Accountable/Named GP
An accountable GP will be assigned to every patient and where a preference is expressed reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate this.
Health Checks
You will be offered a health check when you join the practice. Any patients aged 16 –74 years who have not had a consultation within the last three years may request a consultation.
Patients 75 years and over who have not had a consultation within the last twelve months may request a health check with one of our practice team. If you are unable to attend the surgery, a home visit could be arranged.
Chaperones
All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation. please request this at the time of booking or speak to your GP.
Tell us if you want someone to accompany you or a private room to discuss any matters.
Confidentiality is maintained by all staff at the surgery.
Complaint Procedure
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
How to complain
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.
If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
- Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
- Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.
Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing to the Practice Manager. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.
What we will do
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong.
- Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
- Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
- Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
Complaining to NHS England
We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.
However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.
Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?
If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and NHS England and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.
To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033
Need help making a complaint?
Alternatively, POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.
Data Protection
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.
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.
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practitioners 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 practice manager.
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.
Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunities Policy for Practice, Visitors and Patients.
Applicability
This Policy applies to all visitors making use of the Practice’s premises and services.
The term ‘visitor’ used within this document refers to patients and their family members, other visitors and contractors but excludes employees, for whom the Equal Opportunities Policy for Staff applies.
The Practice:
Will ensure that all visitors are treated with dignity and respect and in line with the Practice dignity and respect policy.
Will promote equality of opportunity between men and women.
Will not tolerate any discrimination against, or harassment of, any visitor for reason of sex, race, colour, religion, religious or philosophical belief, nationality, age, ethnic origin, marital status, civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment.
Will provide the same treatment and services (including the ability to register with the practice) to any visitor irrespective of sex, race, colour, religion, religious or philosophical belief, nationality, age, ethnic origin, marital status, civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment.
Procedure for Patients to follow:
1. Discrimination by the Practice against you
If you feel discriminated against:
You should bring the matter to the attention of the Practice Manager.
The Practice Manager will investigate the matter thoroughly and confidentially within 3 working days.
The Practice Manager will establish the facts and decide whether discrimination has taken place and advise you of the outcome of the investigation within 10 working days.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you should raise a formal complaint through the Practice’s Complaints Procedure.
2. Discrimination against the Practice’s staff
The Practice will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment of its staff by any visitor.
Any visitor, who expresses any form of discrimination against, or harassment of, any member of the Practice staff, will be required to leave the Practice’s premises forthwith.
If the visitor is a patient, s/he may be removed from the Practice’s list if any such behaviour occurs on more than one occasion.
GP Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (average pay) for GP’s working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GP’s working in Hawes Lane Surgery in the last financial year 2018/19 was £48,670 before tax and National Insurance.
This is for 0 full-time GP’s, 0 part-time GP’s and 2 Locum GP’s who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised,and the required disclosure is shown below. However it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.
Leaflets
You will find a wide variety of Practice Leaflets which will inform you of all the services that we provide for our patients. For example Patients Charter Leaflet, Practice Leaflet and Comments and Complaints Leaflet, Sharing Data Information Leaflets etc.
Please ask at reception.
Practice Charter
What is the NHS Constitution?
The NHS is founded on a common set of principles and values that bind together the communities and people it serves – patients and public – and the staff who work for it.
This Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England.
It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively.
All NHS bodies and private and third sector providers supplying NHS services are required by law to take account of this Constitution in their decisions and actions.
The Constitution will be renewed every 10 years, with the involvement of the public, patients and staff.
How Hawes Lane Surgery Implements the NHS Constitution
Principles
The Practice:
Provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and has a duty to respect their human rights.
Promotes equality through the service, providing and to paying 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.
Provides access to services based on clinical need, not on an individual’s ability to pay.
Aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism, providing safe and effective high-quality care focused on patient experience.
Ensures that it is effectively lead and managed and its staff receive relevant education, training and development.
Its services reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and carers who will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.
Ensures that it works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.
Is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.
Supports staff when they raise concerns about the service by ensuring their concerns are fully investigated and that there is someone independent, outside of their team, to speak to.
Patient Rights
Patients have the right:
To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.
To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.
To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.
In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.
Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness) or age.
To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.
To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.
To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.
To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.
To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.
To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.
To access to their own health records.
To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.
To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.
To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.
To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.
To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.
To have any complaint you make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.
To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.
To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.
Patient Responsibilities
To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.
To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.
To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.
To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.
To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their Clinician if they find this difficult.
To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.
To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.
To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.
Practice Staff Rights
Practice Staff have the right:
To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives;
To have a fair pay and contract framework;
To be involved and represented in the workplace;
To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence;
To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination; and
To raise an internal grievance and if necessary seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld;
To raise any concern with their employer, whether it is about safety, malpractice or other risk, in the public interest, without suffering any detriment.
NHS Pledge to Staff Members
The NHS Commits:
To provide all staff with clear roles and responsibilities and rewarding jobs for teams and individuals that make a difference to patients, their families and carers and communities;
To provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs and line management support to succeed;
To provide support and opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety;
To engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide, individually, through representative organisations and through local partnership working arrangements. All staff will be empowered to put forward ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families;
To support all staff in raising concerns at the earliest reasonable opportunity about safety, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, responding to and, where necessary, investigating the concerns raised and acting consistently with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
Summary Care Record
Your Summary Care Record
Care professionals in England use an electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR). This can provide those involved in your care with faster secure access to key information from your GP record
For more information talk to the staff at your GP practice or visit www.hscic.gov.uk/scr/patients
You can also phone the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) on 0300 303 5678
What is a SCR?
If you are registered with a GP practice in England, you will already have an SCR unless you have previously chosen not to have one. It includes the following basic information:
- Medicines you are taking
- Allergies you suffer from
- Any bad reactions to medicines.
It also includes your name, address, date of birth and unique NHS Number which helps to identify you correctly.
What choices do you have?
You can now choose to include more information in your SCR, such as significant medical history (past and present), information about management of long term conditions, immunisations and patient preferences such as end of life care information, particular care needs and communication preferences.
If you would like to do this, talk to your GP practice as it can only be added with your permission.
Remember, you can change your mind about your SCR at any time. Talk to your GP practice if you want to discuss your option to add more information or decide you no longer want an SCR.
Who can see my SCR?
Only authorised care professional staff in England who are involved in your direct care can have access to your SCR. Your SCR will not be used for any other purposes.
These staff:
- Need to have a Smartcard with a chip and passcode
- Will only see the information they need to do their job
- Will have their details recorded every time they look at your record.
Care professionals will ask for your permission if they need to look at your SCR. If they cannot ask you because you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, they may decide to look at your record because doing so is in your best interest. This access is recorded and checked to ensure that it is appropriate.
SCRs for children
If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16, and feel they are able to understand this information you should show it to them. You can then support them to come to a decision about having an SCR and whether to include additional information.
Vulnerable patients and carers
Having an SCR that includes extra information can be of particular benefit to patients with detailed and complex health problems. If you are a Carer for someone and believe that this may benefit them, you could discuss it with them and their GP practice.
Confidentiality
For information on how the NHS will collect, store and allow access to your electronic records visit NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk/records.
Zero Tolerance
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.