Suggestions & Complaints

We invite your suggestions to improve the service you receive. We provide a suggestions box in the waiting room for this purpose, please feel free to use it.

We run a practice-based complaints procedure to help us deal swiftly with problems as they occur. Complaints can be made by telephone, in person or in writing. We will make every effort to attend to your complaints promptly.

If you have a complaint about a doctor or a member of staff, please inform Mrs Jefferson, the practice manager.

We Aim To Provide...

• The best possible medical care and highest quality of service
• A speedy and courteous service
• Prompt answering of the telephone
• Names of members of staff with whom you are dealing
• Non-urgent appointments with a doctor within 2 working days
• Appointments for urgent problems on same day with an available doctor
• Your home visits as soon as reasonably possible
• EMERGENCY out-of-hours access to medical care
• An efficient service for repeat prescriptions which will be available for collection within 2 working days
• Information and answers to questions about your health, in particular:
  - any illness and its treatment
  -possible side effects of medication
  -the natural development of the illness
  -any proposed investigations
  -any other relevant information
• A prompt start to all surgeries and clinics. Please appreciate that delay is sometimes unavoidable, but when this happens we will keep you informed
• Prompt and accurate information regarding your test results
• A full and quick response to any complaints
• The right to see your health records subject to limitations in the law. These will be kept confidential at all times.

You Can Help Us To Provide An Effective Service by...

• Treating members of the practice team with courtesy and respect - just as they will treat you
• Keeping appointments and being on time or giving as much notice as possible if you wish to cancel or alter an appointment
• Coming to the surgery whenever possible and only requesting a home visit if you are not well enough to get to the surgery
• Asking for home visits before 10.00am whenever possible
• Requesting out-of-hours visits only where truly necessary (please leave a light on at night)
• Remembering an appointment is for one person only; please book appropriately if more than one person needs to be seen
• Informing the practice of any change of address or circumstances and making sure the practice has your telephone number
• Making requests for repeat prescriptions in good time

We welcome your views on the quality and type of service provided by this practice and by other health facilities. If you have any comments please let us know by speaking or writing to us.

Confidentiality

It is a legal requirement that confidentiality of patient records is maintained at the highest level by all staff at the practice.

Information About Patients

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: to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently, plans for the future 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 or a death. 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 and in your and everyone's interests. Whenever we can we shall remove details which identify you. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. We are unable to discuss any information with relatives, friends, or carers, without consent.

Access To Health Records

A patient may have access to their medical records in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. For further details please ask to see Mrs Jefferson, the practice manager.

Freedom Of Information Act

The Freedom of Information Act gives right of access to information held by public authorities. All public authorities are required to make information available through their publication scheme. Publication schemes for all medical practices can be accessed via www.foi.nhs.uk

Further information about the FOI Act and how to request information is available via the Information Commissioner's website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
If you wish to obtain information about yourself then the Data Protection Act applies and you should make an application by contacting Mrs Jefferson, the Practice Manager, as mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Removal Of Patients

The majority of our patients treat the surgery staff with respect and are very appreciative of the services we provide. Unfortunately a small minority of patients abuse the services provided and are rude and abusive to staff. Where this occurs the practice procedure is to write to those patients concerned and inform them that a repeat of this behaviour would lead to removal from the practice list.

In the case of actual violence to a member of staff the practice procedure is to report the incident to the Police and arrange immediate removal from the practice list.