Practice Policies & Patient Information
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) are the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England.
The CQC make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage them to improve.
They monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and publish what is found, including performance ratings to help people choose care.
This practice has not been inspected under the new caretakers.
Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
Confidentiality & Medical Records
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Covid Vaccination information
To view your covid vaccination records:
The UK Government recently announced that Covid19 Vaccine Passports will be made available in England from the 17th May 2021 on the NHS App – the NHS App is different from the NHS Covid19 App, therefore please do not confused the two apps. The link below gives you details of how to download the NHS App to any internet connected computer you may have or to your Smartphone.
Please do not contact the Surgery to ask about the downloading the Vaccine Passport, as Surgery staff cannot do anything to make it visible.
If you do not want to use the NHS App Covid19 Vaccine Passport, after the 17th May 2021 you can telephone 119 to request that a paper certificate be posted to you (which will take at least 5 working days to reach you in the post).
If you feel the details shown on either your NHS App or your paper NHS Vaccine Passport are incorrect (for example your Passport may only contain details of one dose of Covid19 Vaccine, when you may have already had your second dose), in this case please feel free to contact the Surgery to discuss the matter further, when Surgery staff will aim to correct the matter. The link for more information on the NHS App is:
Covid Vaccination Information
Important information about your 2nd Covid vaccination
If you are or a family member are coming up to the 11th week since your first Covid vaccination, expect a text or phone call from the GP Alliance to book for your second vaccine.
The text will consist of a link, specific to you, that can be used to book your appointment. If you do not have the facility to use the link there will be a contact number on the text that you can call.
At present the surgery does not have access to book these appointments so please either use the link or call the number on the text.
We would like to thank all our patients for your continued support and patience during the Covid vaccination programme
We have been instructed that we are able to book our patients aged 30 years and over. If you fall in groups
1-10 you can still contact us via AskmyGP to book an appointment (information correct as at 2.6.21)
As you can appreciate, this is a very challenging time for our surgery and the staff so please bear this in mind.
Data Choices
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
Disclaimer
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDfPR) – Data Collection – Type 2
NHS Digital have recently announced it is setting up a new primary care data collection service which will begin on the 1st July 2021.
For more information on how data will be shared and used please watch the short video below, for myth busting or to opt out please visit
https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-data-opt-out – N.B This cannot be done by your GP surgery.
In order to complete opting in or out of sharing of your data, you need to:
• be aged 13 or older
• have access to your email or mobile phone
• have your NHS number or your postcode registered with your GP surgery – your NHS number can usually be found on either of the following – A prescription tear off sheet you have had issued to you previously, hospital appointment letters or paperwork relating to a hospital referral you have had or via your Practice on-line account. If you are unable to find your NHS number please click the link to obtain https://www.nhs.uk/nhs…/online-services/find-nhs-number/
Our reception team are very busy dealing with patient medical requests so we urge people to use the online facility.
Alternatively for more help call:
0300 303 5678 – Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (excluding bank holidays).
A member of staff can:
- Help you use the online service
- Make or change a choice on your behalf
- Print and post a form to you
Type 1 opt-out: medical records held at your GP practice
You can also tell us if you do not want your confidential patient information held in your GP medical record to be used for purposes other than your individual care. This is commonly called a type 1 opt-out. To do this you can print the form below or collect from the surgery if you do not have access to a printer.
GP Net Earnings
The average pay for GPs working in High Street Medical Centre in the financial year was £69,698 before tax and National insurance. This is for 1 full time GP and 3 part- time GPs. This information is up to 31/12/19. With effect from 1/1/20 the practice will operate under a caretaker arrangement, subject to procurement during 20/21.
Practice Charter
We are Committed
- To deliver high quality primary health care services.
- Treat all our patients equally, courteously and with respect
- We aim to give a caring and efficient service.
- To be aware of advancements in medical and clinical treatment.
- You have the right to confidentiality.
- You will be seen the same day if your problem is urgent.
- Provide patients with a welcoming environment in safe, modern and well equipped premises.
- Your suggestions and comments about our services will be considered sympathetically.
- Your complaints will be dealt with promptly and efficiently.
Your Responsibility to Us
- Please remember that urgent appointments are for urgent problems only.
- Please do not use this for trivial problems like obtaining a sick note or cold and cough, as this will block an appointment to a patient with a genuine problem.
- Let us know of any change of your personal details e.g. change of address etc.
- Please cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend.
- Be punctual, but be prepared to wait as consultation can be delayed due to unexpected reasons.
Privacy Notice
View/Download our Privacy Notice.
Text Message Reminders
You can now register to receive information by text message on your phone regarding appointments and health care.
If you wish to register for this messaging service please fill out the consent form.
New Data Protection Regulations from May 2018 (GDPR)
Under the new data protection regulations introduced from 25th May 2018, we will continue to contact patients via text messages regarding the delivery of care if they have provided consent to do so.
If practices are sending messages about recommended treatment for the management of a specific health issue, then this is defined as providing appropriate care for patients, not marketing purposes.
If you would like ot opt out of any future contact via text messaging, then please complete the form and indicate in the marked section.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
Zero Tolerance
Please note that at High Street Surgery we have a zero tolerance policy towards verbal or physical abuse to any of our staff. GP practices up and down the country are seeing an increasing number of instances of verbal abuse to the staff both clinical and administrative.
We have had a surge in demand for appointments over the last few weeks and whilst we would like to offer an infinite amount of appointments on a daily basis we simply cannot for the safety of our patients, the well-being of our staff and the amount of other duties the clinicians have to work through.
This includes actioning your blood results, signing prescriptions, reading your letters from the hospital, referrals and medication reviews. Please remember that we are doing our best with the resources we have. Thank you