The Accessible Information Standard aims to make sure that disabled people have access to information that they can understand and any communication support they might need.

Further information can be obtained by reading the attached leaflet below.

Accessible Information Leaflet

Should you have any requirements or know of a patient who needs support please let the Practice know and we will help provide support whether that is by providing information in large print or putting a patient in touch with British Sign Language (BSL), an interpreter, email or braille.

Further information can be obtained on the NHS website www.england.nhs.uk/accessibleinfo

Charities including Action on Hearing Loss, CHANGE, Sense and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) will also be able to provide further support.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Practice if you have any questions.

The following Documents can be downloaded if required:

Practice Leaflet Large Print

GP practices and other primary Medical services are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

This means that all GP practices have to be registered with CQC by Law. CQC checks services to make sure we meet the National standards of Quality and safety, and a central part of this involves listening to the views and experience of people who use the service and using their views to help them make judgements about the service we provide.

Norton Canes practice is registered with the CQC.

To find out more about the CQC activities, please visit the website www.cqc.org.uk

Confidentiality

All of our consultations, at the practice are confidential, even if a parent doesn’t accompany you. This means that we will not discuss the reason of your visit to the surgery with anyone else, including other members of your family unless you specifically give us permission to do so.

Each member of staff, temporary or permanent, signs a Contract of Confidentiality, proven breach of which would result in instant dismissal. Confidentiality continues even after their employment has ended.

In order to preserve your right of confidentiality we will not disclose dates and times of appointments or test results to anyone other than the patient.

As our reception is little public, if you wish to discuss something of a confidential nature please mention it to one of our receptionists who will make arrangements for you to have necessary privacy.

Information Sharing

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 to get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have duty to others e.g. child protection, safeguarding children or vulnerable adults.
• Anonymised patient information will also be used at local and National level to help with the Health Board and Government Plan services e.g. diabetic care. If you do not wish anonymous information be used this way please let us know.

Reception staff and administration require access to your Medical records in order to do their jobs. They are bound by confidentiality clause, as above same as the Medical staff.

Access to Medical records

Under the Access to Health records Act (1999) patients are allowed to view their Medical records. copies of such records can also be requested, in writing, for which we make a charge. We hold patient information on computer and comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. Your information may be stored on paper or electronically on computer files by practice staff.

We sometimes disclose some of your health information with other organisations for e.g. referral to hospital. cervical, breast, bowel screening programmes, your name, address, DOB, and NHS number will be given to them. We are sometimes involved in health research and teaching of students -junior doctors, we will not disclose your information to these people without your prior consent.

Sometimes we are required by law to pass on information e.g. the notifications of births and deaths, certain diseases or crimes to the Government is a legal requirement.

Freedom of Information

Information about General practitioners 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 assistant Practice Manager.

Privacy Notice

The General Data Protection Regulation which comes into force on 25th May 2018, is the new EU regulation to protect the personal data of all EU citizens. It will be a significant change in Data Protection for all the UK including the NHS.

Due to the Covid Pandemic, there is a greater need for public bodies to require additional collection and sharing of personal data to protect against serious threats to public health. To enable this, we have another COVID19 Privacy Notice to run alongside our our standard privacy notice above

We take protecting and processing your information very seriously.

Our informs you about what happens to any personal data you give us or we collect about you.

Also we have a leaflet on How we use your information

All GP Practices are required to declare mean earnings (i.e. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in Norton Canes Practice in the last financial year was £105,395 before tax and National Insurance.

This is for 2 full time GP’s and 1 long term locum who worked in the practice for more than 6 months

Your Doctor’s Responsibilities

• To treat you with respect and dignity at all times.
• To treat you as an individual, and to discuss with you the care and treatment we can provide.
• To give you full information on the services we offer.
• To give you the most appropriate care by suitably qualified staff.
• To provide you with emergency care when you need it.
• To refer you to a consultant acceptable to you when necessary.
• To give you access to your health records, subject to any limitations in the law.

Your Responsibilities As A Patient

• To treat all staff with respect and courtesy at all times.
• To tell us if you are unsure about the treatment we are offering you.
• To ask for a home visit, only when the patient is unable to attend the medical centre through illness or infirmity.
• To request such a visit before 11.00am.
• To ask for an out-of-hours visit only when necessary.
• To keep your appointments and contact the medical centre in advance if you cannot.
• To be punctual for appointments, and to make a separate appointment for each member of the family wishing to see the doctor.
• Not to expect a prescription from every consultation with the doctor. There may be other options for treatment.
• To take medicines according to the instructions and to only ask for a repeat prescription if you need one.
• To let us know when you change your address or telephone number.

Freedom Of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the “classes” of information the practice intends to make routinely available.

The Practice Manager is responsible for the overall running of the practice and would welcome any constructive comments and suggestions from our patients. Please present your views in writing at the reception.

Practice Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint to make, please don’t be afraid to say how you feel. we welcome feedback to help improve our standards and you will not be treated any differently because you have complained. We just do our best to put right anything that has gone wrong.

All Written complaints should be sent to the Practice Manager. However, the Practice Manager is available to speak to patients in person or over the phone regarding any feedback or concerns patients or their relatives might have

If a written complaint is submitted it will be passed immediately to the Practice Manager who will investigate the complaint with the relevant people involved in the complaint and discuss it with those cited in the letter.

If complaint is about any special clinical care the complaint will be referred to the responsible partner for response.

We will acknowledge the patients complaint in writing and will seek to investigate within 3 working days and respond fully within 20 days of receipt of complaint. If for any reason we are unable to investigate in that time frame we will notify the patient and let them know of the delay and inform them of when they can expect a complete response.

Comprehensive records will be kept for any complaint received.

We will ensure that the correspondence relating to the complaint is kept separate from patients records.

For more information regarding the NHS Complaints procedure visit www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/complaints-and-feedback

Comments and Suggestions

You can leave us a comment or suggestion in the box, kept at the reception.

Please note: Medical matters and complaints should not be discussed via the suggestion box.