Confidentiality

Your GP is responsible for the safekeeping of your medical record. You can help to keep it accurate by informing us, in writing, of any change in your name, address, telephone number or marital status, and by ensuring that we have full details of important medical history.

If you move to another area or change to a GP of another Practice, your medical records will be sent to the local Health Authority, to be passed to your new Practice.

You have a right to keep your personal health information confidential between you and your doctor. Information given either to doctors, nurses, or receptionists will be treated as confidential, and will not be divulged to others (including other members of the family) without the patient's permission. This applies to everyone over the age of 16 years and in certain cases to those under 16.

See also section 'Referral Information'.

Fuller details of our code of confidentiality are displayed on notice boards at both Medical Centres.

The Government assures us that no clinical details are going to be loaded onto the central spine other than in a few designated trial areas and we are not one of them.  Demographic details, (name, age, address gender, etc) are already held centrally, as has always been the case with paper records. 

Suggestions & Complaints

Our aim is to provide the highest possible standard of service and we undertake to deal swiftly with any problems that may occur. We offer a Practice Complaints Procedure to deal with comments, suggestions and complaints about the services we provide. Further information is available at Reception.

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned.  If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a 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. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily.  If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

You may also offer a suggestion using the form on our Contact Details page.

Violence Statement

The practice considers aggressive behaviour to be any personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, cursing and/or swearing, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures.

The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property.

All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.

Patient Rights

You will be treated with respect and as a partner in your care. Being a partner means you have responsibilities too.

We will:

• Ensure our patients have 24-hour access to medical advice.
• Aim for you to have access to a suitably qualified medical professional within 48 hours of your initial contact during surgery hours, or in an urgent case, the same day.
• Work in partnership with you to achieve the best medical care possible.
• Involve you and listen to your opinions and views in all aspects of your medical care.
• The prevention of disease, illness and injury is a primary concern.

The medical staff will advise and inform you of the steps you can take to promote good health and a healthy lifestyle. We would respectfully ask that you: 

• Let us know if you intend to cancel an appointment or are running late.
• Request home visits only when your meidcal condition prevents you from leaving the house
• Treat staff with courtesy and respect. Reception staff may have to ask some personal questions to assist us in providing you with the best service
• Inform the practice staff of any alterations in your circumstances, such as change of surname, address or telephone number. Please ensure that we have your correct telephone number, even if it’s ex-directory.

As patients, you are responsible for your own health and that of any dependents. It is important that you adhere to information and advice given to you by health professionals, and co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep you healthy.