Practice Policies

Confidentiality & Medical Records

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.

The NHS Constitution

Easy Read Version CLICK HERE and and Full Version CLICK HERE

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. Download Leaflet

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. General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into effect in May 2018. 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. For details: Access To Health Records Policy.

Infection Control Statement – Click Here

Access Policy

Our PMS Contract details our contractual obligations with regards to our opening hours, appointments and patient access.

Download: A Brief Guide to Access &  Access Policy

Chaperone Policy

To protect our patients and staff a chaperone can be arranged. You may request a chaperone if you feel you require one at any time. You may usually be offered a chaperone by a clinician (doctor or nurse) for any intimate or personal examination (male or female) or if the nature of the consultation poses a risk of misunderstanding. If you have not been offered a chaperone and you feel you require one, please help us by asking the Clinician to arrange one for you. If you so choose, you can at any time bring someone along with you for your appointment. Download a copy here: Chaperone Policy

Complaints

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 or download a leaflet by clicking on the link – Complaints Information Leaflet

Zero Tolerance (Violence) Policy

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.  Please CLICK HERE for further information