Practice Charter

The Practice Values

• Patients’ medical conditions will be managed according to the highest standards as defined by the profession.
• Patients will be treated with courtesy and consideration by all our staff.
• Patients will receive appropriate information about their condition and treatment.
• The practice will endeavour to educate patients on health care matters wherever possible.
• Partners, nurses and staff will be encouraged to pursue appropriate further training.
• The practice will undertake professional training as a service to the profession.

Your Rights to Primary Medical Care

As a patient you have the right to:
• Be registered with a practice.
• See the doctor of your choice, subject to availability.
• Receive emergency care.
• Receive appropriate drugs and medicines.
• Be referred for specialist or second opinion, if they and the GP agree.
• See your medical records or have a copy, subject to certain laws.
• Know that by law everyone working for the NHS must keep the contents of your medical records private.

Your Right to See Your Medical Records

• The practice manager will help any patient to see their own medical records, subject to the laws which apply.
• The patient’s doctor will be available to explain medical terms and words within 40 working days.

Complaints

• The practice manager handles all complaints about our services.
• We record all complaints. We write to say we have received a written complaint within three working days of receiving it. We respond to all complaints within 10 working days.
• Where a complaint is about a doctor, you have the right to choose to discuss this with another doctor in the practice if you wish.
• Use of the practice complaints procedure does not take away your right to make a complaint to other bodies. However, we find that the sooner we are made aware of your problem, the sooner we can resolve it and make sure that it does not happen
again. This is your practice and we want to work with you to make it the best.

Comments

Comments concerning the practice should be made in person or by letter to the practice manager. We are eager to hear of any ideas which would help us provide a better standard of service for our patients.

Patient Responsibilities

With rights come responsibilities and for you, the patient, this means we would ask you to please:

• Be courteous to all the staff at all times. Please remember they are trying to help you. There is no place for aggressive or rude attitudes at our surgery; it upsets the other patients too. We want our practice to be a friendly place for all.
• Be on time for your appointments.
• Cancel your appointments in plenty of time. Someone else could use your appointment!
• Make separate appointments for each member of the family who needs to be seen. An appointment is for one person only.
• Try to make best use of nursing and medical time by making an effort to come to the surgery. Home visits should be for medical reasons and not requested to suit your social needs.
• Give two working days for repeat prescriptions. This time allows us to make sure your medicines are correct.
• Only ask for a doctor at night or at weekends if it is urgent.
• Read the practice booklet and other information we give you. They are there to help you use our services. Please ask us if you do not understand them; this will spur us to make them easier to read.
• Please let us have your views. Your ideas are important in helping us make our practice a friendly and safe place to visit for medical treatment.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION - PUBLICATION SCHEME

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception.

ZERO TOLERANCE

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone attending the surgery who abuses the GPs, staff or other patients be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will be removed from the practice list, with no second chance. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.