Practice Policies & Patient Information
Access to Records
Your health record includes information about conditions, allergies, test results, medications and letters.
You can view information on your health record using online services such as the NHS app and Patient Access.
All information is treated confidentially and in accordance with relevant data protection laws.
Request access to your full health record online
First, you need to register for online services and prove who you are. You can do this yourself on the NHS app.
To use Patient Access:
- fill out a register for online services form and choose to access your full health record.
- upload or visit the surgery with photo ID so we can confirm your identity.
- if you are setting up access for the first time, we will give you a username and password.
You are entitled to request a copy of the information we hold about you. Please visit our Privacy Notice for more information about this.
Access to other medical records
For any other medical records, you need to ask for them at the NHS service you went to. This includes records like your hospital record.
Accessing the health record of someone else
If you would like somebody to help manage your health, you can give them access to your online services. This is called a linked profile in the NHS app or proxy access in other online providers. The other person may be a parent, family member or carer.
You need to ask the practice to setup proxy access for you. Please submit a request using our online form. The person you are giving access to will need to show us their identification documents.
If the person you want to give access to is registered with us, they can use the NHS app to view your services as a linked profile.
If the person you want to give access to is registered at a different practice, they can use Patient Access as a proxy user for your services.
Getting help to go digital
We realise that not everyone is confident using technology and digital access. That’s why we still offer traditional ways to get in touch like the telephone.
If you want to improve your digital skills and take advantage of newer ways to engage with us, then free training and support is available. Visit the following websites to find out what is available.
Manchester City Council Help Getting Online and Digital website
Greater Manchester Combined Authority Support With Digital Skills
Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) makes sure hospitals, care homes, dental and GP surgeries, and all other care services in England provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care, and encourages them to make improvements where possible.
They do this by inspecting services and publishing the results on their website: www.cqc.org.uk
You can use the results to help you make better decisions about the care you, or someone you care for, receives.
Our CQC Inspection
Our practice is inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure we are meeting essential standards of quality and safety.
Chaperones
Our Practice is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times. The safety of everyone is important.
All medical consultations, examinations and investigations are potentially distressing. Patients can find examinations, investigations or photography involving the breasts, genitalia or rectum particularly intrusive (these examinations are collectively referred to as ‘intimate examinations’). Consultations involving dimmed lights, the need for patients to undress or periods of being touched may also make a patient feel vulnerable.
Chaperoning is the process of having a third person present during such consultations. A chaperone has a number of roles.
- To provide support, both emotional and sometimes physical, to the patient.
- To provide practical support to the doctor as required.
- To protect the doctor and patient against allegations of improper behaviour during such consultations.
Please refer to our Chaperone Policy for further information. <add hyperlink to uploaded policy>
Comments , Complaints, Compliments and Criticisms
We welcome all forms of feedback about any aspect of our service, whether you simply want to comment, compliment good service or complain about poor service. You can contact us by telephone or complete our Feedback Form online.
We recognise that it can be annoying or frustrating if our service falls below the standard we aim for, but please provide your feedback in a constructive and polite manner and we will try our best to put things right.
For more serious matters, you may feel it is appropriate to submit a complaint. This can be on an informal or formal basis.
How to complain
When making a complaint, you can choose to complain to either of the following:
The healthcare provider
This is the practice. Please use our feedback form or contact us by telephone.
The commissioner
For the purpose of complaints about a GP practice, the commissioner is NHS England.
You can complain or give feedback:
By post to:
Patient Services Team
NHS Greater Manchester
The Tootal Buildings
56 Oxford Street
Manchester
M1 6EU
By email to: [email protected]
If you are making a complaint please state: ‘For the attention of the complaints team’ in the subject line.
By telephone: 0161 271 3980
Making your complaint
You should make your complaint within 12 months of the incident or within 12 months of the matter coming to your attention. This time limit can sometimes be extended as long as it is still possible to investigate your complaint.
Anyone can complain, including young people. A family member, carer, friend or your local MP can complain on your behalf with your permission.
What can I expect if I complain?
You should:
- have your complaint acknowledged and properly looked into;
- be kept informed of progress and told the outcome;
- be treated fairly, politely and with respect;
- be reassured that your care and treatment will not be affected as a result of making a complaint;
- be offered the opportunity to discuss the complaint with a complaints manager;
- expect appropriate action to be taken following your complaint.
If you’re considering making a complaint but need help
Many issues can be resolved quickly by speaking directly to our team. If you would find it helpful to talk to someone who understands the complaints process first then you can get some guidance and support from the following services.
-
- Healthwatch Manchester provide information on their website and can offer support by telephone on 0300 078 0669 between the hours of 9:00am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday.
- VoiceAbility provides the local complaints advocacy service. Call 01223 555800 for advice or find the contact details for your local VoiceAbility service.
An advocate can help you to write a complaint letter and attend meetings with you, but cannot make the complaint for you or give medical or legal advice.
You can get advice from an NHS complaints advocate at any stage of the process. If you decide you need some support, it’s never too late to ask for help.
Supporting people with a learning disability or autism
NHS England, the health, local government and social care Ombudsman services and others are leading a project called Ask Listen Do. This is about making it easier to give feedback, raise a concern or complain if you or someone you support has a learning disability, autism or both.
The Ask Listen Do webpages include information and films for autistic people and people with a learning disability, as well as families and organisations in health, social care and education.
The NHS Constitution
The NHS Constitution sets out your rights as a patient, and explains the commitments the NHS has made to providing you with a high quality service. Organisations providing NHS care must take account of the NHS Constitution when treating you, so you may find it helpful to refer to it if you are thinking about making a complaint.
What you need to provide
Provide as much information as possible to allow NHS England to investigate your complaint. Include the following:
- your name and a valid email or home address for reply;
- a phone number in case we need to contact you for additional information;
- the name, location, and postal address (if you know it) of the service you want to complain about;
- a clear description of what you want to complain about and when this happened;
- any relevant correspondence.
Consent
If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we will need their consent to proceed with the complaint. We will contact you about this.
What happens next?
You complaint will be acknowledged no later than the third working day after the day it is received.
Investigating the complaint
The complaint will be investigated and you will receive the findings of the investigation along with an apology. You will also receive an explanation of any lessons learned or changes that will take place as a result of the findings of the investigation.
How long will it take?
This will depend on what your complaint is about and how complex it is. Communication with you is important and we will keep you updated throughout the process.
Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?
If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) which makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.
To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033.
Confidentiality
We treat any information you provide to us as confidential. This applies to all members of the practice team from the GPs to the receptionists. They all need access to your medical records in order to do their jobs, and they all have contractual requirements to keep your information secure and confidential.
The practice complies with all relevant laws and codes of practice.
For full details about the data we collect about you and how it is used, please visit our Privacy Notice.
The NHS may use data from your medical record that has been anonymised so that you cannot be identified from it. This type of data is used for planning and research. You can find out more, including how you can opt-out, on our Data Choices page.
Contract and Commissioner
We are commissioned by Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership (GMICP) and provide primary medical services under a Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract.
Within the GMICP we are part of the Manchester Integrated Care Partnership.
Manchester Integrated Care Partnership
Ground Floor
Parkway 3
Parkway Business Centre
Princess Road
M14 7LU
0161 213 1750
Data Choices (National Data Opt-out)
Your Data Matters To The NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How Your Data Is Used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You Have A Choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will Choosing This Opt Out Affect Your Care And Treatment?
No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment.
You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What Do You Need To Do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.
Patients who have registered for the NHS App using NHS login can set a national data opt-out using the app.
Patients can set their own opt-out choice by calling 0300 303 5678.
Calling this number should cost no more than calls to a normal landline number.
The telephone service is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, apart from on English bank or public holidays.
Disabled Access and Facilities
If you have any special needs please let our staff know so that we can help you, and also ensure you get the same support in the future.
Wheelchair access
The Practice has been specially designed to make it easier for disabled patients to visit; patients also have access to a disabled toilet.
Disabled parking – Blue badge scheme
Our car park has a disabled parking space.
The Blue Badge Scheme is for people with severe mobility problems. It allows Blue Badge holders to park close to where they need to go. For more information and an Application Form visit your local council office.
Loop system
We have a loop induction system at reception to assist the hearing impaired. For more information on the loop hearing system visit Hearing Link website.
- British Deaf Association
- British Sign Language Healthy Mind
- Action Hearing Loss
- Royal Association for Deaf People
- National Deaf Children’s Society
Blind/partially sighted
If you or your family members are blind or partially sighted we can give you a CD or large print of our Practice leaflet upon request. Please ask our staff for further information.
For more advice and support for blind people please visit the following websites:
- Royal National Institute of Blind People (RIND)
- Action for Blind People
- blind.org.uk
- Blind in Business
- British Blind Sport
Assistance Dogs
Assistance dogs are welcome at the practice but we ask that you be aware of other patients and staff who may have an allergy or fear of dogs. Please visit the guide dog website for further information.
Freedom of Information
What is it?
The Freedom of Information Act creates a right of access to recorded information and obliges a public authority to:
- Have a publication scheme in place.
- Allow public access to information held by public authorities.
The act covers any recorded organisational information such as reports, policies or strategies, that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland. However, it does not cover personal information such as patient records, which are covered by the Data Protection Act.
Public authorities include government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces.
The act is enforced by the Information Commissioner who regulates both the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.
Who can request information?
Under the act, any individual, anywhere in the world, is able to make a request to a practice for information. An applicant is entitled to be informed in writing, by the practice, whether the practice holds information of the description specified in the request and if that is the case, have the information communicated to him/her. An individual can request information, regardless of whether he/she is the subject of the information or affected by its use.
How should requests be made?
Requests must:
- be made in writing (this can be electronically e.g. email);
- state the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence;
- describe the information requested.
What cannot be requested?
Personal data about staff and patients covered under Data Protection Act.
For more information see these websites:
The surgery publication scheme
A publication scheme requires an authority to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The scheme lists information under seven broad classes, which are:
- Who we are and what we do
- What we spend and how we spend it
- What our priorities are and how we are doing it
- How we make decisions
- Our policies and procedures
- Lists and registers
- The services we offer
Part I – Introduction
This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by the partners. It is a description of the information about our General Practitioners and Practice which we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.
1. How much does it cost?
We have indicated in each class whether it includes chargeable information or not, and if so which of the following categories could apply. For the most part, we will charge you only for hard copies or copying onto media (eg CD). Some information is available free, but for others there may be a charge. The charges will vary according to how information is made available.
- Via our website – free of charge, although any charges for Internet Service provider and personal printing costs would have to be met by the individual. For those without internet access, a single print-out as on the website would be available by post from the Practice Manager or by personal application at reception. This is charged at £0.30 per sheet (one internet page may require more than one sheet to print on) plus postage. However, requests for multiple printouts, or for archived copies of documents which are no longer accessible or available on the web, may attract a further charge for the retrieval, photocopy, postage etc. We will let you know the cost and charges that will have to be paid in advance. We will not provide printouts of other organisations’ websites.
- Leaflets and brochures – free of charge for leaflets or booklets on, for example, services we offer to the public. A charge will be made to cover postage costs. A list of available publications is given in Part II(4).
- Other forms of hard copy – glossy or other bound paper copies, CD-ROM, video or other mediums are available and chargeable as detailed in each class.
- E-mail – free of charge unless it says otherwise.
The charges will be reviewed regularly.
2. How is the information made available?
All information is available on the practice website https://theashcroftsurgery.co.uk.
Chargeable hard copies of the information are available by contacting the Practice Manager.
3. Your rights to information
- In addition to accessing the information identified in the Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request information about Digital First Team Practice under the NHS Openness Code 1995.
- The Freedom of Information Act 2000 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made.
- From 1 January 2005 it will oblige the General Practice to respond to requests about information that it holds, and is recorded in any format and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions which have to be taken into consideration before deciding what information it can release.
- New environmental information regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
- Under the Data Protection Act 2018, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you. For this, please contract the Data Controller (see our Privacy Policy).
4. Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the Scheme, please contact the Practice Manager.
Part II – Classes of Information
All information is held, retained and destroyed in accordance with NHS guidelines. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information which can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where individual Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons include the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 2018. This applies to all Classes within the Publication Scheme. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following broad categories.
1. Who we are
| Description | Details of the practice, organisational structures, key personnel and how we fit into the NHS |
| How available | Website, paper copy |
| Charges | For paper copies only. See Part I(1) for fees. |
Details of GPs and staff at our practice can be found on our website Team page.
A full list of the services we provide can be found on our website Services page.
This practice operates under a General Medical Services contract.
The contract is with NHS England (Greater Manchester Area), 4th Floor, Three Piccadilly Place, Manchester, M1 3BN
http://www.england.nhs.uk/
The practice aims to follow National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and National Service Framework guidelines. Copies of these can also be found on the NICE website http://www.nice.org.uk/ or the Department of Health website https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health.
The NHS is a very large part of the public sector. It is possible to find out information about our practice, NHS England and other NHS services in your area by using NHS Choices at http://www.nhs.uk/. A full list of local General Practices can be found there too. Ashcroft Surgery provides primary medical services for the geographical area of part of Manchester.
Some information may be withheld, including personal, confidential information about individuals which is protected by the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. Our services
| Description | The range of services we provide under contract to the NHS |
| How available | Website, paper copy |
| Charges | For paper copies only. See Part I(1) for fees. |
We offer a full range of primary healthcare services. This includes (please note the list is not exhaustive):
- access to a doctor or nurse for undiagnosed conditions;
- ongoing monitoring of existing (chronic) conditions;
- certain immunisations;
- maternity medical services;
- contraceptive services;
- national cancer screening programmes;
- counselling;
- minor surgery.
For any policies relating to our services, please refer to Part II(6).
You can also see our practice leaflet which is available from reception at the surgery.
Details of our practice premises and contact details are available here.
Details about making an appointment and what to do when we are closed are available here.
English is the only language spoken by staff at the practice. If your first language is not English then we can arrange for an interpreter to be present. This can take up to 4 days to arrange.
3. Financial and funding information
| Description | Funding details and charging policies |
| How available | Website, paper copy |
| Charges | For paper copies only. See Part I(1) for fees. |
We receive money from Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board according to our contract (as per Part II(1) above) in exchange for services provided for patients. Income we received from the NHS before expenses is summarised in the table below. Money spent on drugs is paid on behalf of the practice and allocated to us: we do not receive this as income first.
| Year | Total income | Spent of drugs |
| 2001/02 | £ | £ |
| 2002/03 | £ | £ |
| 2003/04 | £ | £ |
| 2004/05 | £ | £ |
| 2005/06 | £ | £ |
| 2006/07 | £ | £ |
| 2007/08 | £ | £ |
| 2008/09 | £ | £ |
| 2009/10 | £ | £ |
| 2010/11 | £ | £ |
| 2011/12 | £ | £ |
| 2012/13 | £ | £ |
| 2013/14 | £ | £ |
| 2014/15 | £ | £ |
Please see Part III for a link to the document titled Statement of Fees and Allowances payable for General Medical Practitioners in England. Please apply to the Department of Health for information on costs and the formats this is available in.
There may be circumstances where material cannot be released because it is confidential or commercial information or the appropriate officer designated for these purposes under the Act has taken the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice’s affairs.
4. Regular publications and information for the public
| Description | Guidance and information leaflets |
| How available | Website, paper copy |
| Charges | For paper copies only. See Part I(1) for fees. |
As a practice we publish the following documents. These are either freely available on the website or on request from the practice. You should enclose a stamped self addressed envelope if you would like the documents posting to you.
5. Complaints
| Description | Policies, procedures and contacts for complaints |
| How available | Website, paper copy |
| Charges | For paper copies only. See Part I(1) for fees. |
If you feel any aspect of our service has not been to your satisfaction then please let us know. Please see our complaints procedure for further details.
6. Our policies and procedures
| Description | General policies and procedures in use within the practice |
| How available | Website, paper copy |
| Charges | For paper copies only. See PartI(1) for fees. |
We have policies available on the following. These are either freely available on the website or on request from the practice. You should enclose a stamped self addressed envelope if you would like the documents posting to you.
7. This publication scheme
In this class we will publish any changes we make to this publication scheme, the criteria on which our information management policies are made and a referral point for all enquires regarding information management generally in the practice. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.
Part III: Useful Resources
Websites
- Our website
http://theashcroftsurgery.co.uk - NHS England
http://www.england.nhs.uk - Information Commissioner
http://www.ico.gov.uk/ - Lord Chancellors Department
http://www.lcd.gov.uk/ - General Medical Council
http://www.gmc-uk.org/
Publications
- NHS Openness Code
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20130123203945/http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4050490 - FOI Act 2000
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/contents - Code of Practice under Section 45 FOI Act 2000
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-code-of-practice - Code of Practice under Section 46 FOI Act 2000
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-the-management-of-records-issued-under-section-46-the-freedom-of-information-act-2000 - Statement of Fees and Allowances payable for General Medical Practitioners in England
https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/investment/gp-contract/
GP Earnings
It should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.
2022/2023
The average pay for GPs working in the Ashcroft surgery in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £64,732.
This is for 0 full time GPs, 5 part time GPs, and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
2020/2021
The average pay for GPs working in the Ashcroft Surgery in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £70,841.
This is for 1 full time GPs, 4 part time GPs, and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
2019 / 2020
The average pay for GPs working in the Ashcroft Surgery in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £56,634.
This is for 3 full time GPs, 2 part time GPs, and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
2018 / 2019
The average pay for GPs working in the Ashcroft Surgery in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £73,580.
This is for 2 full time GPs, 3 part time GPs, and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
Named GP (Accountable GP)
As part of the NHS commitment to providing more personalised care, all patients are allocated an accountable GP who will have overall responsibility for the care and support that our practice provides.
- This will not impact your experience at the practice, the provision of appointments, your treatment, or which GP you can see.
- You may wonder why your allocated GP is not necessarily the one you see most regularly. Please be assured that you can still access all of our medical team in exactly the same way as before.
- Having a named GP does not guarantee you will always be seen by that GP.
- Please note that the GP responsible for your care may be subject to change and reallocation in the future.
You do not need to take any further action, but if you have any questions or wish to know your named GP, please speak to a member of the reception team.
What does ‘accountable’ mean?
This is largely a role of oversight, with the requirements being introduced to reassure patients that they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.
What are the named GP’s responsibilities to 75s and over?
For patients aged 75 and over the named accountable GP is responsible for:
- working with relevant associated health and social care professionals to deliver a multi-disciplinary care package that meets the needs of the patient;
- ensuring that these patients have access to a health check.
Does the requirement mean 24-hour responsibility for patients?
No. The named GP will not:
- be responsible or accountable for the work of other doctors or health professionals.
- take on 24-hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours. The requirement does not imply personal availability for GPs throughout the working week.
- be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient.
Can patients choose their own named GP?
In the first instance, patients should simply be allocated a named GP. However, if a patient requests a particular GP, reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate their preference, recognising that there are occasions when the practice may not feel the patient’s preference is suitable.
Do patients have to see the named GP when they book an appointment with the practice?
No. Patients can and should feel free to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice in line with current arrangements.
Non-NHS Work
Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:
- Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.).
- Insurance claim forms.
- Prescriptions for taking medication abroad.
- Private sick notes.
- Vaccination certificates.
The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.
Any forms, letters etc that have been completed by a GP that requires a payment will now be taken by a card reader. No cash payments will be taken over the counter.
Patient Participation Group
We would like to know how we can improve our service to you and how you perceive our surgery and staff.
To help us with this, we have a patient representation group so that you can have your say; we ask the members of this representative group some questions from time to time, such as what you think about our opening times or the quality of the care or service you receive.
We will contact you via email and keep our surveys short so it shouldn’t take too much of your time.
If you would like to become involved, please complete our Patient Participation Group Registration below.
PPG Sign Up
We aim to acknowledge your request within a few days.
Privacy Notice
Who we are
| Data Controller | Ashcroft Surgery, 803 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3BS |
| Data Protection Register Entry | Z6857255 |
| Named Data Protection Officer |
Introduction
We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy and keeping your information secure.
Personal Data is any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified from that data. Identifiers could include name, system ID numbers and location data.
Some forms of Personal Data are considered to be sensitive and must not be processed except for certain limited purposes. These Special Categories of Personal Data include racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, health data, details of sex life or sexual orientation and biometric data for the purpose of identifying a natural person.
In order to provide our services, we will collect Personal Data, including Special Categories of Personal Data, about you. We will refer to these collectively as data throughout this notice. We will always treat your data with absolute care to protect your confidentiality.
This notice explains how we collect information about you, how we use that information and who we may share it with. It also tells you about your privacy rights and how the law protects you.
How the law protects you
Data protection laws say that we are only allowed to use the data we hold about you if we have a legitimate reason for doing so, and it is necessary to do so. There are six reasons, or lawful bases, under which we can process data. These are:
- Consent: you have given clear consent for us to process your data for a specific purpose.
- Contract: the processing is necessary for a contract you have with us, or because you asked us to take specific steps before entering into a contract.
- Legal obligation: the processing is necessary for us to comply with the law (not including contractual obligations).
- Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life.
- Public task: the processing is necessary for us to perform a task in the public interest or for our official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.
- Legitimate interests: the processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party unless there is a good reason to protect the individual’s data which overrides those legitimate interests.
A legitimate interest is when we have a business or commercial need to use your information. If we rely on this reason, then we must explain to you what our legitimate interest is. We must consider what is right and best for you when deciding if we want to rely on a legitimate interest.
For Special Categories of Personal Data there are additional safeguards we must meet in order to use this information. Data protection law says that processing of Special Categories of Data is prohibited unless one of ten conditions applies. In order to provide our services we may rely on the following conditions.
- Consent: you have given clear consent for us to process your data for a specific purpose.
- Employment and social security: the processing is necessary to comply with obligations or rights we have in relation to employment and social protection law.
- Vital interests: the processing is necessary to protect someone’s life where you are physically or legally unable to give consent.
- Public domain: the information is something that you have already made public.
- Legal: the processing is necessary for the establishments, exercise or defence of legal claims, or if required by a court of law.
- Health and social care: the processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services.
- Public health: the processing is necessary for reasons of public interest in the area of public health, such as protecting against serious cross-border threats to health or ensuring high standards of quality and safety of health care and of medicinal products or medical devices.
- Archiving: the processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes
Where we collect data and the lawful basis we rely on
We collect and process data about you in order to provide the best quality healthcare to you and to audit the service that we provide. The majority of this data will be obtained directly from you during interactions you have with our services. However, we may also obtain data about you from other sources, as detailed in the section Categories of personal data not obtained from data subject. We generally refer to the information we hold about your as your medical record, which is made up of both paper and electronic files.
Visitors to our website and social media pages
When someone visits our website or social media pages we may collect standard internet log information such as IP address, location and pages visited. We use this data to analyse the effectiveness of our website and visitor behaviour patterns. The information is only processed in a way that does not directly identify anyone. We, and any third party provider we engage to help with the analytics, do not make any attempt to find out the identity of visitors to our website. This privacy notice does not apply to other websites we may provide a link to. We recommend you read the privacy notice on any other websites you visit.
Cookies
Our website does not use cookies or any other invasive tracking technology.
Patients who have signed up for our online services
Online services include the ability to book and cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions and view your medical record using the internet. There are a number of different providers that offering online service portals. You should refer to the Privacy Notice for the service provider you are using for information about how they use the data you grant them access to.
The lawful basis under which we process Personal Data is that processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller.
The lawful basis under which we process Sensitive Personal Data is that processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or Member State law or pursuant to contract with a health professional.
We may also remove all identifiers from data we hold about you to produce pseudonymised or anonymised data sets. These are used for things such as financial claims and service review and design. We refer to use of data in this way as for secondary uses. Once all identifiers have been removed, data is no longer classed as Personal Data as it cannot directly or indirectly identify you.
Telephone calls
When someone calls us we collect Calling Line Identification (CLI) information. We use this information to monitor the effectiveness of our business. We may record calls for training and monitoring purposes. Call recording is provided by our telephone service provider. Access to recordings is restricted to specific practice personnel.
Our telephone system and call recording are hosted externally and provided by X-on. For more details of this relationship, see the Data processors section below.
Lawful basis: public task.
Special categories conditions: health and social care, public health.
Emails
We may use any email, including any attachments, sent to us to support the services that we provide to you. We may retain details from emails in an anonymised format for monitoring and business development purposes. Emails from patients will be stored in their medical record and may be processed for the purposes of providing relevant services to them.
Our email service is operated by an external provider called Accenture under contract to NHS Digital. For more details of this relationship, see the Data processors section below.
Lawful basis: public task.
Special categories conditions: health and social care, public health.
Personal interactions
Personal interactions include visits you make to the practice premises or when a member of the practice team visits you at home. These interactions can be with any member of the practice team, including our reception and admin staff, doctors and nurses.
Our legitimate interests for processing (if relying on this for legal basis)
We do not rely on legitimate interests as a legal basis for processing data we hold about you.
Categories of data not obtained from data subject (including details of source)
Whilst the NHS and local authority work together as one to provide you with the best health and care possible, they are made up of many organisations who are considered as individual Data Controllers under data protection law. We must therefore tell you about data we obtain from other sources.
If you attend another part of the NHS then they will usually share information about the care they provided with us. Examples might be an extended access service, a walk-in centre, an out of hours doctor or a hospital. We may also receive information from your local authority in relation to social care.
We obtain data about you from the following external organisations that provide services local to us.
- Go To Doc, https://www.gtdhealthcare.co.uk/urgent-care
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, https://mft.nhs.uk
- Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, https://www.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk/
- Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, https://www.stockport.nhs.uk/
- North West Ambulance Service, https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/
- Manchester City Council, https://www.manchester.gov.uk/socialservices
- Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council, https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/health-and-social-care
- Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council, https://www.trafford.gov.uk/residents/health-social-care-and-support/health-social-care-and-support.aspx
- Salford City Council, https://www.salford.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/
- Alliance Medical, https://www.alliancemedical.co.uk/home
- Mediscan Diagnostic Services, https://www.mediscanservices.co.uk/
- Beacon Medical Services Group, https://www.beaconmedicalservices.co.uk/
- Central Manchester Networks Limited, https://cmgppo.org.uk/
We may additionally receive information from an organisation that is not local if you attend for emergency treatment.
How we may share data
Your data is treated with strict confidentiality.
We may share data about you in the following circumstances. We will only ever share information that is relevant and needed for the purpose concerned.
Sharing within the public health and care service (NHS and local authority)
There may be occasions where you need to be seen by another health or care service. Examples include seeing a GP in an extended access service or walk-in centre at a time that suits you, attending an urgent care service or being referred for an investigation or specialist opinion. It is important that these organisations have access to your medical record held by us so they can provide safe and effective care to you as well.
We share data about you with these organisations through paper and electronic means. This may be specific information or your whole medical record depending on the requirements of the service. We only share information in this way to provide you with health and care services.
Lawful basis: public task.
Special categories conditions: health and social care, public health.
Sharing with health professionals outside the NHS
You may have private health insurance and ask us to refer you to a private professional or organisation. This is outside the official functions permitted within our NHS contract which means we will ask for your consent to share information in this way. We would normally share only information that is relevant and not your whole medical record.
Lawful basis: consent.
Special categories conditions: consent.
Sharing not related to health and care provision
We do not share personal data for purposes not related to your health and care provision, except where one of the following applies.
- You have given your explicit and informed consent.
- We believe the sharing is in your vital interests.
- We have a legal obligation to do so.
Anonymised or de-identified data
We may remove all identifiers from data we hold about you to produce pseudonymised or anonymised data sets. These are used for things such as financial claims and service review and design. We refer to use of data in this way as for secondary uses. Once all identifiers have been removed, data is no longer classed as Personal Data as it cannot directly or indirectly identify you. This type of data is not subject to data protection law.
We will not share any data about you for any other purpose without your consent.
Details of data transfers to third countries
We do not transfer any data to third countries.
Data processors
We use a number of different systems to hold information. Some of these are internal and under the full control of the practice and some are operated by external providers. Where we use a system from an external provider, they are acting as a Data Processor on our behalf. As a Data Processor, they can only act under our instructions and we have data sharing agreements in place which outline the permissions we grant them.
The data processor is generally providing a system or functionality that we need in order to provide our services to you. There are robust procedures in place that prevent them from viewing the data that we hold within the system they provide. The only exception to this is where we require them to provide us with support, in which case there are protections to limit what they can see.
The following are Data Processors for us.
Egton Medical Information Systems (EMIS)
EMIS provide our clinical computer system. We hold the majority of your medical record in our clinical computer system. Data is hosted in data centres located in the UK, and within the secure NHS network. Our clinical computer system provides functionality to grant other organisations a view only access to the medical records we hold. This access only works if you are also registered with the other organisation.
Accenture and NHS England
The NHS has a secure email system which is procured by NHS England through a contract with Accenture. By default, emails are stored on servers provided by Accenture. Even when downloaded or deleted, a copy of messages is stored for a limited period for recovery purposes. The platform is operated using servers and infrastructure based in the UK.
X-on
We require a telephone system so that we can communicate with you. We use a system that is hosted by X-on. The system maintains call logs and we record calls. These are stored on servers located in the UK.
Accurx
We use software from the above company to operate our text service to send you things such as appointment reminders, test results and clinic invitations. Their servers store your mobile number, name and the text messages we send. The servers are located in the UK. Messages are routed through an email to text gateway provided by Accenture and NHS England.
Retention policy for data
We retain all data in line with the Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2016. This is available at https://digital.nhs.uk/media/1158/Records-Management-Code-of-Practice-for-Health-and-Social-Care-2016/pdf/Records-management-COP-HSC-2016.
The standard retention period for GP health records is ten years after the death or emigration of the patient. At this point the records are reviewed to check whether any data needs to be retained for longer.
Where it is not known if a patient has died or emigrated and they do not return for any care, the records should be retained for one hundred years.
The retention period for electronic health records depends on the system in use. If the system allows for the record to be deleted whilst retaining a marker to identify it was deleted, then the retention period should be ten years after the patient had died or emigrated. If the system does not allow this, then the record should be archived after ten years so that it is no longer accessible to users of the system.
Your rights (including right to withdraw consent where relevant)
Right to be informed
We are informing you about how we collect and use information about you in this Privacy Notice.
Right of access
We believe in being open and transparent about the personal information we hold about you. You can submit a subject access request under relevant Data Protection legislation to ask if we hold any information about you. If we hold information then we will provide a description of it, explain why we are holding it and can provide a copy if requested to do so. Requests must be made in writing and should be sent to the Data Controller at our registered office address. We must provide a response, or the data we hold, within one month of receiving your request.
Right of rectification
If you believe the data that we hold is inaccurate or incomplete then you can ask us to update it. You can do this verbally or in writing, and we must respond to let you know our decision within one calendar month. If we agree the data is inaccurate we will update it, otherwise we will explain why we believe the data we hold is accurate. This right applies to factual information. The opinion of a healthcare professional would not normally be considered factual information and may not be covered by this right.
Right to erasure (right to be forgotten)
In certain circumstances you can ask us to delete all data we hold about you. You can make such a request verbally or in writing and we must respond within one month. The right to erasure does not apply where we have relied on the public task lawful basis for processing. If we need to retain the data to defend against any legal claims, we may not be able to comply with your request.
Right to restrict processing
In certain circumstances you can ask us to stop processing any the data we hold about you. We can still retain the data, but we cannot use it. Such requests can be made verbally or in writing and we have one month to respond. You can ask us to stop processing data if:
- you believe the data is inaccurate;
- the data has been unlawfully processed;
- you disagree with our legitimate interests for processing your data.
We will stop processing data on receipt of your request. This restriction may be removed once we have provided our response.
Right to object
Where we process data for our legitimate interests, direct marketing, public task or public interest, you have a right to object to this processing. Any objection must be on grounds relating to your particular situation. If you object to our legitimate interests then we must be able to demonstrate that our interests override your own interests, right and freedoms. We cannot refuse your right to object to direct marketing.
If you have provided us with consent, you have a right to withdraw this consent at any time. You will be provided with information about this right when you are asked for consent.
If you would like to discuss any of your rights with us then please contact us using the details provided above.
How to complain (including to ICO)
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, then please get in touch with us to discuss your concerns. You can get in touch using any of the contact details provided above.
You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are concerned about how we have handled data we hold about you. Full details of how to do so can be found of their website at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/. If you prefer you can call them on 0303 123 1113 or email [email protected].
Personal Data required as part of a statutory or contractual requirement and the consequences of not providing it
We have a contractual requirement to record details of the healthcare that we provide to you. This ensures we have all relevant information to provide you with the best possible care and treatment. If we did not record this information, then it may limit our ability to provide you with safe care and treatment as we may be unable to determine the clinical risk involved.
Information about automated processing
We do not carry out any automated processing on the Personal Data we hold about you.
Sick Notes (Fit Notes)
What is it?
Although commonly referred to as a sick note, the official name of the document issued by doctors is a Statement of Fitness for Work, or Fit Note. The statement can say that you are unfit for work for a given period, or that you are fit for work subject to certain changes, such as lighter duties or different hours. If your employer is unable to accommodate the recommended changes then the note is treated as saying you are unfit for work.
Off work due to illness for up to seven days
For the first seven days of illness you have to self–certify your illness using an SC2 form. You can obtain this form from your employer or the HMRC website. We are unable to issue sick notes for periods of illness of less than seven days. If your employer or child’s school insists on a doctor’s note then this will be a private service which we make a charge for. See further information below.
Off work due to illness for more than seven days
If you’re off work sick for more than seven days your employer may ask you for a Fit Note. The note can be obtained from a healthcare professional who is allowed to sign it. If you have been ill for more than seven days and require a sick note then please use our online request form or call reception.
If you are off work due to a hospital admission, a sick note can be issued by the hospital to cover the period of time you were in the hospital. Once discharged, we can issue any further sick notes, based on your hospital discharge letter.
Request a sick note
The NHS App
How to count sick days
When you work out the number of days that you’ve been sick, you need to count all the days in a row you’ve been sick, including days you don’t normally work such as weekends and bank holidays.
Return to work notes
You do not need to see us again to be signed fit to go back to work.
The fit note does not have an option to say that you’re fit for work. If we want to assess your fitness for work again, we will say this on your fit note.
Some employers have their own policies that require medical evidence that you are fit for work. If this is the case, your employer should help you arrange this privately with a healthcare professional or occupational health specialist. We cannot issue a fit note for this purpose.
Find out more on the NHS website.
Private Certificates
If you need a note or certificate for periods of illness less than seven days then this is a private service and we charge £20 for a private sick note. If your employer requests a report or further information about your illness then this is also a private service and the fee will depend on exactly what is requested. We will never give any information to your employer without your consent.
Summary Care Record
There is a Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR).
It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why Do I Need A Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed. Please visit our Opening Hours Page.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who Can See It?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How Do I Know If I Have One?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record.
Do I Have To Have One?
No, it is not compulsory.
If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to let the surgery know.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website.
Teaching and Training
Our practice is associated with the medical school at the University of Manchester.
We are a training and teaching practice and support the next generation of GPs and nurses. During your consultation, we may have one of our nursing or medical students present so they can learn and develop. They are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the rest of our practice team. If you’d prefer them not to present then please let us know.
We also support the training of qualified doctors on their journeys to becoming a GP. You may be seen independently by one of our GP trainees and we assure you that they are fully qualified doctors and have regular supervision and support from our experiences GPs.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
Your responsibilities
The NHS belongs to all of us. There are things that we can all do for ourselves and for one another to help it work effectively, and to ensure resources are used responsibly.
- Please recognise that you can make a significant contribution to your own, and your family’s, good health and wellbeing, and take personal responsibility for it.
- Please register with a GP practice – the main point of access to NHS care as commissioned by NHS bodies.
- Please treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that violence, or the causing of nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises, could result in prosecution. You should recognise that abusive and violent behaviour could result in you being refused access to NHS services.
- Please provide accurate information about your health, condition and status.
- Please keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time. Receiving treatment within the maximum waiting times may be compromised unless you do.
- Please follow the course of treatment which you have agreed, and talk to your clinician if you find this difficult.
- Please participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.
- Please ensure that those closest to you are aware of your wishes about organ donation.
- Please give feedback – both positive and negative – about your experiences and the treatment and care you have received, including any adverse reactions you may have had. You can often provide feedback anonymously and giving feedback will not affect adversely your care or how you are treated. If a family member or someone you are a carer for is a patient and unable to provide feedback, you are encouraged to give feedback about their experiences on their behalf. Feedback will help to improve NHS services for all.
Your rights and the NHS pledges to you
Everyone who uses the NHS should understand what legal rights they have. For this reason, important legal rights are summarised in the NHS Constitution and explained in more detail in the Handbook to the NHS Constitution, which also explains what you can do if you think you have not received what is rightfully yours. This summary does not alter your legal rights.
The NHS Constitution also contains pledges that the NHS is committed to achieve. Pledges go above and beyond legal rights. This means that pledges are not legally binding but represent a commitment by the NHS to provide comprehensive high quality services.
Access to health services
Your rights
- You have the right to receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.
- You have the right to access NHS services. You will not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.
- You have the right to receive care and treatment that is appropriate to you, meets your needs and reflects your preferences.
- You have the right to expect your NHS to assess the health requirements of your community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary, and in the case of public health services commissioned by local authorities, to take steps to improve the health of the local community.
- You have the right to authorisation for planned treatment in the EU under the UK EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement where you meet the relevant requirements.
- You also have the right to authorisation for planned treatment in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein or Switzerland if you are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and you meet the relevant requirements.
- You have the right not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status.
- You have the right to access certain services commissioned by NHS bodies within maximum waiting times, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer you a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible. The waiting times are described in the Handbook to the NHS Constitution.
NHS pledges
The NHS pledges to:
- provide convenient, easy access to services within the waiting times set out in the Handbook to the NHS Constitution;
- make decisions in a clear and transparent way, so that patients and the public can understand how services are planned and delivered;
- make the transition as smooth as possible when you are referred between services, and to put you, your family and carers at the centre of decisions that affect you or them.
Quality of care and environment
Your rights
- You have the right to be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.
- You have the right to be cared for in a clean, safe, secure and suitable environment.
- You have the right to receive suitable and nutritious food and hydration to sustain good health and wellbeing.
- You have the right to expect NHS bodies to monitor, and make efforts to improve continuously, the quality of healthcare they commission or provide. This includes improvements to the safety, effectiveness and experience of services.
NHS pledge
The NHS also pledges to identify and share best practice in quality of care and treatments.
Nationally approved treatments, drugs and programmes
Your rights
- You have the right to drugs and treatments that have been recommended by NICE for use in the NHS, if your doctor says they are clinically appropriate for you.
- You have the right to expect local decisions on funding of other drugs and treatments to be made rationally following a proper consideration of the evidence. If the local NHS decides not to fund a drug or treatment you and your doctor feel would be right for you, they will explain that decision to you.
- You have the right to receive the vaccinations that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommends that you should receive under an NHS-provided national immunisation programme.
NHS pledge
The NHS also commits to provide screening programmes as recommended by the UK National Screening Committee.
Respect, consent and confidentiality
Your rights
- You have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with your human rights.
- You have the right to be protected from abuse and neglect, and care and treatment that is degrading.
- You have the right to accept or refuse treatment that is offered to you, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless you have given valid consent. If you do not have the capacity to do so, consent must be obtained from a person legally able to act on your behalf, or the treatment must be in your best interests.
- You have the right to be given information about the test and treatment options available to you, what they involve and their risks and benefits.
- You have the right of access to your own health records and to have any factual inaccuracies corrected.
- You have the right to privacy and confidentiality and to expect the NHS to keep your confidential information safe and secure.
- You have the right to be informed about how your information is used.
- You have the right to request that your confidential information is not used beyond your own care and treatment and to have your objections considered, and where your wishes cannot be followed, to be told the reasons including the legal basis.
NHS pledges
The NHS also pledges:
- to ensure those involved in your care and treatment have access to your health information so they can care for you safely and effectively;
- that if you are admitted to hospital, you will not have to share sleeping accommodation with patients of the opposite sex, except where appropriate, in line with details set out in the Handbook to the NHS Constitution;
- to anonymise the information collected during the course of your treatment and use it to support research and improve care for others;
- where identifiable information has to be used, to give you the chance to object wherever possible;
- to inform you of research studies in which you may be eligible to participate;
- to share with you any correspondence sent between clinicians about your care.
Informed choice
Your rights
- You have the right to choose your GP practice, and to be accepted by that practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case you will be informed of those reasons.
- You have the right to express a preference for using a particular doctor within your GP practice, and for the practice to try to comply.
- You have the right to transparent, accessible and comparable data on the quality of local healthcare providers, and on outcomes, as compared to others nationally.
- You have the right to make choices about the services commissioned by NHS bodies and to information to support these choices. The options available to you will develop over time and depend on your individual needs. Details are set out in the Handbook to the NHS Constitution.
NHS pledges
The NHS also pledges to:
- inform you about the healthcare services available to you, locally and nationally;
- offer you easily accessible, reliable and relevant information in a form you can understand, and support to use it. This will enable you to participate fully in your own healthcare decisions and to support you in making choices. This will include information on the range and quality of clinical services where there is robust and accurate information available.
Involvement in your healthcare and the NHS
Your rights
- You have the right to be involved in planning and making decisions about your health and care with your care provider or providers, including your end of life care, and to be given information and support to enable you to do this. Where appropriate, this right includes your family and carers. This includes being given the chance to manage your own care and treatment, if appropriate.
- You have the right to an open and transparent relationship with the organisation providing your care. You must be told about any safety incident relating to your care which, in the opinion of a healthcare professional, has caused, or could still cause, significant harm or death. You must be given the facts, an apology, and any reasonable support you need.
- You have the right to be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services commissioned by NHS bodies, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.
NHS pledges
The NHS also pledges to:
- provide you with the information and support you need to influence and scrutinise the planning and delivery of NHS services;
- work in partnership with you, your family, carers and representatives;
- involve you in discussions about planning your care and to offer you a written record of what is agreed if you want one;
- encourage and welcome feedback on your health and care experiences and use this to improve services.
Complaint and redress
Your rights
- You have the right to have any complaint you make about NHS services acknowledged within three working days and to have it properly investigated.
- You have the right to discuss the manner in which the complaint is to be handled, and to know the period within which the investigation is likely to be completed and the response sent.
- You have the right to be kept informed of progress and to know the outcome of any investigation into your complaint, including an explanation of the conclusions and confirmation that any action needed in consequence of the complaint has been taken or is proposed to be taken.
- You have the right to take your complaint to the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman or Local Government Ombudsman, if you are not satisfied with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the NHS.
- You have the right to make a claim for judicial review if you think you have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body or local authority.
- You have the right to compensation where you have been harmed by negligent treatment.
NHS pledges
The NHS also pledges to:
- ensure that you are treated with courtesy and you receive appropriate support throughout the handling of a complaint; and that the fact that you have complained will not adversely affect your future treatment;
- ensure that when mistakes happen or if you are harmed while receiving health care you receive an appropriate explanation and apology, delivered with sensitivity and recognition of the trauma you have experienced, and know that lessons will be learned to help avoid a similar incident occurring again;
- ensure that the organisation learns lessons from complaints and claims and uses these to improve NHS services.
You can read more about the NHS Constitution at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england/the-nhs-constitution-for-england.
Zero Tolerance (violent and abusive behaviour)
The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff or one of the doctors or nursing team is treated in an abusive or violent way.
The Practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services a mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time. The staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.
However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.
In order for the practice to maintain good relations with their patients the practice would like to ask all its patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:
- Using bad language or swearing at practice staff;
- Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving;
- Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff;
- Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated within this practice;
- Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot;
- Causing damage/stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff or patients;
- Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently.
We ask you to treat your GPs and their staff courteously at all times.
Removal from the practice list
A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is on immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.
Removing other members of the household
In rare cases, however, because of the possible need to visit patients at home it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household. The prospect of visiting patients where a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice by virtue of their unacceptable behaviour resides, or being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it too difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is particularly likely where the patient has been removed because of violence or threatening behaviour and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.