Practice Charter

Patient Information

All patient notes are treated with the strictest confidentiality and we comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. For audit purposes representatives of the Primary Care Trust may look at patient records. The auditors may not be medically qualified but are no less bound by their contract to respect confidentiality. If you wish to withhold your consent please write to the Managing Partner.

By law patients are entitled to have access to their medical records. Should you wish to do so please book an appointment with a Doctor specifying your request (there will be a fee payable prior to your appointment).

Comments & Complaints

We welcome comments and suggestions on how we can improve the efficiency of the Practice. We also welcome compliments from patients on what we have done well.

Although we will always try to do our best, there may be a time when you feel that our service is not up to our usual standard and therefore may wish to make a complaint. We follow the NHS National Complaints Policy and have a procedure whereby we thoroughly investigate all complaints. If you want to complain you can complete a form from Reception or write direct to the Managing Partner.

Patient Responsibillity

If we are to afford you, the patient, courtesy and respect, we ask in return for the same degree of courtesy and respect for all our staff.

We follow the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy on behaviour. It means that action will be taken against any patient who is violent or abusive to any member of staff, either by the termination of a telephone call or being asked to leave the premises. In extreme cases the Police can be called.

We ask that patients who book an appointment please attend. If for any reason you are unable to keep your appointment then we would appreciate prior notification so that we can offer that vacant space to another patient. We do monitor the appointments and will advise patients if they fail to attend without notification.

Freedom Of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the Practice to make certain information available. Should you wish to obtain information under the Act please write to the Managing Partner with your request. If the information can be released a fee may be charged.