Practice Charter

Practice Charter Standards

The practice makes every effort to provide a high standard of patient care and is continually looking for ways to improve patient services. We have listed below standards of service that you can expect from this practice. In return we ask you to co-operate with us by treating staff courteously.

Standards of care

As an NHS patient registered with our practice you are entitled to:

• Courtesy and respect from the staff.

• Privacy and confidentiality when speaking to any member of staff.
Be given an appointment the same day if you need to see the doctor urgently or as soon as possible.

• A clear explanation of any treatment proposed for you by our practice team.
Expect your medicines to be reviewed regularly if you are receiving repeat prescriptions.

• Be referred to a consultant, acceptable to you, when your GP thinks it is necessary and to be referred for a second opinion if both you and your family doctor agree that this is desirable.

• Have access to your health records, as allowed by the Data Protection Act. Please write to the Practice Manager if you would like to see these or have copies made. There may be a small charge for this service.

• Have your telephone enquiries answered promptly and dealt with efficiently.
Be informed of test, x-ray and outpatients results upon request.

• We will attempt to accommodate all appointment requests from patients. In addition, registered patients aged 16 – 74 who have not been seen for three years may request a consultation.

Registered patients aged 75 years who have not been seen in the previous 12 months may request a consultation because of their medical condition; a home visit may be arranged.

• Appointments may be made by telephoning during normal surgery hours or by calling at the surgery. Routine appointments may be made in advance (maximum two weeks), which will enable us to offer you an appointment at a time best suitable to you requirements and preference of practitioner if available. You will be asked about the nature of your appointment with the appropriate health care professional. If you cannot keep an appointment, please inform us a soon as possible as this will assist in oversubscribed situations.

Please Note: West surgery is closed from 12.30pm on Wednesday and Friday.

How You Can Help Us

• By treating all our staff with courtesy.

• By giving the doctor all the relevant information about your condition and past medical history.

• By letting us know when you move address or change telephone number – we need to keep our records up to date.

• By keeping appointments or giving as much notice as possible if you have to cancel.

• By using your appointment for one person only.

• By not expecting a prescription every time you see the doctor - implementing our advice can be far more effective than drugs.

• By giving 48 hours' notice before collecting repeat prescriptions.

• By remembering if your need a home visit to make your request before 10.30am.

You can help us by letting us know when you are not happy with the service we provide or if you have useful comments about how they can be improved. Hand suggestions in at reception.

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

We ask you for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment. This information is recorded on computer and 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 necessary that medical information about you is sometimes shared between members of the medical profession.

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.

ZERO TOLERANCE

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone attending the surgery who abuses the GPs, staff or other patients be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will risk removal from the practice list. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.