Privacy Notice for Patients Aged Between 13 - 16
For our Protection and yours
We aim to treat our patients courteously at all times and expect our patients to treat our staff in a similarly respectful way. We take seriously any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff or patients. If a patient is violent or abusive, they will be warned to stop their behaviour. If they persist, we may exercise our right to take action to have them removed, immediately if necessary, from our list of patients.
Confidentiality
You can be sure that anything you discuss with any member of this practice will stay confidential.
- No unauthorised person will have access to your records at any time.
- You may have access to your own medical records but not to any one else's (unless you have been authorised to do so by the patient in writing).
- Even if you are under 16 nothing will be said to anyone including parents, other family members, care workers or tutors without your permission. The only time we may have to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect you or someone else from serious harm. We would always try to discuss this with you first.
Freedom of Information
Patient information is stored both manually and on computer; we are registered under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. You are welcome to see your records if you wish - please apply, in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, in writing to the practice manager. You request will be acknowledged within 30 days.
Access to Medical Records
Patients can normally see their own computer record in the consulting room as the doctor or nurse use it. Patients can request access to their own written and computer records if requested, although the records may not be removed from the practice premises. If copies or a computer printout is approved, a charge is made for this to cover costs incurred. Access to medical records for people outside the health care team (or who are involved in the patient's clinical care) is only given with the patient's express written permission.
Third parties such as solicitors or insurance companies may also seek access to your health record. We only give this information to third parties with your explicit consent. Please be assured that without the proper consent form signed by you, information will will not be released. You do have the right to see this information before it is sent off to a third party but you must indicate your wish to do this on the consent form.
Summary Care Record 
This is a new central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). The Summary Care Record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially it will contain just your medications and allergies.
Later on as the central NHS computer system develops, (known as the 'Summary Care Record' - SCR), other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.
Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.
As with all new systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.
On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Record have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.
For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.
For further information visit the Connecting for Health Website
If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery.
Zero Tolerance Policy to Violence
Our Staff have the right to work free from any form of threats, fear, abuse or violence and we have a Zero Tolerance Policy to violence. Depending on the level of the incident, a patient who is rude or mildly abusive may be given a written warning. Any further incident or more serious first incident will result in the patient being removed from the practice list.