Patient and Practice Charter

 

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The doctors, nursing and administrative staff at this surgery share a commitment to provide you with the best medical care and as high a standard of service we can.  In particular:

  • Patients have a right to be greeted courteously.
  • Patients have a right to absolute confidentiality.
  • Doctors and nurses will begin surgery at the appropriate time; any delay will be due to    medical necessity – where there is a delay in excess of 20 minutes, patients have the right to be informed and to make an alternative appointment.
  • Patients have the right to information about their own health, particularly: the illness and its treatment, the alternative forms of treatment, the likely outcome of the illness.
  • Access to health records, subject only to legal requirement.
  • The practice will offer advice and seek to inform patients of
  • steps they can take to promote good health and to avoid illness, e.g. smoking,      
    • exercise, immunisation etc.
    • advice on self-help which can be undertaken without reference to a nurse, health visitor or doctor in the case of minor ailments.
    • The practice will inform patients of services available by means of its booklet, notice boards and leaflets. Patients with urgent medical conditions will be given priority and will be seen as soon as possible, even when this may cause a delay to booked appointments.
  •  Patients may choose whether or not to take part in research or training.
  • All new patients will be offered an appointment with the practice nurse, health care assistant or doctor.
  • All patients between the age of sixteen and seventy five who have not attended the surgery within three years are welcome to attend for a general consultation and will be offered appropriate health checks.
  • Patients aged seventy five and over who have not attended within twelve months are welcome to attend for a general consultation and will be offered appropriate health checks.  (If deemed appropriate, because of the patient’s medical condition, this general consultation may take place in the patient’s home.)
  • Patients shall be referred to a consultant acceptable to them when their GP thinks it is necessary.
  • Any suggestions to improve service will be considered by the appropriate team member and a response given.
  • Patients shall have easy access to the practice complaints procedure.
  • Patients shall be able to consult a named doctor within five working days except when that doctor is on study or holiday leave.
  • Acute prescriptions will be processed with minimum delay.
  • Repeat prescriptions will be available for collection after 2 working days.
 

With these rights come responsibilities, and for patient this means:

  • Treat us with the same courtesy and respect that you expect to receive.  We will not tolerate rudeness or abuse of any kind.
  • To attend appointment on time or to give the practice adequate notice that they wish to cancel – lateness or non-attendance inconvenience other patients and wastes appointment time.
  • An appointment is for one person only – when another member of the family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be booked.
  • Patients should make every effort to attend the surgery to make the best use of nursing and medical time, and to ask for a home visit only if you really are too ill to attend surgery.
  • Repeat prescriptions should be ordered in plenty of time.
  • Out of Hours calls, e.g. evening, night and weekends, should only be requested if the matter is of genuine urgency.
  • Patients should inform the practice if they change their address or telephone number and remember to include a post code. Please remember – telephone lines and the surgery may be busy when you call or attend, please be patient.