Comments And Suggestions
We welcome any suggestions for improving our facilities or services. A box for written comments is provided in the main reception area.
Complaints Procedure
We always try to provide the best services possible, but there may be times when
you feel this has not happened. We hope that most problems can be sorted easily
and quickly, preferably at the time they arise and with the person concerned. However, if
your problem cannot be sorted out in this way, we operate a practice complaints
procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Please note that
we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient's
consent will be necessary if a complaint is not made by the patient in person.
If you have any complaint about the service you have received from the doctors
or any of the practice staff, please let us know. A leaflet with details of the
complaints procedure can be obtained from the main reception.
Confidentiality
The Data Protection Act 1998 and
the ethical codes of conduct of all healthcare professionals require that medical
data be treated with great respect for confidentiality. Confidential information
held at this practice is shared with members of our healthcare team, as necessary,
to ensure the best possible provision of care. All members of our healthcare team
are bound by a strict duty of confidentiality. Young people aged 16 years and
above are regarded as individuals and have the same rights as anyone else with
regard to confidentiality, even with reference to their parents.
Sometimes it may be necessary to share confidential data with individuals outside
our healthcare team in order to provide you with the best care possible. For example,
if the doctor refers you to another healthcare professional it is necessary to
divulge confidential information in order to treat you properly. Information is
only disclosed to those who also have a strict duty of confidentiality.
Occasionally we are asked to divulge information that is not directly related
to your own health care. For example, we are sometimes asked to provide information
for the purposes of education, audit or research, or healthcare administration.
It may not always be practical to seek your consent to this on every occasion.
In all cases the person to whom such information is released is bound by a duty
of confidentiality. The information disclosed is kept to the minimum necessary
for the purpose and is anonymised where possible.
If you wish to register any objection to the sharing of confidential information,
as outlined above, need further information or would like to discuss any issues
of confidentiality, please contact the practice manager. Any objection will be
respected except where disclosure of information is essential to protect you or
someone else from the risk of death or serious harm.
Violent/Abusive Patients
The practice supports the Government's NHS zero tolerance campaign. We ask
patients to treat GPs and practice staff courteously, without violence or abuse.
It is practice policy that abusive/violent behaviour will not be tolerated and
offenders will be removed from our lists. Some doctors will wish to write to the
patient giving their reason for the removal, but there is no obligation to do
so.
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