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.

Freedom of Information

Information about the General Practioners 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.

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. 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.

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.

Zero Tolerance Policy

We will treat our patients with courtesy and respect and ask the same in return. We ask that you treat your GP and all other Practice Staff courteously– without violence, abuse or harassment.GPs and their staff have the right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. Any behaviour verbal or physical which causes staff to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or threatened, is totally unacceptable.

The Zero Tolerance policy includes aggression or threats made in person, over the telephone or in written communication. The Practice considers threatening behaviour to be:

• Attempted or actual, aggressive threatening physical actions made towards any member of staff.

• The use of aggressive, threatening or abusive language, (including raising of the voice, swearing and cursing, shouting) which threatens or intimidates staff.

This policy applies throughout both premises, including any car park and grounds. It also applies to any employee or partner away from the practice but only in so far as it relates to the business of the practice.

Instances of abusive/threatening verbal or physical behaviour will be reported to the GPs /Practice Manager and recorded into an incident log book and a warning letter will be sent. When the Incident Log Book shows a second recorded offence, the patient will be sent a Final Letter informing them of their breach of the Zero Tolerance Policy and they may be removed from the Practice list.