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PATIENTS'
RIGHTS TO GENERAL MEDICAL SERVICES
Patients have the right to:
- be registered with a general practitioner
- change doctor if desired
- be offered a health check on joining the practice
- receive emergency care from the practice
- receive appropriate drugs and medicines
- be referred for specialist or second opinion if they and their GP agree
- view their medical records, subject to the relevant Acts of Law
Furthermore, the practice pledges that:
- we will respect our patients’ privacy and confidentiality at all times
- when changes are introduced to practice procedures that affect patients, we will ensure that these are clearly explained, by means of
the waiting room notice board or individual leaflets
- we expect patients to be seen within 20 minutes of their appointment time, and in the event of a delay we will offer an explanation
- when a doctor is called away on an emergency we will inform the patients and give them an opportunity to book an alternative appointment or, if preferred, to be
seen by another doctor
- when a patient aged 16 to 74 years attends an appointment with a doctor and he or she has not been seen by a doctor at the practice in the previous 3 years, or a patient aged
over 75 years has not been seen by a doctor in the previous 12 months, the doctor will offer, in addition to the consultation, tests or examinations he/she feels are appropriate. If patients over 75 years are
housebound and the doctor feels it appropriate, the tests or examinations may take place in the patient’s home
PATIENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES
- Courtesy to the staff at all times - remember they are working under doctors’ orders.
- To attend appointments on time or give the practice adequate notice that they wish to cancel. Someone else could use your
appointment!
- Remember that an appointment is for one person only and 10 minutes are allocated per appointment; please help doctors and nurses run to time by
remembering this. Where another member of the family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made.
- Patients should arrive on time for their appointment. If a patient is more than 10 minutes late they may be asked to rebook
their appointment.
- Patients should make every effort when consulting the surgery to make best use of nursing and medical time - home visits should be medically
justifiable and not requested for social convenience.
- Please observe the 48 hours’ notice required for repeat prescriptions; please give us this time as it is to allow for accurate
prescribing.
- Out-of-hours calls (eg evenings, nights and weekends) should only be requested if they are felt to be truly necessary.
Please accept the advice given.
SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS
We welcome your comments - good or bad - on the service that we provide to you, as this provides us with an opportunity to reflect on or
review our practice procedures. Any complaints or suggestions about the service that we provide should initially be directed to the practice manager, Mrs Lindsey Kirby, or to a doctor in her absence. A leaflet
detailing our complaints procedure is available from reception.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Personal
information regarding patients is recorded both manually and on computer and we
are registered under the Data Protection Act. The practice ensures that confidentially
is maintained by all members of the practice team at all times. However, it is
sometimes necessary to share your medical information with other members of the
primary care team. From time to time, the practice takes part in research projects;
all personnel involved are bound by strict codes of confidentiality.
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