Policies

The standard aims to make sure our patients, or their carers, with a disability, sensory loss or impairment are provided with information they can easily read or understand with support, for example large print, so they can communicate effectively with health and social care services

If you have any information or communication support needs relating to a disability, impairment or sensory loss please let us know.

A note about Medical Records

Sometimes when people view their medical records they see things recorded in ways that they don’t understand or in which don’t fully record the medical problems that they have or have had.

There are a number of reasons that may account for this:

1. It may have been incorrectly recorded or dated. If you are viewing your medical records and something is clearly wrong, please let us know so we can investigate and correct it. If possible, let us know of problems in writing rather than by telephone. Please do not book an appointment just to raise concerns about details in your medical record.
2. It may not be able to be exactly recorded due to the limitations of the system used to “code” medical information. Much of the information in medical records is recorded using medical terms that the computer system recognises. Unfortunately the number of computer recognised terms is not as extensive as enormous variety of medical conditions that people have. Rare, very detailed and newly described conditions or procedures are often not available on the coding system so we have to use approximations. We have to accept and work with this.
3. Remember that medical terminology does not always have exactly the same meaning as when the words are used in day to day conversation.

NHS England is currently involved in developing a modern information system, to help improve health services.

To discover how information about you helps us to provide better care you can visit the NHS England website or download the leaflets shown below.

Health and Social Care Act 2012

Collection of your personal data under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

Our 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; the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

All medical consultations, examinations and investigations are potentially distressing. Patients can find examinations, investigations or photography involving the breasts, genitalia or rectum particularly intrusive (these examinations are collectively referred to as ‘intimate examinations’). Consultations involving dimmed lights, the need for patients to undress or intensive periods of being touched may also make a patient feel vulnerable.

Chaperoning is the process of having a third person present during such consultations to provide support, both emotional and sometimes physical, to the patient, to provide practical support to the Doctor as required, and also to protect the Doctor against allegations of improper behaviour during such consultations.

Clinical governance is the system through which NHS organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care, by creating an environment in which clinical excellence will flourish.

Clinical governance encompasses quality assurance, quality improvement and risk & incident management.

Clinical Trials help Doctors understand how to treat a particular disease or condition. It may benefit you, or others like you, in the future.

If you take part in a Clinical Trial, you may be one of the first people to benefit from a new treatment.

However, if you do take part you should also be aware that there is a chance that the new treatment turns out to be no better, or worse, than the existing standard treatment.

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our Practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong, resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would like the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To have your complaint investigated, you need to complain within 12 months of the event happening, or as soon as you first become aware of the issue you want to complain about.

The time limit can be extended in special circumstances.

Interpreting Service

We can arrange for a meeting with the Practice Manager and an Interpreter for any patient whose first language is not English and needs help with their complaint.

How to make a compliment or complaint

Whether you are happy or unhappy with the care and treatment that you have received, please get in touch and let us know your views.

Receiving compliments and complaints is important to ensuring good quality local healthcare in our Practice – helping us to find out more about what we’re getting right and what we can improve.

We hope this will help you to make your feelings and experiences known to the appropriate people. Should you have a complaint we hope this page will give you more information about what to do, who to contact and what happens next.

How do I raise a concern / informal complaint?

You can speak to any member of staff initially with your complaint. This gives you the opportunity to resolve any concern you may have without it going through a formal process.

Most complaints are best resolved within the practice and these should be made via the Practice Manager.

Formal Complaint

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and offer to discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to offer you an explanation within that time frame. Or a meeting with the people involved.

• Find out what happened and what went wrong
• Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
• Apologise where this is appropriate
• Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

If you feel you do not want to contact the surgery directly, then you can contact the NHS Complaints team on:

NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT

If you are making a complaint please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.

In General

If you have a complaint to make, you can either contact the Practice Manager or ask the Receptionist for a copy of our Complaints Procedure. We will endeavour to:

1. acknowledge any letter or Complaints Form within 3 working days of receiving it.
2. deal with the matter as promptly as possible – usually within 20 working days – dependent on the nature of the complaint.

Who can complain

• Complainants may be current or former patients, or their nominated or elected representatives (who have been given consent to act on the patients behalf).
• Patients over the age of 16 whose mental capacity is unimpaired should normally complain themselves or authorise someone to bring a complaint on their behalf.
• Children under the age of 16 can also make their own complaint, if they’re able to do so.

If a patient lacks capacity to make decisions, their representative must be able to demonstrate sufficient interest in the patient’s welfare and be an appropriate person to act on their behalf. This could be a partner, relative or someone appointed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with lasting power of attorney.

Appropriate person

In certain circumstances, we need to check that a representative is the appropriate person to make a complaint.

• For example, if the complaint involves a child, we must satisfy ourselves that there are reasonable grounds for the representative to complain, rather than the child concerned.
• If the patient is a child or a patient who lacks capacity, we must also be satisfied that the representative is acting in the patient’s best interests.

If we are not satisfied that the representative is an appropriate person we will not consider the complaint, and will give the representative the reasons for our decision in writing.

Time limits

A complaint must be made within 12 months, either from the date of the incident or from when the complainant first knew about it.

The regulations state that a responsible body should only consider a complaint after this time limit if:

• the complainant has good reason for doing so, and
• it’s still possible to investigate the complaint fairly and effectively, despite the delay.

Procedure

We have a two stage complaints procedure. We will always try to deal with your complaint quickly however if it is clear that the matter will need a detailed investigation, we will notify you and then keep you updated on our progress.

Stage one – Early, local resolution

• We will try to resolve your complaint within five working days if possible.
• If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can ask us to escalate your complaint to Stage Two.

Stage Two – Investigation

• We will look at your complaint at this stage if you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage One.
• We also escalate some complaints straight to this stage, if it is clear that they are complex or need detailed investigation.
• We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and we will give you our decision as soon as possible. This will be no more that 20 working days unless there is clearly a good reason for needing more time to respond.

Complain to the Ombudsman

If, after receiving our final decision, you remain dissatisfied you may take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and free to use. It can help resolve your complaint, and tell the NHS how to put things right if it has got them wrong.

The Ombudsman only has legal powers to investigate certain complaints. You must have received a final response from the Practice before the Ombudsman can look at your complaint and it will generally not look into your complaint if it happened more than 12 months ago, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Address:

Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Tower 30
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Phone: 0345 015 4033

E: email the Ombudsman 

Other organisations that can help you make a complaint about health services

Confidentiality

All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, we will inform the patient or person acting on his/her behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the Practice or an employee of the Practice.

We keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records will be kept separate from patients’ medical records.

Statistics and reporting

The Practice must submit to the local primary care organisation periodically/at agreed intervals details of the number of complaints received and actioned.

Give feedback or make a complaint

You can complain to a member of staff at the NHS service you went to, such as a GP surgery or hospital, or you can complain to the organisation in charge.

The practice complies with the Data Protection Act.  All information about patients is confidential: from the most sensitive diagnosis, to the fact of having visited the surgery or being registered at the Practice. All patients can expect that their personal information will not be disclosed without their permission except in the most exceptional of circumstances, when somebody is at grave risk of serious harm.

All members of the primary health care team (from reception to doctors) in the course of their duties will have access to your medical records. They all adhere to the highest standards of maintaining confidentiality.

You have a right to know who holds personal information about you. This person or organisation is called the Data Controller. In the NHS, the Data Controller is usually your local NHS Health Authority and/or your GP Surgery. The NHS must keep your personal health information confidential. It is your right.

Please be aware that our staff are bound to the NHS code of confidentiality; they are therefore not permitted to discuss any of our patient’s medical history, including their registration status, without their written consent to do so.

Once written consent has been received and verified with the patient we can provide you with information as required; this includes communicating with you on behalf of the patient with regards to any complaints, but excludes patients who are unable to act on their own behalf and already have a designated person or carer responsible for their medical care.

Under 16s:

The duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person. Young people aged under 16 years can choose to see health professionals, without informing their parents or carers. If a GP considers that the young person is competent to make decisions about their health, then the GP can give advice, prescribe and treat the young person without seeking further consent.

However, in terms of good practice, health professionals will encourage young people to discuss issues with a parent or carer. As with older people, sometimes the law requires us to report information to appropriate authorities in order to protect young people or members of the public.

Useful Websites:

• Confidentiality and Mental Health
• Confidentiality Guidance

We therefore respectfully ask parents, relatives and guardians not to request information regarding their relatives/friends or to complain on their behalf unless we have their written consent that you may do so. If consent is required we advise that the person concerned attends the Practice to complete the required form.

Consent to treatment is the principle that a person must give permission before they receive any type of medical treatment, test or examination and is generally requested on the basis that an explanation of the required treatment, test or procedure has been received from a Clinician.

Consent from a patient is needed regardless of the procedure, whether it’s a physical examination, organ donation or something else.

The principle of consent is an important part of medical ethics and international human rights law.

Defining consent

For consent to be valid, it must be voluntary and informed, and the person consenting must have the capacity to make the decision.

These terms are explained below:

• voluntary– the decision to either consent or not to consent to treatment must be made by the person themselves, and must not be influenced by pressure from medical staff, friends or family
• informed– the person must be given all of the information in terms of what the treatment involves, including the benefits and risks, whether there are reasonable alternative treatments, and what will happen if treatment doesn’t go ahead
• capacity– the person must be capable of giving consent, which means they understand the information given to them and they can use it to make an informed decision

If an adult has the capacity to make a voluntary and informed decision to consent to or refuse a particular treatment, their decision must be respected.This is still the case even if refusing treatment would result in their death, or the death of their unborn child.

If a person doesn’t have the capacity to make a decision about their treatment, the Healthcare Professionals treating them can go ahead and give treatment if they believe it’s in the person’s best interests.

Clinicians must however take reasonable steps to seek advice from the patient’s friends or relatives before making these decisions.

Read more about assessing the capacity to consent.

How consent is given

Consent can be given:

• verbally– for example, by saying you are happy to have an X-ray
• in writing– for example, by signing a Consent Form for surgery to be performed

Someone could also give non-verbal consent, as long as they understand the treatment or examination about to take place – for example, holding out an arm for a blood test.

Consent should be given to the Healthcare Professional directly responsible for the person’s current treatment, such as:

• a Nurse arranging a blood test
• a GP prescribing new medication
• a Surgeon planning an operation

If someone is going to have a major medical procedure such as an operation, their consent should ideally be secured plenty of time in advance, so that they have time to obtain information about the procedure and ask questions.

If a patient changes their mind at any point before the procedure, they are entitled to withdraw their previous consent.

Consent from children and young people

If they’re able to, consent is usually given by patients themselves. However, someone with parental responsibility may need to give consent for a child up to the age of 16 to have treatment.

Read more about the rules of consent applying to children and young people.

When consent isn’t needed

There are a few exceptions when treatment may be able to go ahead without the person’s consent, even if they’re capable of giving their permission.

It may not be necessary to obtain consent if a person:

• requires emergency treatment to save their life, but they’re incapacitated (for example, they’re unconscious) – the reasons why treatment was necessary should be fully explained once they’ve recovered
• immediately requires an additional emergency procedure during an operation – there has to be a clear medical reason why it would be unsafe to wait to obtain consent, and it can’t be simply for convenience
• with a severe mental health condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or dementia, lacks the capacity to consent to the treatment of their mental health (under the Mental Health Act 1983) – in these cases, treatment for unrelated physical conditions still requires consent, which the patient may be able to provide, despite their mental illness
• requires Hospital treatment for a severe mental health condition, but self-harmed or attempted suicide while competent and is refusing treatment (under the Mental Health Act 1983) – the person’s nearest relative or an approved Social Worker must make an application for the person to be forcibly kept in Hospital, and two Doctors must assess the person’s condition
• is a risk to public health as a result of rabies, cholera or tuberculosis (TB)
• is severely ill and living in unhygienic conditions (under the National Assistance Act 1948) – a person who is severely ill or infirm and is living in unsanitary conditions can be taken to a place of care without their consent

You can always talk to the clinician providing you with care if you have any concerns in relation to consent.

Consent and life-sustaining treatments

A person may be being kept alive with supportive treatments – such as lung ventilation – without having made an advance decision based on information which outlined the care that they may have refused to receive.

In these cases, a decision about continuing or stopping treatment needs to be made based on what that person’s best interests are believed to be.

To help reach a decision, the Healthcare Professionals responsible for the person’s care should discuss the issue with the relatives and friends of the person receiving the treatment.

They should consider, among other things:

• what the person’s quality of life will be if treatment is continued
• how long the person may live if treatment is continued
• whether there’s any chance of the person recovering

Treatment can be withdrawn if there’s an agreement that continuing treatment isn’t in the person’s best interests.

The case will be referred to the Courts before further action is taken if:

• an agreement can’t be reached
• a decision has to be made on whether to withdraw treatment from someone who has been in a state of impaired consciousness for a long time (usually at least 12 months)

It’s important to note the difference between withdrawing a person’s life support and taking a deliberate action to make them die. For example, injecting a lethal drug would illegal.

Complaints

If you believe you’ve received treatment you didn’t consent to, you can make an official complaint, please write to the Practice Manager, who will assist you with this process.

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

Wheelchair access

The Surgery 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 Reception 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 Surgery.

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. For more information and an Application Form visit your local council office.

Loop system

We have a loop induction system at Reception to assist the hearing impaired. For more information on the loop hearing system visit Hearing Link website.

• British Deaf Association
• British Sign Language Healthy Mind
• Action Hearing Loss
• Royal Association for Deaf People
• National Deaf Children’s Society

Blind/partially sighted

If you or your family members are blind or partially sighted we can give you a large print of our Practice leaflet upon request. Please ask our staff for further information.

For more advice and support for blind people please visit the following websites:

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RIND)
• Action for Blind People
• blind.org.uk
• Blind in Business
• British Blind Sport

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. Please visit the guide dog website for further information.

We share a common purpose with our partners in health and social care – and that is to provide high quality care and ensure the best possible outcomes for the people who use our services. Promoting improvement is at the heart of what we do.

We endeavour to provide a first class service at all times but sometimes things go wrong and our service may fall below our expected levels.

In order to comply with Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulations 2014) we pledge to:

• Have a culture of openness and honesty at all levels
• Inform patients in a timely manner when safety incidents have occurred which may affect them
• Provide a written and truthful account of the incident, explaining any investigations and enquiries made
• Provide a written apology
• Provide support if you are affected directly by an incident.

The NHS is the UK’s state health service which provides treatment for UK residents. Some services are free, other have to be paid for. The regulations that govern who can and can’t receive treatment are complex and may change.

If you have any questions relating to entitlement to treatment under the NHS please contact the Practice.

Free Services

GP and Nurse consultations in primary care, treatment provided by a GP and other primary care services are free of charge to all, whether registering as an NHS patient, or as a temporary patient (which is when the patient is in the area for more than 24 hours and less than 3 months).

For secondary care services, the UK’s healthcare system is a residence based one, which means entitlement to free healthcare is based on living lawfully in the UK on an approved and settled basis. The measure of residence that the UK uses to determine entitlement to free NHS healthcare is known as ‘ordinary residence’. This requires non-EEA nationals subject to immigration control, to also have the immigration status of ‘indefinite leave to remain’. Individuals who are not ordinarily resident in the UK may be required to pay for their care when they are in England. However, some services and some individuals are exempt from payment.

The following NHS treatment is available to anyone:

• Treatment in an emergency (but not follow up treatment)
• Treatment of certain communicable diseases
• Compulsory psychiatric treatment

GPs are the first point of contact for virtually all NHS patients:

• They can direct you to other NHS services and are experts in family medicine, preventative care, health education, and treating people with multiple and long-term conditions
• If you’re planning to live and work in England, you need to register with a local GP
• Being registered with a GP Practice does not in itself mean you’ll be entitled to free NHS hospital treatment
• You’ll need to fill out a GMS1 form (PDF, 156kb) using exactly the same details you used when you filled out your visa
• If you’re in England for a short visit but need to see a GP, you can register as a temporary patient with a local Doctor – to do this, you need to be in the area for more than 24 hours but less than 3 months
• Treatment will be free of charge, but make sure you present your Global Insurance Card  if you have one

Medical emergencies

If you need immediate medical assistance (e.g. because of an accident) telephone 999. The call is free. An Operator will ask you which emergency service you require (Fire, Police or Ambulance). You will need to tell the emergency services what has happened and where you are. If someone is injured and needs to go to Hospital, an ambulance will be sent out to pick the patient up and take them to the nearest Hospital that has an Accident & Emergency Department.

If you need urgent treatment but are well enough to travel please make your own way to the nearest Accident & Emergency Department.

Our Policy is designed to ensure and promote equality and inclusion, supporting the ethos and requirements of the Equality Act 2010 for all visitors to our Practice.

We are committed to:

• ensuring that all visitors are treated with dignity and respect
• promoting equality of opportunity between men and women
• not tolerating any discrimination or perceived discrimination against, or harassment of, any visitor for reason of age, sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief
• providing the same treatment and services (including the ability to register with the Practice) to any visitor irrespective of age, sex, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, religion or belief
• This Policy applies to the general public, including all patients and their families, visitors and contractors

Procedure

Discrimination by the Practice or Visitors / patients against you

If you feel discriminated against:

• You should bring the matter to the attention of the Practice Manager
• The Practice Manager will investigate the matter thoroughly and confidentially within 14 working days
• The Practice Manager will establish the facts and decide whether or not discrimination has taken place, and advise you of the outcome of the investigation within 14 working days
• If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you should raise a formal complaint through our Complaints Procedure

Discrimination against our Practice staff

The Practice will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment of our staff by any visitor. Any visitor who expresses any form of discrimination against or harassment of any member of our staff will be required to leave the Practice premises immediately. If the visitor is a patient they may also, at the discretion of the Practice Management, be removed from the Practice list if any such behaviour occurs.

The Freedom of Information Act creates a right of access to recorded information and obliges a public authority to:

• Have a publication scheme in place
• Allow public access to information held by public authorities.

The Act covers any recorded organisational information such as reports, policies or strategies, that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland, however it does not cover personal information such as patient records which are covered by the Data Protection Act.

Public authorities include government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces.

The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner who regulates both the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.

The Surgery publication scheme

A publication scheme requires an authority to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The scheme lists information under seven broad classes, which are:

• who we are and what we do
• what we spend and how we spend it
• what our priorities are and how we are doing it
• how we make decisions
• our policies and procedures
• lists and registers
• the services we offer

You can request our publication scheme leaflet at the surgery.

Who can request information?

Under the Act, any individual, anywhere in the world, is able to make a request to a practice for information. An applicant is entitled to be informed in writing, by the practice, whether the practice holds information of the description specified in the request and if that is the case, have the information communicated to him. An individual can request information, regardless of whether he/she is the subject of the information or affected by its use.

How should requests be made?

Requests must:

• be made in writing (this can be electronically e.g. email/fax)
• state the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence
• describe the information requested.

What cannot be requested?

Personal data about staff and patients covered under Data Protection Act.

For more information see these websites:

• Legislation GOV.UK
• Information Commissioners 

General Practice Extraction Service (GPES) is a centrally managed, primary care, data extraction service being introduced across England, and is managed by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

The purpose of GPES is to extract and compare data from across the NHS, allowing data to be turned into accurate and usable management information; this in turn leads to improvements in patient care and greater efficiency across the service as a whole. The data extracted is also used to support QOF, although GPES does not calculate or make these payments, that task is carried out by the Calculating Quality Reporting Service (CQRS).

Click on the link below to be redirected to a more in depth review of how ‘Care Data’ is being managed.

For further information please access this LINK.

Health and care professionals provide care as a local team. This means that the right people can work together to ensure your care is planned and co-ordinated. They work within strict rules and focus on getting the best outcomes for their patients. They are ethically accountable to their professional bodies for their actions, including on what is appropriate to share and when. Sharing is subject to strict written agreements and/or contracts on how it will be used with tight controls to maintain confidentiality and security.

As part of the NHS commitment to providing more personalised care, from June 2015 all practices are required to provide all their Patients with a named GP who will have overall responsibility for the care and support that our surgery provides.

•  This will not impact your experience at the practice, the provision of appointments, your treatment, or which GP you can see
•  You may wonder why your allocated GP is not necessarily the one you see most regularly.  Please be assured that you can still access all of our medical team in exactly the same way as before
•  Having a named GP does not guarantee you will always be seen by that GP
•  Please note that the GP responsible for your care may be subject to change and reallocation in the future

You do not need to take any further action, but if you have any questions or wish to know your named GP, please speak to a member of the reception team.

What does ‘accountable’ mean?

This is largely a role of oversight, with the requirements being introduced to reassure patients that they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.

What are the named GP’s responsibilities to 75s and over?

This is unchanged from 2014-2015; for patients aged 75 and over the named accountable GP is responsible for:

•  working with relevant associated health and social care professionals to deliver a multi-disciplinary care package that meets the needs of the patient
•  ensuring that these patients have access to a health check as set out in section 7.9 of the GMS Contract Regulations.

Does the requirement mean 24-hour responsibility for patients? No. The named GP will not:

•  take on vicarious responsibility for the work of other doctors or health professional
•  take on 24-hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours. The requirement does not imply personal availability for GPs throughout the working week
•  be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient

Can patients choose their own named GP

In the first instance, patients should simply be allocated a named GP. However, if a patient requests a particular GP, reasonable efforts should be made to accommodate their preference, recognising that there are occasions when the practice may not feel the patient’s preference is suitable.

Do patients have to see the named GP when they book an appointment with the practice?

No. Patients can and should feel free to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice in line with current arrangements. However, some practices may see this change as a way to encourage and promote a greater degree of continuity of care for patients.

Citizens Advice England provides patients with a full array of information about  your rights within the NHS.

Law Change regards Organ Donation

The law has changed regards organ donation – the system has changed from and opt in system to an opt out system.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. They provide a point of contact for patients, their families and their carers.

Our Practice aims to ensure the highest standard of medical care for our patients and we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. To do this we keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided, or plan to provide, to you. This Privacy Policy does not provide exhaustive details of all aspect of the collection and use of personal information by the practice. However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed.

Introduction

• This is a notice to inform you of our Policy about all information that we record about you. It sets out the conditions under which we may process any information that we collect from you, or that you provide to us. It covers information that could identify you (personal information) and information that could not. In the context of the law and this notice, ‘process’ means collect, store, transfer, use or otherwise act on information
• We regret that if there are one or more points below with which you are not happy, your only recourse is to leave our website immediately
• We take seriously the protection of your privacy and confidentiality. We understand that all visitors to our website are entitled to know that their personal data will not be used for any purpose unintended by them, and will not accidentally fall into the hands of a third party.
• We undertake to preserve the confidentiality of all information you provide to us, and hope that you reciprocate
• Our Policy complies with UK law accordingly implemented, including that required by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• The Law requires us to tell you about your rights and our obligations to you with regards to the processing and control of your personal data. We do this now, by requesting that you read the information provided at Know Your Privacy Rights
• Except as set out below, we do not share, sell or disclose to a third party, any information collected through our website.

Compliance with the Law

Our Privacy Policy has been compiled so as to comply with the Law of every country or legal jurisdiction in which we aim to do business. If you think it fails to satisfy the Law of your jurisdiction, we would like to hear from you.

However, ultimately it is your choice as to whether you wish to use our website.

Further Information – Understanding Patient Data

Understanding Patient Data’ supports better conversations about the uses of health information. Our aim is to explain how and why data can be used for care and research, what’s allowed and what’s not, and how personal information is kept safe. We work with patients, charities and Healthcare Professionals to champion responsible use of data.

Review of this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time as necessary. The terms that apply to you are those posted here on our website on the day you use our website. We advise you to print a copy for your records.

If you have any question regarding our Privacy Policy, please contact us.

Please check with the Practice if this service is available.

Giving another person access to your GP online services

Did you know that you can choose to give another person access to your GP online services on your behalf? You don’t need to know how to use these services or have a computer yourself to give another person access.

Who can have access?

You choose who you want to give access to. This could be your carer, partner, parent or another family member. You can also give access to more than one person. Giving access to another person is your choice. No-one can go to your GP surgery and ask for access to your online services without your permission.

You also choose which online services you want each person to use. These are booking appointments, ordering repeat prescriptions and looking at your GP record. You decide whether to let them use one, two or all of the services on your behalf.

Why you may want to give another person access

You may wish to allow another person to use your online services for different reasons. For example:

• You are very unwell or just need help managing your health
• You have a long term condition ,for example diabetes, heart disease, asthma or high blood pressure and would like support with checking test results, ordering repeat prescriptions and understanding your treatment
• You are finding it more difficult to look after yourself, for example due to memory issues or speech difficulties
• You have learning difficulties and want someone else to help you understand your health
• You have a carer who can help you manage your health
• You may be planning for the future or choosing someone to hold lasting power of attorney for health and social care for you
• You are a young person and would like your parent or guardian to look after your health. Some surgeries only allow this for children under the age of 12
• You work away from home or are just busy and need help with booking appointments or ordering repeat prescriptions.
• You are not comfortable with using computers, smart phones, or tablets

For more information on GP online services for carers, see our leaflets ‘GP online services for carers including young carers’ and ‘Giving employed carers access to your GP online services’. These can be found at Getting started with GP online services.

Benefits

Before giving another person access, you should think about what the benefits will be for you. If you cannot think of any, then you should think very carefully whether allowing them access is the right thing to do. Some of the benefits are:

• You have peace of mind that someone is supporting you with managing your health
• The person you choose can help you make sure the information your surgery has about you is correct, for example your medication and allergies.
• You know that someone else understands your medical information and can provide information when you are unable to. This could be when you are unconscious or too unwell to speak or when you need help explaining or understanding something
• You can benefit from the convenience of using GP online services even if you do not use a computer or do not have access to the internet
• One member of the family can book appointments for everyone in the household and make sure the appointments fit with your family activities

If you have a carer, using GP online services can save them time allowing them to spend more time looking after your needs.

What other patients who use this service had to say

‘I access my son’s online services to order his repeat prescriptions, it is definitely worthwhile and saves a trip to the surgery. As long as I can remember my login details, it is easy to use. I use this service every couple of months when prescriptions are due.’

Andy, Street Lane Practice.

‘My daughter having access to my GP records gives me peace of mind and the knowledge that I am being cared for.’

Freda, Rotherham Road Medical Centre.

‘This online system is brilliant and means I do not have to waste valuable doctors’ time phoning the practice, which is beneficial for all patients at the practice. I can login once a week to see if we have any issues with my three children. The system is secure with passwords and usernames which can be changed at any time for security purposes. I would recommend to all parents and patients that this is the best system to use for all
GP records of your children. A must have item for all parents and patients.’

Mr Thomas, Street Lane Practice.

How it works

The recommended and safest way to give another person access to your online services is for them to have their own username and password. If you use online services yourself, you should not share your username and password with anyone. If you share your username and password, your surgery cannot tell whether you or someone else accessed your online services. This may be a problem if someone else misuses your login details and your surgery has to look into this.

How to sign up

The steps below show how you can give another person access:

1. You contact your surgery to let them know you would like to give your chosen person access to your GP online services. You may also choose to register for online services for yourself if you do not already use them
2. The Practice will give your chosen person a short form to fill in. You will also need to sign to confirm you agree with the information on the form. You can also choose whether you only want them to book appointments or order prescriptions or use all the services on your behalf. It is up to you
3. Your chosen person will need to show your surgery their photo ID and proof of address, for example, a passport or photo driving licence and a bank statement or council tax statement. If they don’t have the required ID, speak to staff at the surgery, who may be able to help confirm their identity in another way
4. Staff at the Practice will make a decision on whether to give your chosen person access to your GP online services. If we decide not to give them access, we will discuss their reasons with you
5. The staff will give your chosen person their own username and password to use to login to your GP online services.

Things to consider before giving another person access

• Is there any information in your records you would not like anyone to see or know about?
• Can you trust the person to keep your information safe and not share it with others or use it without your permission?
• Is any one forcing you into sharing your online services with them or do you think someone could force you to share it with them? If so, we would advise that you do not give them access. If you have any concerns that someone has access to your online records without your permission, speak to your surgery and they can change your password or stop your online services
• How long would you like your chosen person to have access for? This can be for a short time, for example when you are suffering from a certain illness and you need support with managing your health during that time. It can also be ongoing so they can help you for a long period of time. You can discuss this with the Practice.

Lasting power of attorney for health and welfare or court appointed deputy

When a person is unable to make decisions for themselves, another person, usually a partner or close family member can be given legal responsibility over decisions concerning their life by the courts. This is called Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney. A person with lasting power of attorney can ask the patient’s surgery for access to their online services. The GP will make a decision whether this should be allowed.

If you know that you would never want a particular person to have access to your online services if you become unable to make your own decisions, you should tell your GP and they will never share them with that person.

Why your surgery may refuse to give your chosen person access

On rare occasions, your GP could refuse to allow your chosen person to use GP online services on your behalf. If this happens, your GP will discuss their reasons with you. Some of the reasons your GP could have are:

• Your GP does not think it is in your best interest for your chosen person to use these services on your behalf
• You or your chosen people have misused online services in the past
• The Practice is concerned that your chosen person will not keep your information safe
• The Practice suspects someone is forcing you to give them permission to use your online services
• You are not able to make decisions for yourself.

Why your surgery can stop the service

• We believe your chosen person is forcing you to share your GP records with them or with another person.
• Your chosen person has misused your GP information
• You are no longer able to understand or remember that you gave your chosen person permission to use online services on your behalf
• You have told the Practice in the past that if you become unable to make decisions for yourself, you do not wish for your chosen person or anyone to have permission to your online services
• You have died.

How you can stop the service

You can choose to take away access to your GP online services from your chosen person at any time. To end the service, you need to let your surgery know you would like them to switch off online access for your chosen person and give them the reason. Your surgery will then stop the service and your chosen person will not be able to use their login details to look at your information.

Why you may want to stop access

Some of the reasons you can choose to end the service are:

• You only needed your chosen person to support you for a short time, for example when you were suffering from a certain illness and you needed help with managing your health during that time
• You want to give this responsibility to another person, for example, if you have a new carer or personal assistant
• Your relationship with your chosen person has broken down
• Your chosen person has misused information in your GP records, for example, they have collected medication in your name or they have shared your private information with someone without your permission.

Our Primary Care Team is committed to safeguarding children. The safety and welfare of children who come into contact with our services either directly or indirectly is paramount, and all staff have a responsibility to ensure that Best Practice is followed, including compliance with statutory requirements.

We are committed to a Best Practice which safeguards children and young people irrespective of their background, and which recognises that a child may be abused regardless of their age, gender, religious beliefs, racial origin or ethnic identity, culture, class, disability or sexual orientation.

The Primary Care Team are committed to working within agreed policies and procedures and in partnership with other agencies, to ensure that the risks of harm to a child or young person are minimised. This work may include direct and indirect contact with children, access to patient’s details and communication via email or text message/telephone.

Our Surgery is supported by the CCG who have designated Nurses and Doctors in post who offer professional expertise and advice regarding safeguarding children.

Collecting and sharing information is essential to provide safe and effective healthcare.

Appropriate information sharing is an essential part of the provision of safe and effective care. Patients may be put at risk if those who provide their care do not have access to relevant, accurate and up-to-date information about them.

All staff have an ethical and legal duty to keep patient information confidential.

If you do not wish your health information to be shared please notify the Practice in writing, in order that we may update your record.

Summary Care Records (SCR) are an electronic record of important patient information, created from GP medical records. They can be seen and used by authorised staff involved in a patient’s direct care, both within the Practice as well as in other areas of the healthcare system.

Your Summary Care Record

Care professionals in England use an electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR). This can provide those involved in your care with faster secure access to key information from your GP record.

What is an SCR?

If you are registered with a GP Practice in England, you will already have an SCR unless you have previously chosen not to have one.

It includes the following basic information:

• Medicines you are taking
• Allergies you suffer from
• Any bad reactions to medicines

It also includes your name, address, date of birth and unique NHS Number which helps to identify you correctly.

What choices do you have?

You can now choose to include more information in your SCR, such as significant medical history (past and present), information about management of long term conditions, immunisations and patient preferences such as end of life care information, particular care needs and communication preferences.

Your SCR is available to authorised healthcare staff providing your care anywhere in England, but they will ask your permission before they look at it. This means that if you have an accident or become ill, healthcare staff treating you will have immediate access to important information about your health.

This Practice supports SCR however, as a patient you have a choice:

• If you would like an SCR you do not need to do anything and an SCR will be created for you
• If you do NOT want an SCR please complete the online SCR opt out form, or alternatively if you wish you can download the Form and hand it in to the Practice

Remember, you can change your mind about your SCR at any time. Talk to our Practice if you want to discuss your option to add more information or decide you no longer want an SCR. If you do nothing we will assume you are happy for us to create a SCR for you.

Vulnerable patients and carers

Having an SCR that includes extra information can be of particular benefit to patients with detailed and complex health problems. If you are a carer for someone and believe that this may benefit them, you could discuss it with them and their GP Practice.

Who can see my SCR?

Only authorised, professional healthcare staff in England who are involved in your direct care can have access to your SCR. Your SCR will not be used for any other purposes.

These staff:

• Need to have a Smartcard with a chip and passcode
• Will only see the information they need to do their job
• Will have their details recorded every time they look at your record

Healthcare professionals will ask for your permission if they need to look at your SCR. If they cannot ask you because you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, they may decide to look at your record because doing so is in your best interest. This access is recorded and checked to ensure that it is appropriate.

SCRs for children

If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16, and feel they are able to understand this information you should show it to them. You can then support them to come to a decision about having an SCR and whether to include additional information. You may request to opt them out of SAR; any opt-out requests on behalf of children will be carefully considered.

Confidentiality

For information on how the NHS will collect, store and allow access to your electronic records visit NHS UK.

We believe that patients have a right to be heard, understood and respected. We work hard to be open and accessible to everyone. Occasionally, the behaviour or actions of individuals using our Practice makes it very difficult for us to deal with their issue or complaint. In a small number of cases the actions of individuals become unacceptable because they involve abuse of our staff or our process. When this happens we have to take action to protect our staff, and must also consider the impact of the individuals behaviour on our ability to do our work and provide a service to others. This Policy explains how we will approach these situations.

Section 1 – What actions does the Practice consider to be unacceptable?

People may act out of character in times of trouble or distress. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to us being made aware of an issue or complaint. We do not view behaviour as unacceptable just because a patient is forceful or determined. In fact, we accept that being persistent may sometimes be a positive advantage when pursuing an issue or complaint. However, we do consider actions that result in unreasonable demands on our Practice or unreasonable behaviour towards Practice staff to be unacceptable. It is these actions that we aim to manage under this Policy.

Section 2 – Aggressive or abusive behaviour

We understand that patients may be angry about the issues they have raised with the Practice. If that anger escalates into aggression towards Practice staff, we consider that unacceptable. Any violence or abuse towards staff will not be accepted. Violence is not restricted to acts of aggression that may result in physical harm. It also includes behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused. We will judge each situation individually, and appreciate individuals who come to us may be upset.

Language which is designed to insult or degrade, is derogatory, racist, sexist, transphobic, or homophobic or which makes serious allegations that individuals have committed criminal, corrupt, perverse or unprofessional conduct of any kind, without any evidence, is unacceptable.

We may decide that comments aimed not at us, but at third parties, are unacceptable because of the effect that listening or reading them may have on our staff.

Section 3 – Unreasonable demands

A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to (or when complying with the demand would) impact substantially on the work of the Practice. Examples of actions grouped under this heading include:

• Repeatedly demanding responses within an unreasonable timescale
• Repeatedly requesting early supplies of medication
• Repeatedly requesting further supplies of stolen medication, without the required Police Incident number
• Repeatedly ordering prescriptions outwith the set timeframe
• Insisting on seeing or speaking to a particular member of staff when that is not possible
• Repeatedly changing the substance of an issue or complaint or raising unrelated concerns
• Repeatedly insisting on a course of medical treatment for which there is no clinical evidence
• Not ensuring that a review appointment is in place, prior to ongoing medication finishing
• An example of such impact would be that the demand takes up an excessive amount of staff time and in so doing disadvantages other patients

Section 4 – Unreasonable levels of contact

Sometimes the volume and duration of contact made to our Practice by an individual causes problems. This can occur over a short period, for example, a number of calls in one day or one hour. It may occur over the life-span of an issue when a patient repeatedly makes long telephone calls to us, or inundates us with letters or copies of information that have been sent already or that are irrelevant to the issue. We consider that the level of contact has become unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to a patient on the telephone, or responding to, reviewing and filing emails or written correspondence impacts on our ability to deal with that issue, or with other Patients’ needs.

Section 5 – Unreasonable refusal to co-operate

When we are looking at an issue or complaint, we will ask the patient to work with us. This can include agreeing with us the issues or complaint we will look at; providing us with further information, evidence or comments on request; or helping us by summarising their concerns or completing a form for us.

Sometimes, a patient repeatedly refuses to cooperate and this makes it difficult for us to proceed. We will always seek to assist someone if they have a specific, genuine difficulty complying with a request. However, we consider it is unreasonable to bring an issue to us and then not respond to reasonable requests.

Section 6 – Unreasonable use of the complaints process

Individuals with complaints about the Practice have the right to pursue their concerns through a range of means. They also have the right to complain more than once about the Practice, if subsequent incidents occur. This contact becomes unreasonable when the effect of the repeated complaints is to harass, or to prevent us from pursuing a legitimate aim or implementing a legitimate decision. We consider access to a complaints system to be important and it will only be in exceptional circumstances that we would consider such repeated use is unacceptable – but we reserve the right to do so in such cases.

Section 7 – Examples of how we manage aggressive or abusive behaviour

• The threat or use of physical violence, verbal abuse or harassment towards the  Practice staff is likely to result in a warning from the Senior Management Team. We may report incidents to the Police – this will always be the case if physical violence is used or threatened.
• Practice staff will end telephone calls if they consider the caller aggressive, abusive or offensive.  Practice staff have the right to make this decision, to tell the caller that their behaviour is unacceptable and end the call if the behaviour persists.
• We will not respond to correspondence (in any format) that contains statements that are abusive to staff or contain allegations that lack substantive evidence. Where we can, we will return the correspondence. We will explain why and say that we consider the language used to be offensive, unnecessary and unhelpful and ask the sender to stop using such language. We will state that we will not respond to their correspondence if the action or behaviour continues and may consider issuing a warning to the Patient.

Section 8 – Examples of how we deal with other categories of unreasonable behaviour

We have to take action when unreasonable behaviour impairs the functioning of our Practice. We aim to do this in a way that allows a Patient to progress through our process. We will try to ensure that any action we take is the minimum required to solve the problem, taking into account relevant personal circumstances including the seriousness of the issue(s) or complaint and the needs of the individual.

Section 9 – Other actions we may take

Where a patient repeatedly phones, visits the Practice, raises repeated issues, or sends large numbers of documents where their relevance isn’t clear, we may decide to:

• limit contact to telephone calls from the patient at set times on set days, about the issues raised
• restrict contact to a nominated member of the  Practice staff who will deal with future calls or correspondence from the patient about their issues
• see the patient by appointment only
• restrict contact from the patient to writing only regarding the issues raised
• return any documents to the patient or, in extreme cases, advise the patient that further irrelevant documents will be destroyed
• take any other action that we consider appropriate

Where we consider continued correspondence on a wide range of issues to be excessive, we may tell the patient that only a certain number of issues will be considered in a given period and ask them to limit or focus their requests accordingly. In exceptional cases, we reserve the right to refuse to consider an issue, or future issues or complaints from an individual. We will take into account the impact on the individual and also whether there would be a broader public interest in considering the issue or complaint further. We will always tell the patient what action we are taking and why.

Section 10 – The process we follow to make decisions about unreasonable behaviour

• Any member of  the Practice staff who directly experiences aggressive or abusive behaviour from a Patient has the authority to deal immediately with that behaviour in a manner they consider appropriate to the situation and in line with this Policy
• With the exception of such immediate decisions taken at the time of an incident, decisions to issue a warning or remove patients from our Practice List are only taken after careful consideration of the situation by the Senior Management
• Wherever possible, we will give a patient the opportunity to change their behaviour or actions before a decision is taken

Section 11 – How we let people know we have made this decision

When a Practice employee makes an immediate decision in response to offensive, aggressive or abusive behaviour, the patient is advised at the time of the incident. When a decision has been made by Senior Management, a patient will always be given the reason in writing as to why a decision has been made to issue a warning (including the
duration and terms of the warning) or remove them from the Practice list. This ensures that the patient has a record of the decision.

Section 12 – How we record and review a decision to issue a warning

We record all incidents of unacceptable actions by patients. Where it is decided to issue a warning to a patient, an entry noting this is made in the relevant file and on appropriate computer records. Each quarter a report on all restrictions will be presented to our Senior Management Team so that they can ensure the policy is being applied appropriately. A decision to issue a warning to a patient as described above may be reconsidered either on request or on review.

Section 13 – The process for appealing a decision

It is important that a decision can be reconsidered. A patient can appeal a decision about the issuance of a warning or removal from the Practice list. If they do this, we will only consider arguments that relate to the warning or removal, and not to either the issue or complaint made to us, or to our decision to close a complaint.

An appeal could include, for example, a patient saying that: their actions were wrongly identified as unacceptable; the warning was disproportionate; or that it will adversely impact on the individual because of personal circumstances.

The Practice Manager or a GP Partner who was not involved in the original decision will consider the appeal. They have discretion to quash or vary the warning as they think best. They will make their decision based on the evidence available to them. They must advise the patient in writing that either the warning or removal still applies or a different course of action has been agreed. We may review the warning periodically or on further request after a period of time has passed. Each case is different.

This policy is subject to review

Your Data Matters to the NHS

Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe, and will always be clear about how it is used.

How your data is used

Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help both the Practice and other organisations for research and planning, for example research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of Doctors and Nurses in your local Hospital.  It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.

Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.

You have a choice

You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. However, if you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely, either online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?

No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.

What do you need to do?

If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.

To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit Your NHS data matters.

Attending a busy GP Practice as a patient can be an anxious and worrying time for you. We aim to make your time here as short and as simple as possible and the following should help to explain what you, as a patient, can expect from our staff and what we, the staff, can expect from you.

Your Doctor’s Responsibilities

• To treat you with respect and courtesy at all times
• To treat you as an individual, and to discuss with you the care and treatment we can provide
• To give you full information on the services we offer
• To give you the most appropriate care by suitably qualified staff
• To provide you with emergency care when you need it
• To refer you to a suitable Consultant when necessary
• To give you access to your health records, subject to any limitations in the law

Your Responsibilities as a Patient

• To treat all staff with respect and courtesy at all times
• To tell us if you are unsure about the treatment we are offering you
• To ask for a home visit only when you are unable to attend the Practice through illness or infirmity
• To request such a visit before 10.00 am, if possible
• To ask for an out-of- hours visit only when necessary
• Please ensure that you order your repeat medication in plenty of time allowing 48 working hours for your request to be processed
• To keep to your appointment time (note: if you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment you may not be seen)
• To notify us at least 24 hours prior to an appointment if you cannot attend
• To notify us of any changes to your personal details (e.g. name, address, telephone number, mobile numbers etc).

ZERO TOLERANCE

It is our policy to be helpful and polite to all our patients regardless of age, ethnic origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation. We expect the same courtesy from our patients. Discriminatory, unsocial, threatening, violent or abusive behaviour towards staff, other patients or the premises will not be tolerated. The Practice will take action in these circumstances, which may involve the Police and result in the removal of the patient from our Practice list.

In England, please refer to NHS Constitution your rights and responsibilities for further information.