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PRACTICE CHARTER
COMPLAINTS/COMPLIMENTS/SUGGESTIONS
Please tell us what you think we do well. Equally, we take serious your concerns and complaints. Mistakes can happen but misunderstandings are more common. Both need sorted out in a timely manner, so please speak with either a doctor or the practice manager initially.
You may then wish to put your complaint in writing. Please be assured it will be dealt with fully and promptly. Full details of our complaints procedure are available on request.
Practice And Patients' Agreement
What we will do for you and what you can do for us -
The Medical Practice |
Patients |
| Patients will be treated with courtesy,
respect and confidentiality at all times. |
Patients have responsibility to treat our practice staff with equal courtesy and respect. |
| Urgent problems will be seen on the same day by whichever doctor is available. | Only request an urgent appointment when you feel it is medically necessary. |
| The practice will try to reduce the wait for rout ine appointments. | If you cannot keep your appointment please let us know as far in advance as possible so another patient may take that appointment. |
| Whenever possible you will be seenby the doctor of your choice for appointments. | Please try and be flexible in setting routine appointment times to allow yourself to see the doctor of your choice. |
| You will be seen as near to your appointment time as possible. | Please understand that some patients' medical problems take longer to deal with. |
| Clinical staff will visit you at home if you are too ill to come to the surgery. | Please do not ask for a home visit unless It is medically necessary. The surgery has the best facilities for treating patients and home visits should be only for the very ill/housebound. |
| The practice will inform you of the services it provides, how you can access them and information to help you be healthy. | Please read the publication and information in the waiting room (notices and newsletters). If you do not have a copy of the What Should I Do? booklet, ask for a copy at reception. |
| Advice will be given and/or medication prescribed to patients as required. We will process repeat prescriptions. | Please remember a prescription is not always necessary. Order repeat prescriptions before your medication runs out. Please do not telephone for repeat prescriptions. |
| The practice will provide and publicise ways patients can be involved in decisions about the services the practice provides. | Please use the suggestions scheme and take part in any surveys or discussion meetings about particular issues when you can. |
| The relationship between patient and practice is a very important one and only in exceptional circumstances, if this breaks down, will patients be considered for removal. | If you are unhappy with us please tell a member of practice staff and we will try to resolve the problem. |
| For emergencies outside normal surgery hours the local GPs provide 24-hour cover from Bonnyrigg Health Centre. | Please do not call for a doctor out of surgery hours except in emergencies ie problems you feel cannot wait until the normal surgery hours. |
DATA PROTECTION ACT
Patient confidentiality is a very high priority for all members of the practice. The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act to hold information on both computer and paper records. Measures are taken at all times to ensure the security of this information. Your information will never be divulged to a third party without your written consent.
ACCESS TO YOUR OWN RECORDS
You have the right to see your own records under the Freedom of Information Act. We require a written request in the first instance and to make an appointment with the a doctor to discuss your request. Please note we have the right to withhold any information that could be harmful to you or relates to another person. If you request a printed copy of your records we may charge an administration fee.
PRACTICE NEWSLETTERS
The practice produces a quarterly newsletter to keep patients up to date with information about our services, health issues and local events/activities. We welcome suggestions for features and contributions. Please contact reception.
DISCLOSURE OF PATIENT RECORDS
There may be circumstances in which your personal medical record, or parts of it, may be disclosed to other people apart from your GP and practice staff. Usually, your notes would be disclosed in an anonymised form. However, there are times when the record cannot be anonymised, either because it would be impractical to do so or because the nature of the request is such that it is necessary for your name to be disclosed.
Patients should be reassured that any disclosure of patient information is conducted within the rules of the Data Protection Act and records will only be disclosed when the following conditions are met:
1. The purpose of the request is to improve, manage or promote the provision of healthcare.
Examples of this may be:
• Where the relevant Health Board wishes to ensure that the GP practice is meeting its
obligation to provide certain levels of care to patients or a particular group of patients
under the terms of their contract.
• Where a new treatment is available, and where the Health Board wishes to inform
patients who would benefit from it, the practice would provide name and contact
information.
2. Any other valid exemption under the Data Protection Act applies.
3. Disclosure will only be made in response to appropriate requests made by the relevant
Health Board or people acting on their behalf, provided those people are themselves
legally bound to keep the information they receive confidential.
PATIENTS' RIGHTS
If you want to obtain further information on the exact nature of any disclosure in respect of
your records, you should apply in writing to Sharon Kechida, practice manager.
• You may insist that any disclosures are only to be made with your written consent.
• You may inform the practice that on no account should the doctor disclose any of your patient information to anybody other than for the purposes of your care.
Please note that, by law, where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion that a serious crime has been or is being committed, which would include fraud or any threat to national security, the consent of that individual does not have to be obtained.
ZERO TOLERANCE
In line with the rest of the NHS, we have a Zero Tolerance Policy towards violent or aggressive patients. Aggression includes verbal aggression or threatening behaviour. Any patient behaving in such a manner towards any member of the practice team, other patients or visitors will risk removal from the practice list. An act of violence by a patient to a member of the practice team, another patient or visitor or damage to practice property will result in the police being called, removal of the patient from the premises, possible criminal proceedings and immediate removal from the practice list.
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION – PUBLICATION SCHEME
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 obliges the practice to produce a
Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available.
This scheme is available from reception.