Practice Charter

PRACTICE CHARTER

All members of the surgery primary care team are committed to achieve high quality services for you, our patients.
We do everything we can to keep you healthy. We will treat you as an individual and make every effort to respect your personal beliefs. We will also try to ensure that you have easy access to the services you use and that you understand the care and treatment we offer.
In return for these standards, we ask that you take responsibility for your side of the bargain.

Our Responsibilities To You

* You will be treated as a partner in the care you receive.

* You will be treated as an individual and will be given courtesy and respect at all times.

* You have the right to be treated in a confidential manner.

* We will try to answer the phone promptly and courteously.

* You will be able to see a doctor of your choice, where possible within one working day.

* We will try to see you within 20 minutes of your appointment time. You will be offered an explanation if we cannot do this.

* We will explain the likely effects of any drugs and review your long-term medical needs at agreed times.

* We will advise you about how and when to obtain the results of any tests or x-rays you have undergone.

* If we believe that you need a second opinion we will try to help you to get this.

* We will visit you at home if you are really too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery.

* We will visit you outside normal surgery hours for emergencies

* Wherever possible we will give you 24 hours notice of any cancelled surgery or clinic.

* We will inform you about how you can make suggestions and complaints about the services we offer.

* You have the right to see your computerised medical records and written medical records compiled after November 1991.

* We will maintain accurate medical records.

* We will offer advice and information about how you can promote good health and avoid illness.

* You will be able to have a copy of our practice booklet.

* We have the right to remove patients from our list if they repeatedly and persistently ignore their responsibilities to us and other patients, or threaten violence to any member of staff.

Your Responsibilities To Us

* HELP US TO HELP YOU. Being a partner means that we have responsibilities to each other.

* We ask that you treat the doctors and all practice staff with the same courtesy and respect.

* Please try to call outside of peak surgery times for non-urgent requests.

* Please remember that the doctor of your choice may not always be available due to other commitments, holidays etc.

* Please do everything you can to keep appointments. Tell us as soon as possible if you cannot. Please try to be punctual. If you arrive later than your appointment time this may cause delays and inconvenience other patients. If we are running late, please bear with us because on another occasion it may be you that needs the extra time.

* You should not expect to be given a prescription every time you visit the doctor. Please remember to check your cupboards before ordering repeat prescriptions.

* Please do not call before the suggested time.

* You have the right to ask for a second opinion.

* Facilities for examination and treatment are better at the surgery and the less time a doctor spends traveling the more time is available for patients. Please do not ask for a home visit unless it is strictly necessary.

* Please ensure that your request for a home visit reaches the surgery before 10.30am unless a genuine emergency arises later.

* Please do not call out of hours except in real cases of emergency. Wherever possible it is best to wait for the next surgery.

* Please remember to tell us if you no longer need your appointment.

* Please read our practice booklet as this will give you details.

* We can make these available to you within 40 days of the request but you may be charged for this.

* You have a responsibility too. Please remember to tell us if you change your name or address.

* You are responsible for your own health and that of your children and should take appropriate action and advice.

* Please read our practice booklet. This will help you get the best out of the services we offer.

* If you are seriously unhappy with us or the services we provide you have the right at any time to leave our list and to register with another practice.

COMMENTS, SUGGESTIONS, COMPLAINTS

Our aim is to provide expert and friendly healthcare. We are always interested in hearing comments and suggestions FROM PATIENTS OF ALL AGES about the care we provide. If you have a suggestion, comment or complaint our practice manager is here to help. We do have a formal practice complaints procedure. If you feel unhappy about your treatment or the services we provide then please speak to your doctor or the practice manager who will advise you of the procedure.

COMPUTERISATION

The practice is fully computerised and there are computer terminals in all the doctors’ and nurses’ consulting/treatment rooms which allow easy access to your medical records and make prescribing easier. The system also lets us know when you are due for any routine checks eg immunisations, smear tests. The computer system is also essential to provide us with instant feedback on how we are performing, enabling us to target our resources to key areas and increase our efficiency. We would assure you that we treat the information as extremely confidential which can only be accessed by doctors, nurses and trained staff who have special security codes to ensure privacy. The practice is registered as a user with the Data Protection Registrar.

CONFIDENTIALITY

We provide a confidential service to all our patients, including under 16s. This means that you can tell others about this visit, but we will not. The only reason why we might have to consider passing on confidential information, without your permission, would be to protect you or someone else from serious harm. We would always try to discuss this with you first. If you are being treated elsewhere, for example at a hospital or family planning clinic, it is best if you allow the doctor or nurse to inform the practice of any treatment you are receiving. If you have any worries about confidentiality, please feel free to ask a member of staff.