Practice Polices and Service Information

It is helpful to know if you have a Carer (someone who takes on an unpaid caring role) or if you are a Carer for someone else. We have an established Carer's policy and a Carer's information pack available from Reception.

The consultation that takes place between a patient and their Doctor/Nurse is private and confidential. Quite often an examination is required to help make a diagnosis. This may be straightforward or sometimes can be more personal or of a sensitive nature.

Under these circumstances your Doctor will normally seek your agreement to a Nurse or other staff member being present or, if a relative or friend has accompanied you to the Surgery, they may be able to act as a Chaperone if you wish.

If a chaperone is not offered but you would like someone to be present, do not be afraid to tell your doctor.

Procedures which are generally regarded as being of a sensitive nature are:

• Cervical cytology
• Gynaecological
• Testicular
• Breast Examination
• Rectal Examination

We are committed to providing our patients with services that are of a consistently high quality. However, even in the best run Practices occasionally things to not go as smoothly as we would like.

If at any time you feel that you need to make a formal complaint, we operate a Practice Based Complaints Procedure which fully complies with Department of Health requirements. View our Practice Complaints Procedure.

Our aim is to investigate complaints both thoroughly and speedily. We will carefully listen to what you tell us, take appropriate action and inform you of the outcome of our investigations.

The practice will provide within core hours, primary medical services required for the management of its registered patients and temporary residents, who are, or believe themselves to be, ill with conditions from which recovery is generally expected, terminally ill or suffering from chronic disease; delivered in the manner determined by the practice in discussion with the patient.

The practice will also provide primary medical services required within core hours for the immediately necessary treatment of any person requesting treatment owing to an accident or emergency at any place within its practice area.

The practice will include the provision of appropriate ongoing treatment and care to all registered patients and temporary residents, taking account of their specific needs including the provision of advice in connection with patients health, including relevant health promotion and the referral of other NHS services.

All registered patients have the right to express a preference to receive services from a particular Doctor, either generally or in relation to any particular condition; such preferences will be recorded by the Practice.

The Practice will endeavor to comply with any reasonable preference, but need not do so if the preferred performer has reasonable grounds for refusing to provide services to the patient or if the performer does not routinely perform the services in question within the Practice.

We offer a wide range of services and will always treat you with respect.

You have a right to receive medical care from a suitably qualified medical practitioner. This will usually be by appointment with your allocated or preferred doctor but may be with another Doctor or an alternative and appropriate professional such as a Nurse or Health Care Assistant.

We try to make sure that everyone is seen within 2 days and try to keep to time, but apologise if we occasionally run late.

You may request to be seen by a doctor of a specific gender or to have a chaperone pre- sent for intimate examinations although, on occasion, this may be by further appointment.

You have the right to refuse to be examined in the presence of a student.

Attending an appointment implies consent for examination or treatment. You may refuse this but a doctor may give essential treatment if a patient is considered to be incapable of understanding or giving consent.

You may be seen at home if you are unable to attend surgery for a particular reason. You may be asked about your circumstances and the doctor may decide that you should attend
the surgery instead.

Please help us to help you!

Please arrive on time and do not ask for urgent appointments for non-urgent problems

Please cancel appointments in advance if the problem has cleared or you cannot attend.

Please do not abuse telephone access to your doctor and keep telephone calls to the surgery to a minimum. Please do not telephone for test results or prescriptions.

Please follow the advice or guidance that you are given by your health care professional.

Please be considerate to the needs and feelings of other patients at the surgery.

Please treat all staff with respect and refrain from the use of abusive language or threatening behaviour. Violence or Abuse will not be tolerated and patients will be removed from the list if they behave in this way.

Complaints. See Complaints Procedure.

Further information on patients rights and responsibilities can be found in the NHS Constitution.

All practices, in line with government guidelines, have a 'Zero Tolerance to Violence' policy. This means that any violent or abusive behaviour or perceived threatening behaviour, whether verbal or otherwise to staff or members of the public on practice premises will not be tolerated. We can refuse to provide a service, report the incident to the Police and request that the patient and their family be removed from their Practice list.