Staying COVID-19 Secure in 2020
‘We have reviewed our ways of working and can confirm that we comply the governments guidance on managing the risk of COVID – 19’ to view our risk assessment please click on the link below:-
Darwin Covid Risk Assessment
Confidentiality
We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential and secure. Confidentiality also extends to a patient’s family member. Medical information relating to you will not be divulged to family members or anyone else without your written consent.
Staff at the Practice are all bound contractually to maintain patient confidentiality and any proven breach of this will be treated extremely seriously.
Privacy
When you register with Darwin Medical Practice we must collect basic ‘personal data’ about you. This includes your name, address, contact details such as email and mobile. We may also ask you for health information, ethnicity, sex and religious beliefs. This type of information is called ‘Special data’. We are required to do this to ensure your healthcare information is linked between other healthcare providers.
Please see our Privacy Notice 2020
Summary Care Records
NHS England is now using an electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR), which is being used to support patient care. Your SCR contains important information about any medicines you are taking, any allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have previously experienced.
Information can only be viewed by professionals directly involved in your care e.g. hospital. Staff will always ask you for your permission for accessing this information, every time they need to use it. Allowing authorised healthcare providers to have access to this information will improve decision making by doctors/healthcare professionals and prevent mistakes being made when patients are being cared for in an emergency or when their GP practice is closed.
Your SCR will also include your name, address, date of birth and your NHS Number to help identify you correctly. It is very important that you keep us up to date , if anything changes, i.e. your name, address or telephone numbers, etc.,You can however, choose to opt out of having your SCR being shared by letting us know and completing an ‘opt out’ form. These forms are available at reception and further information is displayed around our waiting rooms.
Online Access to your Medical Records
A system called Patient Access has been in use in our practice for some years now and many of our patients are happily using it to book appointments and order repeat prescriptions over the internet. We have now the option to open up areas of your medical record for you to view using the same system if you request (e.g. summary of problems, medications, allergies and immunisations). Please ask a receptionist for a consent form and produce some ID.
When completed, your request will be passed onto your Named GP for approval and will be available to you no later than 28 days after your request. Only you will be able to see this information over the internet by using a secure PIN, password and pass phrase.
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception.
Complaints - Support and Advice for You
We intend to provide the highest possible standard of service and we try to deal swiftly with any problems that may occur.
Our aim is to enhance your overall patient care experience, improve communication and help reduce/eliminate complaints.
Patient Liaison Officer
We offer a discreet and confidential service to patients and their families or Carers to resolve any issues as quickly as possible. If you would like to discuss your concerns please ask to speak to our Patient Liaison Officer, Alison Stubbs or Katrina Dipple, Business Manager. The purpose of which is to:
- Find out what happened and investigate what went wrong
- Identify ways in which similar problems can be prevented
- Provide an apology where this is appropriate
Complaints Process, how to complain
Statement of Discrimination
We will treat our patients with respect and courtesy and will not discriminate against them in any way including on the grounds of age, sex, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin or disability, sexual orientation, religion or religious or philosophical beliefs.
Zero Tolerance
We ask that you treat GPs, Nurses and all other practice staff in a proper manner – without aggression, violence or abuse as we strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance.
Anyone calling or attending the practice who abuses any staff member or any other patient, be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner will risk being removed from our patient list and be reallocated with the assistance of NHS England.
In extreme case we may summon the Police to remove offenders from the Practice premises.