Zero Tolerance Policy
The practice operates a zero tolerance policy with regard to aggressive, violent, intimidating, abusive behaviour to staff and fellow patients*. This includes swearing and shouting. In such circumstances staff are trained to inform patients that they will end a telephone call, or ask a patient to leave the premises, and may result in the practice to remove 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 (including aggressive, intimidating, and general abusive behaviour) which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we may contact the police and / or notify the patient in writing of our intention to remove from the list.
To avoid such situations please be considerate to staff and fellow patients, and please refer to the Patient Charter below
Patient Charter
Patient complaint procedure
Subject Access Requests (SAR)
Online services
We are committed to provide online services for patients, such as appointment booking and accessing medical records, and to use IT innovation as a means of providing effective and efficient clinical care.
Online services for patients
CHAPERONE POLICY
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”). Also consultations involving dimmed lights, the need for patients to undress or for intensive periods of being touched may make a patient feel vulnerable.
Therefore before conducting an intimate examination clinicians will offer patients the security of having an impartial observer (chaperone) present during an intimate examination but could also include any examination where it is necessary to touch or even be close to the patient. This is aimed to protect both patients and staff from abuse or allegations of abuse and to assist patients to make an informed choice about their examinations and consultations. This will apply whether or not the clinician is the same gender as the patient.
A patient can refuse a chaperone, and, if so, this will be recorded in the patient’s medical record. Also any examination where a chaperone was present will be documented in the patients’ medical records.
Who can act as a Chaperone?
Although a chaperone does not have to be medically qualified the Practice policy is that non-clinical members of staff should not act as chaperones as they are not trained to be familiar with the procedures involved in intimate examinations.
Therefore chaperones will be clinical staff familiar with procedural aspects of personal examination
Named GP for all patients
From 1 April 2015, general practices are required to allocate a named, accountable GP to all patients and to inform them of this named GP by March 2016.
We understand that this is confusing to patients as since 2003 patients were registered with a GP practice rather than an individual GP. This is still the case, but the government now want to ensure that all patients, of any age, are aware of the name of a GP in their practice.
This “named GP” does not need to be the GP you usually see, and, of course, if would be an huge challenge to manually check each patient record to see which GP to allocate to each patient. Therefore we have allocated Dr Johnson and Dr Al-Ausi as the “named GPs”, as they are the GP Partners and legally responsible for all patient care.
This does not mean that you have to see these GPs, you are free to see whomever you prefer. This “named GP” is an administrative code on your patient record and has no bearing on which GP you wish to see, and all GPs can see your medical records and manage your care.
If you would like to change allocated GP, or would prefer not to have a named GP allocated, please ask at reception or write to the practice or email stoccg.marplecottagesupport@nhs.net. Please do not telephone as phoner lines are very busy dealing with patient medical needs.
Equality & Diversity policy
Marple Cottage Surgery believes fairness, equity and above all values diversity in all dealings, both as provider of health services and employers of the people.
Our Equality and Diversity policy commits to ensure that the values underpinning equality, diversity and human rights are central to our practice, respecting and responding to the diversity of our local population.
Marple Cottage Surgery is committed to eliminating discrimination on the basis of gender, age (including children and young people), disability, race, religion, sexuality or social class. We aim to provide accessible services, delivered in a way that respects the needs of each individual and does not exclude anyone.
By demonstrating these beliefs the Practice ensures that it develops a healthcare workforce that is diverse, non-discriminatory and appropriate to deliver modern healthcare.
Marple Cottage Surgery will embed its equality and diversity values into every day practice, policies and procedures so that equality and diversity becomes the norm for all.
Equality is not about treating everyone the same, it is about ensuring that access to opportunities are available to all by taking account of people’s differing needs and capabilities.
Diversity is about recognising and valuing differences through inclusion, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial origin, religion, belief, sexual orientation, commitments outside work, part-time or shift work, language, union activity, HIV status, perspectives, opinions and person values etc. Marple Cottage Surgery supports working towards developing a workforce that is representative of the community it serves.
NHS Constitution
The NHS Constitution Principles states that:
“The NHS provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status.
The service is designed to improve, prevent, diagnose and treat both physical and mental health problems with equal regard. It has a duty to each and every individual that it serves and must respect their human rights.
At the same time, it has a wider social duty to promote equality through the services it provides and to pay particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.”
The nine protected characteristic groups as outlined in the Equality Act are:
- Age
- Sex/ gender
- Disability
- Gender reassignment/ gender identity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sexual orientation
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Marriage and civil partnership
Marple Cottage Surgery also considers other groups of people such as homeless people, carers and Military Veterans
- If you feel that you have been a victim of discrimination please inform the Managing Partner who will investigate and respond within 10 working days