Practice Charter

This practice will ensure that:

  1. You will be seen by a doctor for urgent conditions on the same day that you request assistance.
  2. You will be seen by a doctor for non-urgent conditions within five working days of your request.
  3. You will be seen by the doctor of your choice, unless you agree to an earlier appointment with another doctor, or unless the doctor of your choice is away on holiday or sick leave.
  4. Repeat prescriptions will be available within 48 hours of your contact.
  5. In an emergency, out of normal opening hours, if you telephone the practice you will be invited to make only one further telephone call to obtain the help you require.
  6. During normal surgery times you will wait no longer than 10 minutes on the telephone to be able to speak to a doctor or nurse.
  7. You will be advised of the system for handling any suggestions or complaints that you may have.
  8. There is adequate provision for access to the building for the elderly, disabled or young people.
  9. All aspects of your visit will be dealt with in the strictest confidence and you will have complete privacy if this is required.
  10. All practice staff will wear a badge so that their name is known to you.
  11. The practice will be notified of the results of tests within two months. If a test produces an abnormal result, of which the doctor considers you should have early notification, the practice will contact you within one week of the arrival of the test report.
  12. Details of all health promotion programmes will be widely advertised in the practice.
  13. Services for particular client groups or minorities will be explained to you if you are eligible.
  14. All team members are committed to, and fully involved in, continuing post-graduate education and training generally.
  15. All team members are committed to maintaining good quality communication with other agencies that may help you.
  16. Any information related to the Patients Charter and local standards will be advertised widely to all patients.
  17. If you change your doctor, we will ensure that your notes will be sent in the next first class post if required urgently, or, for routine transfer, notes will be sent using the existing Health Department's Courier Service.

Patient's Rights

You have the right to:

  1. Be registered with a GP.
  2. Change doctor easily and quickly.
  3. Be offered a health check on joining a doctor's list for the first time.
  4. Receive emergency care at any time through a family practitioner.
  5. Have appropriate drugs and medicines prescribed.
  6. Be referred to a consultant acceptable to you when your GP thinks it necessary, and be referred for a second opinion if you and the GP agree this is desirable.
  7. Have access to your health records, subject to any limitations in the law, and to know that those working for the NHS are under a legal duty to keep their contents confidential.
  8. Choose whether or not to take part in medical student training.
  9. If between the ages of 16 and 74 and you have not seen a doctor in the previous three years, to have the health check to which you are entitled under the existing health promotion arrangements; and to be offered a health check and, if necessary, a home visit if aged 75 or over.
  10. Be given detailed information about local family doctor services through their Health Authority's local directory.
  11. Receive a copy of your doctor's practice booklet, setting out the services they provide.
  12. Receive a full and prompt reply to any complaints you make about NHS services.

A Patient's Guide To Primary Healthcare In General Practice

We are committed to giving you the best possible service. This will be achieved by working together.

Help us to help you:

  1. You will be treated as a partner in the care and attention you receive.
  2. You will be treated as an individual and will be given courtesy and respect at all times, irrespective of your ethnic origin, religious beliefs, personal attributes or the nature of your health problems.
  3. Following discussion you will receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people. No care or treatment will be given without your informed consent.
  4. You have the right to see your health records, subject to any limitations in the law, which will be kept confidential.
  5. Information about the services we offer will be made available to you. Every effort will be made to ensure that you receive information which directly affects your health and the care being offered.
  6. People involved in your care will give you their names and ensure that you know how to contact them.
    Please let us know if you change your name and address.
  7. It is our job to give you treatment and advice. In the interest of your health it is important for you to understand all the information given to you. Please ask questions if you are unsure of anything.
  8. We need help too. Please ask for a night visit only when you feel it is truly necessary and home visits by the doctor only when patients are too ill to visit the surgery.
  9. Please do everything you can to keep appointments, tell us as soon as possible if you cannot, and be ready to tell us details of your past illnesses, medication, hospital admissions and any other relevant details.
  10. We will provide you with information about how to make suggestions or complaints about the care we offer. We want to improve services: we will therefore welcome any comments you have.

The Law And You

Patients often have legal problems that arise from or are related to medical matters. Below we mention some typical areas where legal advice is often helpful sooner rather then later.
Nowadays solicitors tend to specialise, and it is a good idea to find one who has the expertise you need. The Law Society is the governing body for solicitors, and for some types of work has panels of solicitors whom it recognises as particularly expert in their field. It is worth asking any firm you approach whether they have a panel member.

Accidents And Injuries

You may have a right to compensation and financial help, whether these were incurred on the road, at work or elsewhere. Injuries can include diseases, like dermatitis or some lung conditions. Everyone is entitled to free initial advice under the "Accident Line" scheme and many solicitors will now take these cases under a "no win, no fee" arrangement.

Wills, Probate And Retirement Problems

If you are considering retiring, or have an elderly relative, then a solicitor can often help with some of the worries and advise about state benefits too. Ask for one who is a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP).

Divorce And Family Problems

A solicitor who is a member of the Solicitors Family Law Association will give expert but sympathetic advice. They should be able to tell you about a new alternative to court battles - mediation.
Legal aid may be available for some cases, through solicitors who have a legal aid franchise: the quality of their service has been checked and approved by the Government's Legal Services Commission.

Complaints

We offer a Practice Complaints Procedure to deal with comments and complaints you may have about the services we provide. Our practice manager will give you further information. Our aim is to give you the highest possible standard of service and we will try to deal swiftly with any problems that may occur

Suggestions

If you have any suggestions or ideas relating to the running of our practice please contact the practice manager. He would be pleased to hear from you.

Patient Care Fund

This has been established to purchase and provide equipment and services for the enhancement of patient care. Contributions from patients and friends of the practice are always greatly appreciated.

Patient Support Group: D.A.S.H.

The District of Ashburton Surgery Helpline is a support group based in the surgery that is run by patients for patients. Its aims are:

  1. To provide a vehicle for good two-way communication between patients and the practice.
  2. To provide a resource for lonely or housebound patients (shopping, visits etc).
  3. To provide a transport organisation.
  4. To provide an educational resource.
  5. To provide a social resource.

The group has its own constitution and a full committee. It has a fund-raising function that is essential to support its many activities and it is always eager to hear from patients who would like to give some of their time as volunteers. The more volunteers we can call upon the more help we are able to give.
Please call D.A.S.H. on 01364 653335. Patient Forum

This meets approximately twice a year to ensure a regular dialogue between our patients and the practice. If you have ideas for change or improvement let a member of the Forum know (their names are posted in the waiting room) and if you would like to be a Forum member please contact the practice manager. New members are always welcome.PALS

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service is available to provide information and support to patients, their carers and families. If they have not got the answer they will know somebody who has! They can be contacted on a 24 hour freephone number: 0800 02 82 037.What Do We Do With The Information We Hold About You?

The purpose of this section is to tell you:

- what information we collect about you

- what we use that information for

- how we treat your information

- who we might share your information with

- how you can access your informationWhat Information Do We Hold About You?

We ask you for information about yourself, so that we can give you appropriate care and treatment. This information is kept, together with details of the care you’ve received, because it may be needed if we see you again.What Do We Use It For?

We may use this information for reasons other than assisting your health care and treatment.
For example:

• looking after the health of the general public
• helping to plan and manage the NHS, including:
- making sure our services meet patient needs in the future
- preparing statistics on NHS performance
- investigating complaints or legal claims
- holding copies of some information centrally by the Department of Health, such as the NHS Central Register, containing basic personal details of all patients registered with a general practitioner
• helping staff review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standard
• training and educating staff (but you can choose whether to be personally involved)
• assisting with health research approved by the Local Research Ethics Committee (this will normally be done on an anonymised basis)Will My Information Be Shared With Anyone?

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep your information confidential and anyone who receives that information from us is bound by the same legal duty.

If you are receiving care from other people as well as the NHS, we may need to share information to enable us all to work together for your benefit. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone’s interests. Whenever we can we shall remove details which identify you.

The sharing of some information is strictly controlled by law. So, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the safety of others is at risk, we will not disclose your information to third parties without your permission.

We will only give information to your relatives, friends and carers if you want us to. Sometimes the law requires us to report information to appropriate authorities, for example, to notify a birth or to protect the safety of members of the public.

Our aim is to ensure that any records we have about you are accurate, secure, held in confidence and only accessed on a strictly need to know basis.Can I See My Own Records?

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives you the right to see or have a copy of any personal information held in your health record. This is known as the right of ‘subject access’. It is subject to a few restrictions.

If you want to see your records, please talk to the practice manager who will assist you in doing this. Alternatively, if you want a copy of your records you should make a written request to the practice, who will then guide you through the process of gaining access to them. Please note, if you would like copies of your records, there will be a charge for administration.

If, after reading this you have any queries or want further information, please speak to your doctor or the practice manager.

Aggressive Behaviour

As a patient you have the right to expect the best possible care.
We will try to provide that care with respect and dignity and ask the same from you.
We reserve the right to ask anyone who abuses us - verbally or physically - to leave the premises.

It is an offence to:

- Cause any person to feel harassed, alarmed or distressed
- Use threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour Ashburton And Buckfastleigh Hospital

A minor injury unit is provided at this community hospital, situated about 10 minutes’ walk from the surgery and is available from 8.00am - 8.00pm daily.

This is predominantly nurse-led, but our doctors are called in for advice and treatment as necessary. Typical uses for this facility are: burns, sprains, nosebleeds, cuts, grazes, bites and stings. Please note that minor illnesses cannot be treated in this unit. These should be referred to your doctor or nurse practitioner during surgery hours.Mobile Phones

Please turn them off and do not use them whilst on the surgery premises.

Confidentiality

You can be sure that anything you discuss with any member of this practice - family doctor, nurse or receptionist - will stay confidential.

Even if you are under 16 nothing will be said to anyone - including parents, other family members, care workers or tutors - without your permission. The only reason why we might have to consider passing on confidential information without your permission, would be to protect you or someone else from serious harm.

We would always try to discuss this with you first.

If you are being treated elsewhere - for example at a hospital or Brook Centre - it is best if you allow the doctor or nurse there to inform the practice of any treatment you are receiving.

If you have any worries about confidentiality, please feel free to ask a member of staff.

Ashburton Surgery complies with:

• The Data Protection Act 1998, and
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000

If you require further information about:

• Our compliance with these acts, then please enquire at the reception desk
• Access to your medical records, then please ask your GP or speak to the practice manager

Freedom Of Information – Publication Scheme

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 routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception.





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