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.
Accessible Information Standard
Abbey Road Surgery supports equality of access for all, including in line with commitments set out in the Equality Act 2010 [and the NHS Constitution / Care Act 2014].
We are committed to complying with the Accessible Information Standard (DCBI1605 Accessible Information), and this policy sets out how we will ensure that we do so.
The Accessible Information Standard (‘the Standard’) sets out a series of requirements for organisations that provide NHS services and / or publicly funded adult social care or health services, for commissioners of such services, and for IT suppliers. These ‘applicable organisations’ have a legal obligation to comply with the Standard, as set out in section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
As a provider of NHS services, the Standard requires Abbey Road Surgery to identify, record, flag and share and meet the information and communication needs of people with a disability, impairment or sensory loss. These ‘five steps’ must be routinely and consistently followed.
This policy describes the actions that Abbey Road Surgery Partners and Abbey Road Surgery employees and those acting on behalf of Abbey Road Surgery are expected to take in order to ensure that Abbey Road Surgery complies with the Standard. HERE
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.
Complaints leaflet can be download HERE
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.