Responsibilities

Our Responsibilities to You

Respect:

You will be treated as an individual and involved in your health care, irrespective of your ethnic origin, religious and cultural beliefs, personal circumstances or the nature of your health problems.

Treatment:

It is our job to give you advice and treatment. Following discussion you will receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people. You will be referred to a consultant acceptable to you when the doctor thinks it is necessary and referred for a second opinion if you and your doctor agree that this is desirable. Care will not be given without your informed consent. In the interests of your health it is important that you understand the information given to you; please ask us questions if you are unsure of anything.

Access:

You have the right to be registered with a family doctor and to change if you wish. You may see the doctor of your choice when he/she is available even if you are officially registered with another partner. You will have access rapidly to a doctor in emergencies - within half a working day for urgent problems and otherwise within two working days. We will arrange home visits as appropriate for those who are too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery.

Health Checks:

You will be offered a health check when you join the Practice for the first time.
Registered patients aged over 75 years who have not been seen in the previous 12 months may request a consultation. If you are unable to attend the surgery for this consultation because of your medical condition, a home visit may be arranged.

Repeat Prescriptions:

You will be provided with a repeat prescription within 48 hours of your request excluding weekends.

Names:

People involved in your care will identify themselves and ensure that you know how to contact them. The surgery should be clearly signposted and the names of the doctors and nurses are indicated on or near their consulting rooms.

Waiting times:

We operate an appointments system. You will be given a time at which the doctor or nurse hopes to see you and they will strive to keep to time. If you have to wait more than 20 minutes after your appointment time you will be given an explanation for the delay.

Telephone:

We will try to answer the phone promptly and to ensure that there is sufficient staff available to do this. You will be able to speak to a doctor by phone at certain times.

Test Results:

If you have had tests you will normally be informed of the result at your next appointment. If another appointment is not necessary you will be advised how to obtain the results. You have a right to a full explanation of your illness and any tests carried out.

Information:

We will offer you full information about the services we offer. Every effort will be made to ensure that you receive the information which directly affects your health and the care being offered. The Practice will offer you advice and information on steps you can take to promote good health and avoid illness, and guidance on self-help which can be undertaken without reference to a doctor in the case of minor ailments.

Health Records and Confidentiality:

You have the right to see your health records subject to limitations in the law. Your records will be kept confidential at all times. Any conversation which you may have with any of our staff will be treated with strict confidentiality within the practice team. We are a computerised practice which improves the efficiency of our services. All information held is subject to the Data Protection Act and is kept completely confidential to authorised users.

Suggestions:

We will provide you with information about how to make suggestions about the care that we offer. We want to improve services and will therefore welcome any comments that you may have.

Raising a Concern:

Although we always try to provide the best possible service there may be times when you feel that this has not happened. Our in-house concerns procedure is described in detail separately.

Your Responsibilities to Us

• Treat all Practice staff with courtesy and respect. We will not tolerate abusive or violent behaviour.
• Let us know if you change your name, address or telephone number.
• Do everything you can to keep appointments and let us know if you are unable to attend.
• Request a home visit only if the person is too ill to visit the surgery.
• Receptionists are instructed to ask certain questions so that they may deal with your needs in accordance with practice policies and protocols.
• Give precise information when requesting repeat prescriptions.
• Be prepared for your consultation - it will help if you can explain your problem straight away.
• Tell the doctor or nurse if you do not understand their explanations.
• Please accept any invitations for screening issued by the practice or the health authorities.
• Avoid calling at peak morning times for non-urgent matters.
• Test results take time to reach us, so please do not ring before you have been asked to do so. Enquiries about tests ordered by the hospital should be directed to the hospital, to the secretary of the specialist concerned, and not the Practice.