AccuRx Chain – Patient text service

Extended Hours

General Practice Data Collection

Complaints Procedure

Our complaints policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality of service and care to all our patients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve how we deliver our services.

We hope that you will never have cause to complain, but if the unfortunate circumstance arises, we have a complaints procedure in place. This is aimed at quickly resolving the problem.

What will happen next?

Any complaint you wish to make can be accepted either verbally or in writing. Please address to the Complaints Manager, Linda Jones.
If your complaint is verbal we will endeavour to contact you by telephone, by the end of the next working day.
If your complaint is written, we will acknowledge within three working days. (see below for a complaints form).
Any complaint you make will be investigated and you will receive an update from the practice as to the outcomes of the investigations, and where appropriate, the steps taken to ensure the situation does not happen again.
If considered appropriate by all parties, you will be invited to attend the surgery to discuss the matter and where appropriate, with one or more of our Doctors. Following which you will receive a written statement from the practice as to the discussion and the outcome.
Where other parties are involved, you will be kept informed as to the steps being taken to obtain their statements.
The practice will strive to deal with complaints in a methodical and efficient manner in order to facilitate a speedy and equitable conclusion.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that if you are not the patient but are complaining on their behalf you MUST have their permission. An authority signed by the patient concerned will be required unless they are incapable (illness or infirmity). A third party consent form is available on request.

It is sincerely hoped that any complaint you have about the practice can be dealt with by those responsible for ensuring patient care and delivery of services within the practice.

If you feel this to be inappropriate or you are not satisfied with the results of the complaints procedure, you have the right to contact:

NHS ENGLAND

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

Tel No: 0300 311 22 33

england.contactus@nhs.net

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Millbank Tower

Millbank

London

SW1P 4QP

Tel No: 0345 0154 033

www.ombudsman.org.uk

A complaint can be made up to twelve months from the initial incident taking place. However, we hope the complaint can be brought to our attention as soon as possible.

Training

Sickness Certificates

Travel Vaccinations

Visitors to our website are granted permission to access published materials (content) subject to these terms. By using the website, you agree to be bound by the terms of use.

Whilst content may be accessed, downloaded and used for personal and non-commercial purposes (e.g. private research, study or in-house use); visitors must not reproduce or re-publish any material from this website without permission from the website / copyright owner.

Personal Information

When you voluntarily submit identifiable data on this website (this includes submission of feedback form, questionnaires etc.), the information submitted is used solely to respond to your queries and for its intended purpose. We do not share web user information with third parties.

Virus Protection

We make every effort to check and test material for viruses. However, it is recommended that you run an anti-virus program on all materials downloaded from the internet. We cannot accept responsibility for any loss, disruption or damage to your data or computer system which may occur whilst using material derived from this website.

Disclaimer

Care is taken to ensure that the website content is accurate. Nevertheless, content is provided for general information only, and you use it at your own risk. We will not be held liable for damage or loss ensuing from any act or omission resulting from the use of information on this website.

External Websites

The surgery is not responsible for the content or reliability of any linked websites. We accept no liability in respect of the content or for the consequences of following any advice included on such sites.

Listing should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind.

We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and have no control over the availability of the linked pages or change of website address.

The surgery reserves the right to reject or remove links to any website.

Future Amendments

Subsequent changes to these terms will be made available on this website.

Privacy Notice

Why we hold information about you

To be able to provide you with high quality health care. This information provides a basis for the health decisions we make about you.
To provide you with Health protection advice and information, for example this may include messages about the Flu vaccination programme, or health checks.
As a practice we do engage in research. The aim is to make advances in medicine to improve health care in the future. You may be invited to enrol within a research programme. We may use your personal details to contact you about this.

This information can be in paper or online form.

We access and process the data under the lawful basis of ‘legitimate interest’- of providing health care and public health.

In the cases of research we will use your information under the lawful basis of consent.

What information will we hold?

Basic details including Name, Date of birth, Address and if provided details of Next of kin, family to contact with your consent
Clinical consultations, these will include, telephone consultations and face to face
Correspondences about your health/clinic appointments from the hospital and other health care professionals
Details of investigations and results for example, bloods and x-rays
Family history if relevant.
Other data for outside agencies for example, Gun licensing.

Confidential information

All information we keep about you is kept safe.
Information is shared only with those who are involved in your health care or if we have gained your consent to share elsewhere. You may be contacted directly by the practice to participate in research.
Information cannot be shared with your family members unless explicit consent has been given. There are a few exceptions to this for example if the patient does not have capacity or in cases where consent cannot be gained, (in this situation vital interest would be considered).

Sharing Information

We will share the information with people providing you care or involved in research (unless you ask us). Anyone accessing and using your data must keep this confidential.

Any information shared without permission will adhere to the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Yours Rights

You have a right to Confidentiality
Right to access yours records; this needs to be in writing and will require photo identification.
The right to rectification
The right to erasure. However if this erasure is seen as harmful to the process of providing health care or fraudulent in erasing information important to insurance companies etc. it can be refused.
The right to restrict processing
The right to object
Right to data portability

Freedom Of Information Policy

FREEDOM of INFORMATION POLICY

Introduction

The following policy sets out a possible approach to the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act by a practice.

Policy

The Practice will comply with the FoI Act and sees it as an opportunity to enhance public trust and confidence in the Practice
The Practice will maintain a comprehensive 'Publication Scheme' that provides information which is readily accessible without the need for a formal FoI Act request.
The Practice will seek to satisfy all FoI Act requests promptly and within 20 working days. However, if necessary we will extend this timescale to give full consideration to a Public Interest test. If we do not expect to meet the deadline, we will inform the requester as soon as possible of the reasons for the delay and when we expect to have made a decision
The Practice will continue to protect the personal data entrusted to us, by disclosing it only in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998
The Practice will provide advice and assistance to requesters to facilitate their use of FoI Act. We will publish our procedures and assist requesters to clarify their requests so that they can obtain the information that they require.
The Practice will work with the current CCG or other bodies with whom we work to ensure that we can meet our FoI Act obligations, including the disclosure of any information that they hold on our behalf.
The Practice will apply the exemptions provided in the FoI Act and, where qualified exemptions exist, the Practice will disclose the information unless the balance of public interest lies in withholding it.
The Practice will consult with third parties before disclosing information that could affect their rights and interests. However, according to the FoI Act, the Practice must take the final decision on disclosure
The Practice will charge for information requests in line with the FoI Act Fees Regulations or other applicable regulations, including the Data Protection Act 1998
The Practice will record all FoI Act requests and our responses and will monitor our performance in handling requests and complaints
The Practice will ensure that all staff are aware of their obligations under FoI Act and will include FoI Act education in the induction of all new staff

Zero Tolerance Policy

AccuRx Patient Triage

Summary Care Record (SCR)

Clinics

Patient Participation Group (PPG)

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.

Information given to Insurance Companies, Solicitors etc. is with your written consent only.

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

This practice follows the NHS complaints procedure when dealing with complaints. A copy of our practice complaints procedure is available at reception. You may also comment on the service direct to the practice manager, who will follow up any concerns appropriately.

Suggestions

We aim to provide a comprehensive range of services. The staff would, however, be pleased to receive any suggestions about how we might improve our service.

Violence Policy

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it. ELPCT is then responsible for providing further medical care for such patients.

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

You have a right to expect a high standard of medical care from our practice and we will try at all times to provide the very best care possible within the resources available.

In order to assist us in this we require that you do not abuse the service. For example, it is your responsibility to ensure that you do keep medical appointments and follow the medical advice given.

Very occasionally a practice/patient relationship breaks down completely. In this situation the patient may choose to register with a different practice. The practice also has the right to remove that patient from their list. This would generally follow a warning that had failed to remedy the situation and we would normally give the patient a specific reason for the removal.

Zero Tolerance Policy

As a practice we must continue to follow the strict infection, prevention and control measures to limit the risk of the virus to you as patients and to our staff. This means that where possible our staff and clinicians will remotely triage and assess your needs before determining if a face-to-face appointment is required. If your needs can be met safely via the telephone or video consultation then this will take place. If a clinician feels you require a face-to-face appointment then this will be arranged. We have been operating in this way since the start of the pandemic in order to continuing providing all patients with access to our services.

The current pandemic situation is challenging for everyone in different ways and we appreciate that the situation we all find ourselves in can be frustrating sometimes. Unfortunately a number of our staff have recently experienced foul and abusive language or behaviour from a minority of patients. This is not acceptable and we will not tolerate this sort of behaviour towards our staff – all of whom continue to work tirelessly during this pandemic. In line with our zero tolerance policy, if you are found to be abusive towards members of staff then appropriate action will be taken. You can read the full policy below.

ZERO TOLERANCE PRACTICE POLICY

INTRODUCTION

The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff 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.

Our Practice 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 or 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 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.

The Legal Position

As a responsible employer, the Practice has a duty as a provider of NHS healthcare to protect the health, safety and welfare of staff under the Health & Safety at Work Act. This includes a risk assessment of violence towards staff and taking steps to mitigate this under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Staff members who are victims of violent conduct or assault have the right to sue their employers for compensation if the risk of violence could have been reduced or removed completely, but the employers did not act upon this information.

Examples of security issues:

Security of grounds and car parking
Security of premises – incl. storage, “out of hours”
CCTV
Cash and staff – storing, handling and transferring
Security Systems
Security of equipment – medical devices, computers
Communication of national security alerts
Information records
Contingency planning.
Security of employees
Staff working on their own
(Staff can be lone workers when making domiciliary visits or within a hospital department e.g. out of hours)

This list is not exhaustive.

For example a lone working risk assessment must provide the lone worker full knowledge of the hazards and risks to which he or she is being exposed and what they must need to do will something go wrong. Other responsible persons must know the whereabouts of lone workers and what they are doing;

Violence at Work

The practice acknowledges that there may be instances where violence and / or aggression forms part of a patient’s illness. In these circumstances, the issue will be discussed with the patient and form part of their care planning.

This information will be recorded in the patient’s medical record and flagged to ensure that members of staff are aware. In addition, where deemed necessary, appropriate support will be put in place, e.g. staff members do not see the patient alone.

Definition of Physical and Verbal Abuse and Violence:

Physical and verbal abuse includes:

Unreasonable and / or offensive remarks or behaviour / rude gestures / innuendoes
Sexual and racial harassment
Threatening behaviour (with or without a weapon)
Actual physical assault (whether or not it results in actual injury) includes being pushed or shoved as well as being hit, punched or attacked with a weapon, or being intentionally struck with bodily fluids or excrement.
Attacks on partners, members of staff or the public
Discrimination of any kind
Damage to an employee’s or employer’s property

The Practice supports the Zero Tolerance stance adopted by the NHS.

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) defines work-related violence as:

“Any incident, in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work”.

Violence and aggression towards a person may also be defined as:

“A physical contact with another person which may or may not result in pain or injury. The contact is uninvited and is an attempt to cause harm, injury or to intimidate. Non-physical aggression includes the use of language which causes offence or threatens the safety of a member of staff”.

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the practice will also undertake the following measures to ensure a safe work environment:

Carry our risk assessments to assess and review the duties of employees, identifying any “at risk” situations and taking appropriate steps to reduce or remove the risk to employees, particularly if they are working alone.
Assess and review the layout of the premises to reduce the risk to employees where physically possible.
Assess and review the provision of personal safety equipment, such as alarms.
Develop surgery policies, procedures and guidelines for dealing with physical and verbal abuse.
Provide support and counselling for victims, or refer to suitably qualified health professionals.
Make employees aware of risks and ensure employee involvement in suitable training courses.
Record any incidents on a Significant Event form and take any remedial action to ensure similar incidents are prevented in future.

REMOVAL FROM THE PRACTICE LIST

The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. We value and respect good patient-doctor relationships based on mutual respect and trust. When trust has irretrievably broken down, the practice will consider all factors before removing a patient from their list, and communicate to them that it is in the patient’s best interest that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is in the case of immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.

Removing other members of the household

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 to ensure the safety of practice staff.

The prospect of visiting patients that is the residence of a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice, or the risk of being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is more likely where the removed patient has been violent or displayed threatening behaviour, and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.

Medical Records

Confidentiality – patient data

Introduction - This document sets out the arrangements in the practice for the confidentiality of patient data.

The Practice’s Responsibilities

The practice will ensure that employees fully understand all their responsibilities with regard to confidential data, by ensuring employees undertake Information Governance training and sign a written statement of the responsibilities they are undertaking towards the security of all data within the surgery. Competency will be assessed as an ongoing process and as part of the appraisal process.

The practice will continue to complete and submit the IG Toolkit self-assessment on an annual basis.

The practice will also ensure that arrangements are in place for the confidential disposal of any paper waste generated at work.

The practice strictly applies the rules of confidentiality and will not release patient information to a third party (other than those involved in the direct care of a patient) without proper valid and informed consent, unless this is within the statutory exempted categories such as in the public interest, or if required by law, in which case the release of the information and the reasons for it will be individually and specifically documented and authorised by the responsible clinician.

Leaflet Wording (Patient Information Leaflet or Poster)

All patient information is considered to be confidential, and we comply fully with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldicott principles. All employees in the practice have access to this information in relation to their role, have confidentiality clauses in their contracts of employment and have signed a confidentiality agreement. All staff members adhere to the Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice 2003.

Where appropriate, patient information may be shared with other parties within the care team. However, they must be involved in the direct care of patients, based on implied consent. This will be on a “need to know” basis only and in order to ensure the safe, effective care of patients. Where a patient wishes information not to be shared within the team providing direct care, then they must discuss this with their GP.

Patient information will not be shared outside of the direct care team without consent being sought. An individual has the right to refuse to have their information disclosed, although this may have an impact on their care, and their wishes will be complied with.

It is imperative that when it is right to release details to 3^rd parties that the information only includes what has been asked for and not necessarily the full record.

There are currently two national data extractions from which patients may wish to “opt out”:

Summary Care Record

The SCR enables healthcare staff providing care for patients in an emergency and from anywhere in England to be made aware of any current medications or allergies the patient may suffer from. This information from every patient record is sent electronically up to the Spine in order for this to happen. If patients wish their information to be withheld from the SCR, they can “opt out”.

data programme

In order to improve health services, NHS England has commissioned a modern data service from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) known as the “care.data programme” The aim of the service is to create a complete picture of care provided to patients by social care, GP practices and hospitals, and it will make use of patient information extracted from GP medical records.

Once this information has been linked to the data taken from hospitals, a new record will be created. This new record will not contain information that identifies you. The type of information that is then shared, and how it is shared, is controlled by law and strict confidentiality rules.

If you wish to “opt out” and prevent an extraction of information from your record being taken please ask for further information at reception.

At present, the proposed national roll-out of the care data program has been postponed and, rather than an immediate national roll-out, the HSCIC will be working with a number of “Pathfinder GP practices” that will test, evaluate and refine all aspects of the data collection process before it is applied nationally.

CCTV

CCTV is installed internally in public areas and externally for security. Recordings are used entirely at the discretion of the Centre Manager (NHS PS), including provision of images to the police or other official bodies, and will otherwise comply with the Practice’s Data Protection registration and the principles of patient confidentiality. Image data is held securely within the building. The NHS PS adheres to “Surveillance Camera Code of Practice, The Home Office, June 2013” and the Information Commissioner’s “CCTV Code of Practice, 2008”.

Please note that it is the Practice’s policy to record all telephone calls for the purposes of patient and staff care, security, and dispute resolution. Recordings and their use will be at the Partners’ discretion and will also comply with the Practice’s Data Protection registration.

Protection against Viruses

Data is vulnerable to loss or corruption caused by viruses. Viruses may be introduced from floppy discs, CDROM/DVDROM, other storage media and by direct links via e-mail and web browsing.

Precautions to be taken

Virus protection software is installed on ALL computer equipment.
The supplier of our clinical software manages the anti virus software version control and regular updates.
New programmes should not be downloaded without the permission of the IT or practice manager. This reduces the risk of malware being downloaded and affecting the computer.

Violence & Agression Policy

Complaints Procedure – Information for the patient