Practice Policies & Patient Information
Accessing someone else’s information
As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.
To requests proxy access:
- collect a proxy access form from reception from 10am to 6pm
Linked profiles in your NHS account
Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.
The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.
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.
If you wish to make a more formal complaint regarding how you have been treated by either a GP, pharmacist or another health care professional, this will need to be submitted by viewing the below website:
Contact us | Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership (gmintegratedcare.org.uk)
If you would like to review our complaints procedure, please view the document below:
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.
GDPR – What we do with your information
GP Net Earnings
NHS England require that the net earnings of GPs engaged in the practice is publicised and the required disclosure is shown below. However, it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time GPs spend working in the practice and it should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings nor to make any comparison with any other practice.
All GP practices are required to declare the 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 the surgery in the last financial year was £79,334 before tax and national insurance. This is for 1 full time GP who worked in the practice for at least 6 months.
Proxy Users
What is Proxy Access?
Some patients find it helpful for a second person to have access to their online GP record. This is often a family member, medical next of kin, a close friend or a carer whom they trust to act on their behalf. This is called proxy access.
Patients can choose to share information from their online record but this will need to be formally set up with the GP.
Types of Proxy Access
There are different levels to access which a patient can give a proxy user, these are as follows:
- Online appointment booking
- Online prescription management
- Accessing the full medical record
Patient consent to give Proxy Access
If the patient is able to consent to giving proxy access to either a family member, carer or close friend, then they will need to do so by completing a consent form for access. This form can be found at the surgery, call into reception and ask for one. Alternatively you can print the Proxy consent form and return to the surgery.
Patient unable to give consent for Proxy Access
There are a number of circumstances where proxy access may be given without the consent of the patient. In all instances, the lack of capacity must be confirmed by a clinician and a decision to enable proxy access made after careful consideration of:
- the balance of risks and benefits to the patient
- the views of the family (where it is possible to ask the family)
Where a patient is unable to give consent, proxy access may be agreed when:
- the proxy has a lasting power of attorney for health and welfare granted by the Office of the Public Guardian
- the applicant is acting as a Court Appointed Deputy on behalf of the patient
- in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 code of practice, the GP considers it in the patient’s best interests to grant access to the applicant
- the patient is a child under the age specified in the RCGP guidance and the person requesting access is a parent or other person with parental responsibility and there are no known reasons why proxy access should not be given
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who can see it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How do I know if I have one?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP
Do I have to have one?
No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website
Download the opt out form >>>>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.