Policies and Procedures

You may request a suitably trained chaperone for any procedure, test or examination.

Friends and family are not permitted to act as chaperones.

Please note – both male and female clinical team members work within the practice, if you have a preference, please ensure you discuss this when you book your appointment.

For more information please speak to reception.

We are always happy to hear suggestions patients may have to improve the services we provide. We do try to give the best possible service but there may be times when you feel this is not happening.

If you have a complaint about any aspect of the service you have received, from doctors or staff, please let us know.

We operate a practice complaints procedure in line with national NHS guidelines, copies of the procedure are available from reception staff. You may also reference leaflets and posters in the waiting room.

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

• Getting it right
• Being customer focused
• Being open and accountable
• Acting fairly and proportionately
• Putting things right
• Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.

Complaints and Comments Procedure

This Policy and Procedure complies with The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009, introduced on 1st April 2009 across health and social care.

Policy

The Practice will take all reasonable steps to ensure that it’s staff are aware of and comply with this Procedure.

The Practice has nominated Paula Dudley (Practice Manager), as it’s Complaints Manager, to be responsible for managing the procedures for handling and considering complaints in accordance with the Policy and Procedure.

The Practice has nominated Dr Samuel Muthuveloe – Lead GP as its Responsible Person, to be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Policy and Procedure, and in particular ensuring that action is taken if necessary in the light of the outcome of a complaint.

The Practice will take all reasonable steps to ensure that patients are aware of:

The Complaints and Comments Procedure

The roles of the Practice, NHS England, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and the Health Service Ombudsman with regard to patient complaints.

This includes the alternative facility for the patient to complain directly to the CCG instead of making their complaint to the Practice, as well as their right to escalate their complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman when they are dissatisfied with the initial response.

N.B. ALL escalations must be directed to the Health Service Ombudsman (so when a patient is dissatisfied with the Practice response to their complaint, they must escalate their complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman, not the CCG).

Their right to assistance with any complaint from the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS); The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS); Citizens Advice Bureaux, NHS Choices and the Care Quality Commission

The Practice Complaints and Comments Patient Information Leaflet, the Practice Patient Information Leaflet and the Practice Website will be the prime information sources for implementing this Policy and will be kept up to date and be made freely available to all Patients.

Patients will be encouraged to complain in writing where possible.

All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Patients who make a complaint will not be discriminated against or be subject to any negative effect on their care, treatment or support.

Where a complaint investigation requires access to the patient’s medical records and involves disclosure of this information to a person outside the Practice, Paula Dudley (Practice Manager), the Complaints Manager, will inform the patient or person acting on their behalf.

The Practice will maintain a complete record of all complaints and copies of all related correspondence. These records will be kept separately from patients’ medical records.

Procedure

Complaint initiated on Practice Premises

In the event that a Practice staff member notices that a patient appears to be distressed / upset on the Practice Premises, they should immediately contact Paula Dudley (Practice Manager), who will attempt to identify and resolve the problem personally at that time.

In the event of a Practice staff member being advised that a patient wishes to make a complaint, the patient should be passed a copy of the current Practice Complaints and Comments Patient Information Leaflet.

The patient should be asked if they intend to complete the form in this leaflet there and then, or do they intend to complete it later.

If they intend to complete it later, the Practice staff member should provide them with an envelope.

If they intend to complete it there and then, the Practice staff member to ask if they require assistance in completing it – if so, Paula Dudley (Practice Manager), should be contacted to provide such assistance.

Whichever option is chosen, the patient will be assured that their complaint will be acknowledged within 3 working days from receipt of the form.

Receipt and Acknowledgement of Complaints

The Practice may receive the following complaints:

• A complaint made directly by the patient or former patient, who is receiving or has received treatment at the Practice;
• A complaint made on behalf of a patient or former patient (with his/her consent), who is receiving or has received treatment at the Practice;
• Where the patient is a child:
• By either parent, or in the absence of both parents, the guardian or other adult who has care of the child;
• By a person duly authorised by a Local Authority into whose care the child has been committed under the provisions of the Children Act 1989;
• By a person duly authorised by a voluntary organisation, by which the child is being accommodated.
• Where the patient is incapable of making a complaint, by a representative who has an interest in his/her welfare.

All complaints, whether written or verbal will be recorded by Paula Dudley (Practice Manager), in the dedicated complaints record.

All written complaints will be acknowledged in writing within 3 working days of receipt.

If the Practice identifies that the complaint will involve an additional provider it will agree with that provider which organisation will take the lead in responding and communicating with the complainant.

Periods of time within which complaints can be made

The periods of time within which a complaint can be made is normally:

• 12 months from the date on which the event / incident which is the subject of the complaint occurred; or
• 12 months from the date on which the event / incident which is the subject of the complaint comes to the complainant’s notice.

Initial action upon receipt of a complaint

All complaints, whether verbal or in writing must be forwarded immediately to Paula Dudley (Practice Manager),  the Practice Complaints Manager or, if unavailable to Dr Samuel Muthuveloe Lead GP in his absence Dr Sharon Thayer GP partner, will be the Practice Responsible Person.

Where the complaint is made verbally, a written record will be made of the complaint and a copy of this will be provided to the complainant.

A verbal or written acknowledgement of receipt of the complaint must be made not later than 3 working days after the day on which the Practice receives the complaint.

This written acknowledgement will include:

The name and contact details of the Practice member of staff who will be attending the meeting and investigating the complaint

An offer to meet with the complainant, at a time and location convenient to them, to discuss the manner in which the complaint is to be handled and the response period within which the investigation of the complaint is likely to be completed and the full response is likely to be sent to the complainant.

As much of the following information as possible will be obtained at this initial meeting, to enable their concerns to be assessed correctly, resolved quickly if possible and build a good ongoing relationship with them:

Ascertain they would like to be addressed – as Mr, Mrs, Ms or by their first name.

Ascertain how they wish to be kept informed about how their complaint is being dealt with – by phone, letter, email or through a third party such as an Advocacy or support service.

If it’s by phone, ascertain the times when it is convenient to call and verify that they are happy for messages to be left on their answer phone.

If it’s by post, make sure that they are happy to receive correspondence at the address given.

Check if consent is needed to access someone’s personal records

Check if they have any disabilities or circumstances that need to be taken account of.

Ensure they are aware that they can request an advocate to support them throughout the complaints process, including at the first meeting.

Systematically go through the reasons for the complaint so that there is a clear understanding why they are dissatisfied.

Ascertain what they would like to happen as a result of the complaint (for example, an apology, new appointment, reimbursement for costs or loss of personal belongings or an explanation).

Advise them at the outset if their expectations are not feasible or realistic.

Formulate and agree a plan of action, including when and how the complainant will hear back from the Practice.

If it is considered that the matter can be resolved quickly without further investigation, the Practice will do so, providing the complainant agrees and there is no risk to other service users.

In the event the complainant does not accept the offer of a discussion, the Practice will itself determine the response period and notify the complainant in writing of that period.

Investigation and response

Complaints should be resolved within a “relevant period” i.e. 6 months from the day on which the complaint was received.

However, at any time during the “relevant period”, the Practice Complaints Manager or Responsible Person has the discretion to liaise with the complainant to extend this time frame to a mutually agreeable date, provided it is still possible to carry out a full and proper investigation of the complaint effectively and fairly.

When an extension to the 6 months time frame is being considered, it is essential that the Complaints Manager or Responsible Person takes into account that either party may not be able to remember accurately the essential details of the event / incident and also the feasibility of being able to obtain other essential evidence specific to the time of the event.

The Practice will investigate the complaint speedily and efficiently and as far as reasonably practicable, keep the complainant informed of the progress of the investigation.

After the investigation is completed, the Practice will compile a written report which incorporates:

• A summary of each element of the complaint
• Details of policies or guidelines followed
• A summary of the investigation
• Details of key issues or facts identified by an investigation
• Conclusions of the investigation: was there an error, omission or shortfall by your organisation?
• Did this disadvantage the complainant, and if so, how?
• What needs to be done to put things right
• An apology, if one is needed
• An explanation of what will happens next (e.g. what will be done, who will do it, and when)
• Information on what the person complaining should do if they are still unhappy and wish to escalate the complaint, including full contact information on the Health Service Ombudsman.

The Practice will send the complainant a response within the 6 months “relevant period”, signed by Dr Samuel Muthuveloe Lead GP, the Practice Responsible Person. The response will incorporate:

The written report

Confirmation as to whether the Practice is satisfied that any necessary action has been taken or is proposed to be taken;

A statement of the complainant’s right to take their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

If the Practice does not send the complainant a response within the 6 month “relevant period”, it will

Notify the complainant in writing accordingly and explain the reason why; and.

Send the complainant in writing a response as soon as reasonably practicable after the 6 month “relevant period”.

In the event that the complaint has been incorrectly sent to the Practice, the Practice will advise the patient of this fact within 3 working days from its initial receipt and ask them if they want it to be forwarded to the correct organisation. If it is sent on, the Practice will advise the patient of the correct organisation’s full contact and address details.

Handling Unreasonable Complaints

In situations where the person making the complaint can become aggressive or unreasonable, the Practice will instigate the appropriate actions from the list below and will advise the complainant accordingly:

Ensure contact is being overseen by an appropriate senior member of staff who will act as the single point of contact and make it clear to the complainant that other members of staff will be unable to help them.

• Ask that they make contact in only one way, appropriate to their needs (e.g. in writing).
• Place a time limit on any contact.
• Restrict the number of calls or meetings during a specified period.
• Ensure that a witness will be involved in each contact
• Refuse to register repeated complaints about the same issue.
• Do not respond to correspondence regarding a matter that has already been closed, only acknowledge it.
• Explain that you do not respond to correspondence that is abusive.
• Make contact through a third person such as a specialist advocate.
• Ask the complainant to agree how they will behave when dealing with your service in the future.
• Return any irrelevant documentation and remind them that it will not be returned again.
• When using any of these approaches to manage contact with unreasonable or aggressive people, provide an explanation of what is occurring and why.
• Maintain a detailed record of each contact during the ongoing relationship.

Complaints Register

To ensure the Practice monitors, handles and reviews complaints in a logical and timely manner, and to keep an Audit trail of steps taken and decisions reached, the Practice records all complaints received on a dedicated complaints register.

Annual Review of Complaints

In line with National Guidance, the Practice will supply the following information to NHS England:

• The number of complaints received;
• The issues that these complaints raised;
• Whether complaints have been upheld;
• The number of cases referred to the Ombudsman.

Reporting a Summary of Complaints to the Care Quality Commission

The Practice will adhere to the Care Quality Commission’s requirement of producing a summary of complaints at a time and in a format set out by the CQC and then send the summary within the time frame specified.

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.

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 Paula Dudley (Practice Manager)

Paula Dudley (Practice Manager) will investigate the matter thoroughly and confidentially within 3 working days.

Paula Dudley (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.

Data Protection Privacy Notice for Patients

Introduction:

This privacy notice lets you know what happens to any personal data that you give to us, or any that we may collect from or about you.

This privacy notice applies to personal information processed by or on behalf of the practice.

This Notice explains

• Who we are, how we use your information and our Data Protection Officer
• What kinds of personal information about you do we process?
• What are the legal grounds for our processing of your personal information (including when we share it with others)?
• What should you do if your personal information changes?
• For how long your personal information is retained by us?
• What are your rights under data protection laws?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became law on 24th May 2016. This is a single EU-wide regulation on the protection of confidential and sensitive information. It enters into force in the UK on the 25th May 2018, repealing the Data Protection Act (1998).

For the purpose of applicable data protection legislation (including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) (the “GDPR”), and the Data Protection Act 2018 (currently in Bill format before Parliament) the practice responsible for your personal data is Haden Vale Medical Practice.

This Notice describes how we collect, use and process your personal data, and how, in doing so, we comply with our legal obligations to you. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to protecting and safeguarding your data privacy rights

How we use your information and the law.

Haden Vale Medical Practice will be what’s known as the ‘Controller’ of the personal data you provide to us.

We collect basic personal data about you which does not include any special types of information or location-based information.  This does however include name, address, contact details such as email and mobile number etc.

We will also collect sensitive confidential data known as “special category personal data”, in the form of health information, religious belief (if required in a healthcare setting) ethnicity, and sex during the services we provide to you and or linked to your healthcare through other health providers or third parties.

Why do we need your information?

The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. NHS Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be electronic, on paper or a mixture of both, and we use a combination of working practices and technology to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records which the Practice hold about you may include the following information;

• Details about you, such as your address, carer, legal representative, emergency contact details
• Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, clinic visits, emergency appointments, etc.
• Notes and reports about your health
• Details about your treatment and care
• Results of investigations such as laboratory tests, x-rays etc
• Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you

To ensure you receive the best possible care, your records are used to facilitate the care you receive. Information held about you may be used to help protect the health of the public and to help us manage the NHS. Information may be used within the GP practice for clinical Audit to monitor the quality of the service provided.

How do we lawfully use your data?

We need to know your personal, sensitive and confidential data in order to provide you with Healthcare services as a General Practice, under the General Data Protection Regulation we will be lawfully using your information in accordance with: –

Article 6, e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller;”

Article 9, (h) processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems

This Privacy Notice applies to the personal data of our patients and the data you have given us about your carers/family members.

Risk Stratification

Risk stratification data tools are increasingly being used in the NHS to help determine a person’s risk of suffering a condition, preventing an unplanned or (re)admission and identifying a need for preventive intervention. Information about you is collected from a number of sources including NHS Trusts and from this GP Practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your de-identified information is only provided back to your GP as data controller in an identifiable form. Risk stratification enables your GP to focus on preventing ill health and not just the treatment of sickness. If necessary, your GP may be able to offer you additional services. Please note that you have the right to opt out of your data being used in this way.

Medicines Management

The Practice may conduct Medicines Management Reviews of medications prescribed to its patients. This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost-effective treatments.

Safeguarding

The Practice is dedicated to ensuring that the principles and duties of safeguarding adults and children are holistically, consistently and conscientiously applied with the wellbeing of all, at the heart of what we do.

Our legal basis for processing For the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) purposes is: –

Article 6(1)(e) ‘…exercise of official authority…’.

For the processing of special categories data, the basis is: –

Article 9(2)(b) – ‘processing is necessary for the purposes of carrying out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment and social security and social protection law…’

Categories of personal data

The data collected by Practice staff in the event of a safeguarding situation will be as much personal information as is necessary or possible to obtain in order to handle the situation. In addition to some basic demographic and contact details, we will also process details of what the safeguarding concern is. This is likely to be special category information (such as health information).

Sources of the data

The Practice will either receive or collect information when someone contacts the organisation with safeguarding concerns or we believe there may be safeguarding concerns and make enquiries to relevant providers.

Recipients of personal data

The information is used by the Practice when handling a safeguarding incident or concern. We may share information accordingly to ensure duty of care and investigation as required with other partners such as local authorities, the police or healthcare professionals (i.e. their GP or mental health team).

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:

• Data Protection Act 2018
• The General Data Protection Regulations 2016
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
• Health and Social Care Act 2012
• NHS Codes of Confidentiality, Information Security and Records Management
• Information: To Share or Not to Share Review

Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential.

We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), where the law requires information to be passed on and / or in accordance with the information sharing principle following Dame Fiona Caldicott’s information sharing review (Information to share or not to share) where “The duty to share information can be as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality.” This means that health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share information in the best interests of their patients within the framework set out by the Caldicott principles.

Our practice policy is to respect the privacy of our patients, their families and our staff and to maintain compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and all UK specific Data Protection Requirements. Our policy is to ensure all personal data related to our patients will be protected.

All employees and sub-contractors engaged by our practice are asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. The practice will, if required, sign a separate confidentiality agreement if the client deems it necessary.  If a sub-contractor acts as a data processor for [Practice Name] an appropriate contract (art 24-28) will be established for the processing of your information.

In Certain circumstances you may have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of data. Please contact the Data Protection Officer in writing if you wish to withdraw your consent.  If some circumstances we may need to store your data after your consent has been withdrawn to comply with a legislative requirement.

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we do this, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified. Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for research purposes – the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing the information for this purpose in an identifiable format.   In some circumstances you can Opt-out of the surgery sharing any of your information for research purposes.

With your consent we would also like to use your information to

We would however like to use your name, contact details and email address to inform you of services that may benefit you, with your consent only.  There may be occasions were authorised research facilities would like you to take part on innovations, research, improving services or identifying trends.

At any stage where we would like to use your data for anything other than the specified purposes and where there is no lawful requirement for us to share or process your data, we will ensure that you have the ability to consent and opt out prior to any data processing taking place.
This information is not shared with third parties or used for any marketing and you can unsubscribe at any time via phone, email or by informing the practice DPO as below.

Where do we store your information Electronically?

All the personal data we process is processed by our staff in the UK however for the purposes of IT hosting and maintenance this information may be located on servers within the European Union.

No 3rd parties have access to your personal data unless the law allows them to do so and appropriate safeguards have been put in place.  We have a Data Protection regime in place to oversee the effective and secure processing of your personal and or special category (sensitive, confidential) data.

Who are our partner organisations?

We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with the following organisations;

• NHS Trusts / Foundation Trusts
• GP’s
• NHS Commissioning Support Units
• Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
• Private Sector Providers
• Voluntary Sector Providers
• Ambulance Trusts
• Clinical Commissioning Groups
• Social Care Services
• NHS England (NHSE) and NHS Digital (NHSD)
• Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
• Local Authorities
• Education Services
• Fire and Rescue Services
• Police & Judicial Services
• Voluntary Sector Providers
• Private Sector Providers
• Other ‘data processors’ which you will be informed of

You will be informed who your data will be shared with and in some cases asked for consent for this to happen when this is required.

Computer System This practice operates a Clinical Computer System on which NHS Staff record information securely.  This information can then be shared with other clinicians so that everyone caring for you is fully informed about your medical history, including allergies and medication.

To provide around the clock safe care, unless you have asked us not to, we will make information available to trusted organisations.  Wherever possible, their staff will ask your consent before your information is viewed.

We consider patient consent as being the key factor in dealing with your health information.

Shared Care Records

To support your care and improve the sharing of relevant information to our partner organisations when they are involved in looking after you, we will share information to other systems.  The general principle is that information is passed to these systems unless you request this does not happen, but that system users should ask for your consent before viewing your record.

We may also use external companies to process personal information, such as for archiving purposes. These companies are bound by contractual agreements to ensure information is kept confidential and secure.  All employees and sub-contractors engaged by our practice are asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. If a sub-contractor acts as a data processor for Haden Vale Medical Practice an appropriate contract (art 24-28) will be established for the processing of your information.

Sharing your information without consent

We will normally ask you for your consent, but there are times when we may be required by law to share your information without your consent, for example:

• where there is a serious risk of harm or abuse to you or other people;
• where a serious crime, such as assault, is being investigated or where it could be prevented;
• notification of new births;
• where we encounter infectious diseases that may endanger the safety of others, such as Meningitis or measles (but not HIV/AIDS);
• where a formal court order has been issued;
• where there is a legal requirement, for example if you had committed a Road Traffic Offence.

How long will we store your information?

We are required under UK law to keep your information and data for the full retention periods as specified by the NHS Records management code of practice for health and social care and national archives requirements.

More information on records retention can be found online at (https://digital.nhs.uk/article/1202/Records-Management-Code-of-Practice-for-Health-and-Social-Care-2016)

How can you access, amend move the personal data that you have given to us?

Even if we already hold your personal data, you still have various rights in relation to it. To get in touch about these, please contact us. We will seek to deal with your request without undue delay, and in any event in accordance with the requirements of any applicable laws. Please note that we may keep a record of your communications to help us resolve any issues which you raise.

Right to object: If we are using your data because we deem it necessary for our legitimate interests to do so, and you do not agree, you have the right to object. We will respond to your request within 30 days (although we may be allowed to extend this period in certain cases). Generally, we will only disagree with you if certain limited conditions apply.

Right to withdraw consent: Where we have obtained your consent to process your personal data for certain activities (for example for a research project), or consent to market to you, you may withdraw your consent at any time.

Right to erasure: In certain situations (for example, where we have processed your data unlawfully), you have the right to request us to “erase” your personal data. We will respond to your request within 30 days (although we may be allowed to extend this period in certain cases) and will only disagree with you if certain limited conditions apply. If we do agree to your request, we will Delete your data but will generally assume that you would prefer us to keep a note of your name on our register of individuals who would prefer not to be contacted. That way, we will minimise the chances of you being contacted in the future where your data are collected in unconnected circumstances. If you would prefer us not to do this, you are free to say so.

Right of data portability: If you wish, you have the right to transfer your data from us to another data controller. We will help with this with a GP to GP data transfer and transfer of your hard copy notes.

Access to your personal information

Data Subject Access Requests (DSAR): You have a right under the Data Protection legislation to request access to view or to obtain copies of what information the surgery holds about you and to have it amended should it be inaccurate. To request this, you need to do the following:

• Your request should be made to the Practice – for information from the hospital you should write direct to them
• There is no charge to have a copy of the information held about you
• We are required to respond to you within one month
• You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number and details of your request) so that your identity can be verified, and your records located information we hold about you at any time.

What should you do if your personal information changes?

You should tell us so that we can update our records please contact the Practice Manager as soon as any of your details change, this is especially important for changes of address or contact details (such as your mobile phone number), the practice will from time to time ask you to confirm that the information we currently hold is accurate and up-to-date.

Objections / Complaints

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the GP, please contact the GP, Practice Manager or the Data Protection Officer as above. If you are still unhappy following a review by the GP practice, you have a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority: You have a right to complain to the UK supervisory Authority as below.

Information Commissioner:

Wycliffe house
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Tel: 01625 545745

https://ico.org.uk/

If you are happy for your data to be extracted and used for the purposes described in this privacy notice, then you do not need to do anything.  If you have any concerns about how your data is shared, then please contact the Practice Data Protection Officer.

If you would like to know more about your rights in respect of the personal data we hold about you, please contact the Data Protection Officer as below.

Data Protection Officer:

The Practice Data Protection Officer is Hayley Gidman.   Any queries regarding Data Protection issues should be addressed to him at: –

Email: [email protected]
Tel: 01782 872648

Changes:

It is important to point out that we may amend this Privacy Notice from time to time.  If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our Privacy Notice, please contact the Practice Data Protection Officer.

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.

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 Hadenvale Medical Practice 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.

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.

As a teaching practice, medical students spend part of their training with us from the University of Birmingham Medical School. The practice is also involved with medical research in partnership with the University of Birmingham.

We would value your co-operation with both of these, but we understand if you do not want to be involved.

Please sign a consent form when seeing a medical student for your consultation.

The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff or one of the doctors or nursing team is treated in an abusive or violent way.

The Practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services a mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.  The staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent, abusive, or verbally abusive will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.

In order for the practice to maintain good relations with their patients the practice would like to ask all its patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:

• Using bad language, shouting or swearing at practice staff
• Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving
• Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff
• Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated within this practice
• Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot
• Causing damage/stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff or patients
• Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently
• We ask you to treat your GPs and their staff courteously at all times.

Removal from the practice list

A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is on immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.

Removing other members of the household

In rare cases, however, because of the possible need to visit patients at home it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household. The prospect of visiting patients where a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice by virtue of their unacceptable behaviour resides, or being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it too difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is particularly likely where the patient has been removed because of violence or threatening behaviour and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.