How we use your data
- This practice handles medical records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.
- We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment.
- In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill.
- We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe.
- You have the right to be given a copy of your medical record.
- You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.
- You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services.
- You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
For further information please see the full practice Privacy Policy or ask member of staff about your rights.
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.
For more information please refer to our privacy notice.
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy for Children & Young People
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.
Access to Records
In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request a print out of their full medical record. Such requests should be directed to the Practice Manager. No information will be released without the patient's consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
In such circumstances we kindly ask that the patient completes the form below to ensure your request is dealt with in a timely manner. You may find all the information you require is made available though our patient online services, this contains the ability to view parts of your GP record, including information about medication, hospital letters, allergies, vaccinations, previous illnesses and test results.
Subject Access Request Form
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.
Complaints Policy
Zero Tolerance 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.
Non Attendance and Late Patients
It can sometimes be difficult to get a routine appointment with a GP or Nurse. In General Practice demand can be unpredictable, which cannot easily be remedied. One factor which makes this more difficult to overcome is missed routine appointments due to did not attends (DNAs), or patients being late for their appointments.
Where patients’ have been declined routine appointments because appointments are fully booked, it is at best disappointing when one of those booked appointments is unused due to a DNA, and no contact has been made with the practice to cancel the appointment so that it can be released for others or telephones so late as to make it impossible to allocate the appointment to another patient.
In the financial year 2017/18, there were 2253 such DNAs with either GPs, Nurses or other Health Care Professionals at Birkwood Medical Centre and, in some cases, these were double appointments at specialist clinics. This is the equivalent of over 12 full days of missed clinical appointments.
We do offer patients a free sms confirmation of their booked appointment and a reminder the day before the scheduled appointment. If you would like to receive these please ensure we have your up to date contact details.