Confidentiality

We ask you for information so that you can receive proper care and treatment. We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again. We may use some of this information for other reasons: for example, to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently, plans for the future, trains its staff, pays its bills and can account for its actions.

Information may also be needed to help educate tomorrow's clinical staff and to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.

Sometimes the law requires us to pass on information: for example, to notify a birth.

The NHS Central Register for England and Wales contains basic personal details of all patients registered with a general practitioner. The Register does not contain clinical information.

You have a right of access to your health records.

EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMATION ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL.

You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS. So that we can all work together for your benefit we may need to share some information about you. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone's interests. Whenever we can we shall remove details which identify you. The sharing of some types of very sensitive personal information is strictly controlled by law. Anyone who receives information from us is under a legal duty to keep it confidential.

Comments & Complaints

We welcome comments and suggestions on the services that we provide. Please speak to your doctor, your nurse, to the receptionist, or to the practice manager.

If you are not satisfied with any aspect of our service, please let us know. Any complaints will be recorded and investigated by our practice manager. We shall do our best to explain the situation to you orally or in writing. We aim to acknowledge your complaint within three working days and to resolve the matter within fifteen working days. This procedure is to help us to resolve problems and to correct mistakes, but does not deal with questions of legal liability or compensation.

We recognise that people may find it difficult to speak about their worries, especially when they are ill or bereaved, and you are therefore welcome to bring a friend or relative with you to talk matters through with us. Please note that, in order to preserve confidentiality, we normally need the patient's consent if a complaint is made by someone other than the patient who is directly involved.

Our aim is to resolve complaints locally. If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the Local Resolution process you are entitled to go to the second stage of the NHS complaints procedure.

You may request that your complaint is considered by the Healthcare Commission. This should be done within two months of the date of the final response from the practice/trust/PCT. You can contact the Healthcare Commission on 020 7448 9200 or write to them at:

The Healthcare Commission,
Complaints Team,
Peter House,
Oxford Street,
Manchester M1 5AN.

The Health Service Ombudsman in England

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website contains detailed information on raising a complaint about any aspect of the NHS in England. There is also a leaflet explaining the procedure of bringing a complaint to the ombudsman.

Responsibility Of Patients

Patients are requested to:

• Be courteous at all times to our doctors, nurses and administrative staff (please see “Zero Tolerance" below)
• Keep appointments that have been booked
• Inform us as early as possible if they are going to be late for an appointment
• Inform us as early as possible if they are unable to keep an appointment so that it can be released for another patient to use
• Inform us of changes of:
  • address
  • telephone number
  • name
• Pay fees and charges due at the time that the service is provided
• Provide documentary evidence for any entitlement to free prescriptions when this is requested by a member of staff.

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Zero Tolerance

In keeping with the NHS, this practice operates a zero tolerance policy with respect to the protection of its entire staff. This means that anyone who is violent or abusive in any way to any member of staff may be removed from the practice list with immediate effect and without a second chance. Extreme cases will result in offenders being reported to the police. This applies to all patients and all members of staff, not just the GPs, and includes contact over the phone.