Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made. Under the Act, General Practice is defined as a public body.
To comply with Section 23 of the Act, we have adopted the British Medical Association model publication scheme, which sets out the information routinely made publicly available. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can legitimately be withheld under the exemptions set out in the Act.
Patients Rights
Patient Charter
All members of the surgery primary care team are dedicated to a quality policy to achieve health services that meet the patient's requirements. Our Charter is on display in the surgery Waiting Room.
Confidentiality
We aim to respect patient confidentiality at all times. The entire practice staff is bound by this duty and we would treat any breach of this extremely seriously.
Discrimination
You will be treated as an individual with dignity, courtesy and respect at all times, irrespective of your age, gender, race, religious belief, sexual orientation or appearance, disability or medical condition.
Special Needs
Patients with special needs - can discuss their requirements with the practice manager, who will make reasonable efforts to accommodate them.
Interpreter services - will be arranged for either hearing-impaired patients or people from an ethnic minority group, when possible. A language line may also be available through Trust Services for patients from ethnic minorities.
Practice/NHS24 leaflets - are printed with a larger font on a yellow background for patients with sight impairment.
Access to Health Records
Under the Data Protection Act 1988 you are entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you. A request for access to manual and computerised health records must be made in writing. Application forms are available from reception. There may be a fee payable for the application and copying charges.
Data Protection
The practice is registered with the Information Commissioner, who holds a description of the data collected and retained by the practice. Our nominated Data Controller is Elin Pearson, Practice Manager.
Comments and Suggestions
The practice welcomes your suggestions on patient services. Please ask our receptionist for a suggestion slip, which can be ‘posted’ in the box at reception when completed. Where possible we will respond to your comments.
Complaints
We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria. If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice please let us know. For further information please speak to our practice manager or ask at reception for a practice complaints’ leaflet.
Patients Responsibilities
With patient rights, come responsibilities, and we would respectfully ask that you treat our staff with courtesy. Reception staff may have to ask some personal questions to assist us in providing you with the best service. Let us know if you intend to cancel an appointment or are running late.
As patients, you are responsible for your own health and that of any dependants. It is important that you adhere to information and advice given to you by health professionals and co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep you healthy.
Your Personal Health Information
To provide you with the care you need, we hold details of your consultations, illnesses, tests, prescriptions and other treatments that have been recorded by everyone involved in your care and treatment e.g. GP, health visitor, district nurse, practice nurse. This information may be stored on paper or electronically on computer files by practice staff.
We sometimes disclose some of your personal health information with other organisations involved in your care. For example, when your GP refers you to a specialist at the hospital we will send relevant details about you in the referral letter and receive information about you from them. Our practice also participates in regional and national programmes such as the cervical cytology screening service and your name and address, date of birth and health number will be given to them in order to send an invitation to you.
We need to use some of your personal health information for administrative purposes. In order to receive payment for services provided to you, we have to disclose basic details about you to the NHS Board responsible for this area and to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service. These organisations have a role in protecting public funds, and are authorised to check that payments are being properly made. We are required to co-operate with these checks and the disclosure of your data is a necessary part of our provision of healthcare services.
Sometimes, we may participate in studies that are designed to improve the way services are provided to you or to check that our performance meets required standards and benchmarks. Whenever we take part in activities such as these we will ensure that as far as possible any details that may identify you are not disclosed.
We are sometimes involved in health research and the teaching of student nurses, doctors and other health professionals. We will not use or disclose your personal health information for these purposes unless you have been informed beforehand and given you consent for us to do so.
Where you need a service jointly provided with a local authority we will seek your permission before giving them your details.
Sometimes we are required by law to pass on information e.g. the notification of births and deaths and certain diseases or crimes to the government is a legal requirement.
Our use of your personal health information is covered by a duty of confidentiality, and is regulated by the Data Protection Act. The Data Protection Act gives you a number of rights in relation to how your personal information is used, including a right to access the information we hold about you.
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential and adheres to a Code of Practice on Protecting Patient confidentiality. Further information regarding this can be found on the Internet at www.nhsis.co.uk/confidentiality. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.
If you have any questions or concerns on how we use your personal health information, or would like to access your information, please contact our practice manager.
Zero Tolerance Policy
Aggressive behaviour is considered by the practice to be any personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, cursing and/or swearing, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures. The doctors will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff or other patient, or who damages property. All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.