Practice Charter
Help Us To Help You
1. If you have made an appointment, please do your best to keep it or cancel it
if you cannot attend.
2. Please remember that an appointment is
for one patient and ONE problem only; it is to the benefit of all patients that
an appointment system is used properly.
3. Please be ready to give us
details of past illnesses, medication, immunisations and other relevant details.
4. Always inform us of any change of address or telephone number.
5. A doctor has to see many patients every day and his or her time is limited.
Please try not to delay a doctor unnecessarily as this leads to long waiting time
for others.
6. There are some patients who need longer consultations
because of the nature of their illness. A doctor does not know in advance who
they might be. Patients in the waiting room should take this into consideration,
because on another occasion that long consultation could be theirs.
7.
As receptionists are required to treat patients with courtesy and respect we would
hope that this is reciprocated by patients with all members of the health care
team.
8. When you attend surgery, you may not always be given a prescription
- many illnesses get better without treatment, or may need treatment without drugs.
9. Antibiotics are normally useless for treating viral illnesses such as colds or
flu unless there are complications. They may also cause diarrhoea, indigestion,
rashes etc. Therefore they are not usually prescribed for the minor illnesses
mentioned above.
Comments,
Suggestions And Complaints
We are always happy to receive patient comment as to how we can improve the services
we offer. Please address any comments to the practice manager, Mrs Ellen Pearce.
Complaints
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, preferably at
the time that they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot
be sorted out this way and you wish to make a formal complaint, we would like
you to let us know as soon as possible - ideally within a matter of days or at
most a few weeks - because this will enable us to establish what happened more
easily. If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received
from the practitioners or any of the staff working in this practice, please let
us know. A leaflet giving details of our complaint procedure is available from
the practice manager. Our aim is to give you the highest possible standard of
service and we will try to deal swiftly with any problems that may occur.
Complaining
On Behalf Of Someone Else
Please
note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are
complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission
to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are
incapable (due to illness) of providing this.
Confidentiality - Data Protection
We may ask you for personal information so that you can receive the appropriate care and treatment. This information is registered in manual records and on the computer. We are registered under the Data Protection Act. The practice will ensure that patient confidentiality is maintained at all times by all members of the practice team. However, for the effective functioning of a multi-disciplinary team it is sometimes necessary that medical information about you be shared between members of the team.
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
Medical Records Access
You have a right to access your medical records. In order to do this you need to put your request in writing to the practice manager. A fee is payable.
Zero
Tolerance - Abusive/Violent Patients
The practice operates
a Zero Tolerance Policy. Any verbal or physical abuse to any member of the practice
team will not be tolerated. The practice has a duty to ensure that the staff delivering
your care can do so in a safe environment, free from risk and the threat of harm.
The Primary Care Trust has now developed a scheme called the Zero Tolerance Project
to deal with incidents of this nature. Any patient who acts in a threatening or
abusive manner towards a GP or any member if the practice team will be immediately
removed from the practice list. The PCT will make arrangements under the Zero
Tolerance Project for medical care of patients removed in these circumstances.
Freedom
Of Information – Publication Scheme
The
Freedom of Information Act 2000 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 the practice manager.
|
