Practice Policies & Patient Information
Complaints
If you need to make a complaint, please put in writing for the attention of the Administration Team.
If you would like to speak to someone in person, please ask for a member of the Administration Team.
Full Information of how to make a complaint including contact names can be found in the Ward End Medical Centre Complaints Leaflet.
You may also approach NHS England for help or advice using the attached link or address details:
www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/Pages/NHScomplaints.aspx
NHS England,
P O Box 16738,
Redditch,
B96 6PT
Telephone: 0300 311 2233
Email: england.contactus@nhs.net
Confidentiality
Patient Information and Confidentiality
We recognise that there may be times you wish to discuss sensitive matters; if you are not comfortable at the front desk we will find a private area for this discussion.
The practice uses computers in almost all aspects of its day-to-day activities. The computer is also used during consultations as it enables us to keep our records up to date and helps to maintain an efficient register of all our patients. It is an invaluable tool in preventative medicine, screening and education. Patients’ records are held on the computer in accordance with the guidelines of the Data Protection Act.
The practice complies with the Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation and holds both written and electronic medical records for patients, neither of which is disclosed to a third party without the patient’s written permission. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you
- To help you get other services – this requires your consent
When there is a duty to others– where anonymised patient information will be used at local and national level to help Public Health 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 your personal treatment and care will normally be something you will discuss with the healthcare professionals with whom you come into contact. However, there may be other issues about which you would like further information. In order to comply with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 public sector organisations such as ours have to routinely publish information whenever possible.
GP Earnings
The average pay for GPs working at Ward End Medical Centre in the last financial year was £61,246 before tax and national insurance. This is for 3 full-time contracted GPs and 3 Locum GPs.
Named Accountable GP
All patients have an allocated named GP who is responsible for patients overall care at the practice.
If you wish to know who your named GP is, or have a preference, please contact the practice who will make reasonable efforts to accommodate this request.
Practice Charter
Your rights
To be registered with a family doctor and change your doctor easily and quickly.
To receive a health check when joining the practice and at 3 yearly intervals, on request, an annual check if you are aged more than 75 years.
To receive emergency care when necessary through a clinician/Out of Hours, to have all appropriate medicines prescribed.
Be referred to a consultant acceptable by you when your GP thinks it necessary and to be referred for a second opinion if you and your GP agree this is desirable.
To have access to your medical records, subject to any limitation in law, know those working in the NHS are under a legal duty to keep the contents of your medical records confidential. Choose whether or not to take part in medical research or medical student training.
To receive a full and prompt reply to any complaint you make about the NHS Services.
Your responsibilities
To treat staff politely and with courtesy, as you would wish to be treated.
Ask about anything you do not understand, tell the surgery immediately of any change of name, address or phone number.
Understand that results of tests can only be given to the person who had the tests, or for children the parent or guardian.
Telephone the surgery for help and advice about anyone you think is too ill or too disabled to go to the surgery.
Have a pen and paper ready, as you may be given another number to ring.
Take up the offer of immunisations, cervical smears etc.
Zero Tolerance
We aim to treat our patients courteously at all times and expect our patients to treat our staff in similarly respectful way.
We take seriously any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff or patients. If patients are violent or abusive, they will be warned to stop their behaviour. If they persist, we may exercise our right to take action to have them removed, immediately if necessary.