumstances a fee may be payable.

Disability Access

If you have any special needs please let our reception staff know so that we can help and ensure you get the same support in the future.

Wheelchair access

The Practice has been specially designed to make it easier for disabled patients to visit. There are no steps at the entrance of the building giving patients easy access. Due to fire regulations, we do have heavy fire doors, however if you have trouble opening these please ask a member of staff for assistance as they are always happy to help.

There are several dedicated disabled car parking spaces available immediately outside the front entrance of The Practice.

We have a wheelchair for patient’s use, at their own risk, should you require one whilst visiting our premises.

We have two disabled toilets one on each floor.

Disabled parking – Blue badge scheme

The Blue Badge Scheme is for people with severe mobility problems. It allows Blue Badge holders to park close to where they need to go.

Guide Dogs

Guide dogs are welcome at the practice but we ask that you be aware of other patients and staff who may have an allergy or fear of dogs. Our Guide Dog Policy available to download.

GDPR Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Here at Blacketts Medical Practice we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This privacy notice explains why we collect, use and disclose information which we hold about you. This notice also explains what rights you have to control how we use your information.

This privacy notice is part of our commitment to ensure that we process your personal information/data fairly and lawfully.

As data controllers, GPs have fair processing responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998. This means ensuring that your personal confidential data (PCD) is handled in ways that are safe, transparent and what you would reasonably expect. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 changed the way that personal confidential data is processed. Therefore it is important that patients are made aware of, and understand these changes and that you have an opportunity to object if you so wish and that you know how to do so.

Health care professionals maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received within the NHS (e.g. NHS Hospital Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be processed electronically, on paper or a mixture of both, and a combination of working practices and technology are used to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure.

Records held by this GP Practice may include the following information:

Your name and address, emergency contact details, carers, next of kin and legal representatives.
Any contact this surgery has had with you such as appointments, clinic visits etc.
Any treatment or care you have received previously for example a previous GP, hospital or walk in centre
Notes and reports about your health
Details about your treatment and care
Results of investigations, such as laboratory tests, x-rays, etc.
Relevant information from other health professionals or relatives who care for you

This GP Practice collects and holds data for the sole purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients and we will ensure that information is kept confidential. We can disclose personal information if:

(i) It is required by law

(ii) You consent – either implicitly for the sake of your own care or explicitly for other purposes

(iii) It is justified in the public interest

On some occasions it may be necessary to undertake clinical audits of records to ensure that the best possible care has been provided to you or to prevent the spread of infectious disease, wherever possible this will be done in anonymised form.

How Long Information Is Retained

Information is permanently retained within your clinical record to provide a full history of your care.

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we hold data centrally, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.

Sometimes information about you may be requested to be used for research purposes. The Practice will always endeavour to gain your consent before releasing the information.

Under the powers of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (HSCA) the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) can request Personal Confidential Data (PCD) from GP Practices without seeking the patient’s consent. The Care.Data Programme allows PCD to be collected by the HSCIC to ensure that the quality and safety of services is consistent across the country. Improvements in information technology are also making it possible for us to share data with other healthcare providers with the objective of providing you with better care.

Any patient can choose to withdraw their consent to their data being used in this way. When the Practice is about to participate in any new data-sharing scheme we will make patients aware by displaying prominent notices in the surgery and on our website at least four weeks before the scheme is due to start. We will also explain clearly what you have to do to ‘opt-out’ of each new scheme.

A patient can object to their personal information being shared with other health care providers but if this limits the treatment that you can receive then the doctor will explain this to you at the time.

Risk Stratification

Risk stratification is a process for identifying and managing patients who are at a higher risk of emergency hospital admission. Typically this is because patients have a long term condition such as COPD or cancer. NHS England encourages GPs to use risk stratification tools as part of their local strategies for supporting patients with long-term conditions and to help prevent avoidable admissions.

Information about you is collected from a number of sources including NHS Trusts and from this GP Practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your anonymous information using computer programmes. Your information is only provided back to your GP or member of your care team in an identifiable form. Risk stratification enables your GP to focus on the prevention of ill health and not just the treatment of sickness. If necessary your GP may be able to offer you additional services.

Please note that you have the right to opt out of Risk Stratification.

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed, or wish to opt out of any data collection at the Practice, please contact the Practice Manager or your healthcare professional to discuss how the disclosure of your personal information can be restricted. All patients have the right to change their minds and reverse a previous decision. Please contact the practice if you change your mind regarding any previous choice.

Invoice Validation

If you have received treatment within the NHS, access to your personal information may be required in order to determine which Clinical Commissioning Group should pay for the treatment or procedure you have received.

This information would most likely include information such as your name, address, date of treatment and may be passed on to enable the billing process. These details are held in a secure environment and kept confidential. This information will only be used to validate invoices, and will not be shared for any further purposes.

NHS Health Checks

All of our patients aged 40-74 not previously diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are eligible to be invited for an NHS Health Check. Nobody outside the healthcare team in the practice will see confidential information about you during the invitation process and only contact details would be securely transferred to a data processor (if that method was employed).

Health Risk Screening

Your information will be used to identify whether you are in a patient cohort that may necessitate contacting you for a review or appointment for a screening check. Examples include Pre Diabetes and NHS Health Checks.

Your information will be used to identify whether you are in a patient cohort that may benefit from additional care or input from a multi-disciplinary care team made up of other healthcare providers or social care professionals such as a Community Nurse, Community Matron.

Clinical Audits

Information may be used within the practice for clinical audit to monitor the services we provide. It may be used to protect the health of the public and to help us manage the NHS. Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes but where we do this we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified. Sometimes your information may be requested for research purposes but the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing this information.

The practice may conduct Medicines Management reviews of medications prescribed to its patients to ensure they receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatments. This service is available to all practices within Darlington CCG.

Under the NHS Confidentiality Code of Conduct, all staff are required to protect information, inform you of how your information will be used and allow you to decide if and how your information can be shared. This will be noted in your records. All staff are required to undertake annual training in data protection, confidentiality and IT/cyber security.

Video and photographic documents in your record

You may be offered a remote consultation as an alternative to attending the practice in person. If you agree to a remote consultation the GP or healthcare professional may need to receive and store images taken by patients for clinical purposes; this could include images for the purpose of intimate clinical assessment. This will only be done in the interests of the patient where it is necessary for providing health care and with patient consent. The approach to video consulting, image sharing, and storage is the same as it would be for face to face interactions. If we need to store images on your GP record this will be only for as long as necessary. It is a patient’s choice to share an image either of a patient’s own accord or on request of the health professional treating you. Refusal to share an image does not prevent access to care and treatment or result in patients receiving an inferior standard of care. Further details about how remote consultation works can be obtained by contacting the practice

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protect your privacy and will only use your information lawfully in accordance with:

Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation 2016

Human Rights Act 1998

Common Law Duty of Confidentiality

Health and Social Care Act 2012
NHS Code of Confidentiality, Information Security and Records Management

We will only ever pass on information about you to others involved in your care if there is a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to a third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances and the law requires information to be passed on. We work within the information sharing principles where “The duty to share can be as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality”

Who are our partner organisations

NHS Trusts/Foundation Trusts

GP’s

NHS Commissioning Support Units

Independent contractors such as dentists. pharmacists and opticians

Ambulance Trusts

Clinical Commissioning Groups

Social Care Services

Health and Social Care Information Centre

Police and Judicial Services

Other ‘data processors’ during specific project work e.g. Diabetes UK

Access to Personal Information

You have a right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to access/view information the Practice holds about you, and to have it amended or removed should it be inaccurate. This is known as ‘the right of subject access’. If we do hold information about you we will:

give you a description of it;
tell you why we are holding it;
tell you who it could be disclosed to; and
let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form.

In order to request this you need to do the following:

Complete a request form which can be obtained from the practice (if you request information from the hospital you should write to them directly).
There may be a charge to have a printed copy of the information
From 25^th May 2018 we are required to respond to you within one month.
You will need to provide documents to verify your identity.

The practice has the right to refuse a request that is deemed unfounded or excessive.

16 or Under

We are concerned to protect the privacy of children aged 16 or under. If you are aged 16 or under‚ please get your parent/guardian’s permission beforehand whenever you provide us with personal information.

Who is the Data Controller?

The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is:

Drs Michie, Baines, Umashankar, Pearson and Hardy

The Practice is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998. The registration number is Z6467326 and can be viewed online in the public register

http://ico.org.uk/what_we_cover/register_of_data_controllers

Objections / Complaints

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at your GP practice, please contact the GP Practice Manager:

Blacketts Medical Practice

63-65 Bondgate

Darlington DL3 7JR

If you are still unhappy following a review by the GP practice, you can then complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) via their website www.ico.gov.uk

Change of Details

It is important that you tell the person treating you if any of your details such as your name or address have changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.

Notification

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information.

This information is publicly available on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk

The practice is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).

Further information

Further information about the way in which the NHS uses personal information and your rights in that respect can be found in:

The NHS Care Record Guarantee: http://www.nigb.nhs.uk/pubs/nhscrg.pdf

The NHS Constitution: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england

Care.data programme: http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/tsd/care-data/gp-guidance/

The HSCIC Guide to Confidentiality gives more information on the rules around information sharing : http://www.hscic.gov.uk/confguideorg

An independent review of how information about patients is shared across the health and care system led by Dame Fiona Caldicott was conducted in 2012. The report, Information: To share or not to share? The Information Governance Review, be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-information-governance-review

The NHS Commissioning Board – NHS England – Better Data, Informed Commissioning, Driving Improved Outcomes: Clinical Data Sets provides further information about the data flowing within the NHS to support commissioning.http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/clinical-datasets.pdf

Please visit the Health and Social Care Information Centre’s website for further information about their work. Information about their responsibility for collecting data from across the health and social care system can be found at: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/collectingdata

The Information Commissioner’s Office is the Regulator for the Data Protection Act 1998 and offer independent advice and guidance on the law and personal data, including your rights and how to access your personal information. For further information please visit the Information Commissioner’s Office website at http://www.ico.gov.uk.

We keep this Privacy Policy under regular review. This policy was last updated in May 2020 and will be reviewed again in May 2021.

Infection Control Statement

We aim to keep our practice clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff. We are proud of our modern, purpose built Health Centre and endeavour to ensure it is kept clean and well maintained at all times.

If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please report these to our reception staff.

Our GPs and Nursing staff follow our Infection Control Policy to ensure the care we deliver and the equipment we use is safe.

We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:

Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We can discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems.
Carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working.
Provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control
Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available financial resources and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk.
Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings, towels etc, and ensure that these are laundered, cleaned or changed frequently to minimise risk of infection.
Make Alcohol Hand Rub Gel available throughout the building

Significant events

In the past year there have been no significant events raised that related to infection control.

Cleaning specifications

The cleaning staff work to structured cleaning schedules and the daily cleaning of the Health Centre is contracted to a company who follow national NHS guidance. The public areas are cleaned every evening.

Infection control policy

The Infection Control Policy is reviewed and updated annually if appropriate and updated on an ongoing basis as current advice changes.

Medical Records

When a patient registers at a practice a transaction is sent to the Primary Care Support Service notifying them that they are a new patient. Your paper medical records from your previous practice will then be sent to the Primary Care Support Service and transferred to your new practice. The process of receiving your paper medical records normally runs smoothly but it can sometimes take up to three months. Once the practice receives these records they are summarised so that everything the GP needs to know about your health is made available on our computer Medical Records.

Currently many practices country wide including our own are using a computer record system called SystmOnline. If a patient moves from one SystmOnline practice to another, all relevant medical information is ready to be seen by the GP on the patient’s screen on the computer as soon as the patient has registered, although paper medical records are still thoroughly checked once they are received later.

Practice Earnings

NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised, and the required disclosure is shown below for 2022/23. However it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in this practice in the last full financial year was £66,090 before Tax and National insurance. This is for three full time GPs, three part time GPs, three salaried GPs and zero locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.

Training Practice

Blacketts is proud to be a training practice, training junior doctors. GP Registrars are fully qualified doctors gaining specialist training in general practice. They are attached to The Practice for a year and hold clinics in the same way as a GP.

Additionally as an essential part of their training, Student Doctors regularly observe our doctors during consultations. If you do not wish a Medical Student to be present during your consultation or examination then please inform a member of reception or the relevant clinician.

Your Rights and Responsibilities

We are committed to giving you the best possible service. This will be achieved by working together.

Patient’s rights

Help us to help you. You have a right to, and the practice will try to ensure that:

You will be treated with courtesy and respect
You will be treated as a partner in the care and attention that you receive
All aspects of your visit will be dealt with in privacy and confidence
You will be seen by a clinician of your choice, subject to availability
In an emergency, out of normal opening hours, if you telephone the practice you will be given the number to receive assistance, which will require no more than one further call
You can bring someone with you, however you may be asked to be seen on your own during the consultation
Repeat prescriptions will normally be available for collection within two working days of your request
Information about our services on offer will be made available to you by way of posters, notice boards, newsletters and on our website.
You have the right to see your medical records or have a copy subject to certain laws. A small fee may be charged to cover costs. If you would like access to health records please see our Medical Records Page

Patient’s responsibilities

With these rights come responsibilities and for patients we would respectfully request that you:

Treat practice staff and doctors with the same consideration and courtesy that you would like yourself. Remember that they are trying to help you
Please request home visits before 11.00am, if possible
Please ensure that you order your repeat medication in plenty of time allowing 48 working hours
Please ensure that you have a basic first aid kit at home and initiate minor illness and self-care for you and your family
Please attend any specialist appointments that have been arranged for you or cancel them if your condition has resolved or you no longer wish to attend
Please follow up any test or investigations done for you with the person who has requested the investigation
Attend appointments on time and check in with one of our Patient Navigators
Patients who are more than 10 minutes late for their appointment may not be seen
If you are unable to make your appointment or no longer need it, please give the practice adequate notice that you wish to cancel. Appointments are heavily in demand and missed appointments waste time and delay more urgent patients receiving the treatment they need
An appointment is for one person only. Where another family member needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made
Patients should make every effort to present at the practice to ensure the best use of nursing and medical time. Home visits should be medically justifiable and not requested for social convenience
Please inform us when you move home, change your name or telephone number, so that we can keep our records correct and up to date
Read the practice leaflets and other information that we give you. They are there to help you use our services. If you do not understand their content please tell us
Let us have your views. Your ideas and suggestions whether complimentary or critical are important in helping us to provide a first class, safe, friendly service in pleasant surroundings

Zero Tolerance Policy

The practice fully supports the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy. The aim of this policy is to tackle the increasing problem of violence against staff working in the NHS and ensures that doctors and all other staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused.

We understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint. We ask you to treat your doctors and all other staff courteously and act reasonably.

All incidents will be followed up and you will be sent a formal warning after a second incident or removed from the practice list after a third incident if your behaviour has been unreasonable.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or verbal abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from The Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police will be contacted if an incident is taking place and the patient is posing a threat to staff or other patients.

Removal from the practice list

A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of The Practice, that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is on immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.