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.
We currently use secure sytems to make contact with our Patients via text or email regarding Appointments and Health campaigns, you will be automatically opted into this service when you supply this information. If you would like to Opt out please let the surgery 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.
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. Patients can also request online access to their records. Click the link below for further information.
Online Patient Access
Clinical Practice Research Datalink
Named GP
All patients who are registered with the surgery need to have a named GP on their medical records.
You do not have to see your named GP and are able to see whichever GP you prefer. However for ongoing medical matters, it is very helpful to see the same GP each time you visit. This allows the GP to build an understanding of your problems and facilitates positive outcomes.
If you wish to know your allocated GP, please speak to a Receptionist.
Complaints
Frome Valley Medical Centre aims to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients, but we do appreciate that sometimes we get it wrong. We operate a formal Practice complaints procedure in line with the NHS system with dealing with complaints. Our Practice complaints leaflet gives the details of the procedure and is available from reception or can be downloaded from the link below. However, should you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know. You are welcome to speak to whomever you feel most comfortable – your GP, our Practice Manager or one of our reception staff will be happy to help. We suggest putting your complaint in writing whenever possible.
We take all complaints very seriously and try to resolve any issues raised to the patient’s satisfaction. We also discuss and review complaints within the practice and take appropriate measures to ensure we don’t make the same mistake again.
We are always pleased to receive letters of thanks or compliments from patients and these too are communicated to the whole Practice team.
Click below to download our Complaints Leaflet:
FVMC Complaints Leaflet
Click below to download our Complaints Form:
FVMC Complaints Form
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you have the right to approach the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman. Their contact details are:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
30 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 0154033
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/make-a-complaint - to complain online or download a paper form
You may also approach PALS, Healthwatch or the Independent Health Complaints Advocacy for help or advice;
The local Healthwatch can be found at:
http://www.healthwatch.co.uk/
The IHCA is able to be contacted at:
http://www.seap.org.uk/services/nhs-complaints-advocacy/
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is based at:
South Gloucestershire CCG
Suite 15
Corum 2
Corum Office Park
Crown Way
Warmley
BS30 8FJ
Tel: 0117 947 4477 or 0800 0730907
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.
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 strategic practice manager.
GP Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare their mean earnings (average pay) for GP's working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice. Please click the link below for further information.