Practice Policies & Patient Information
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.
Patient Subject Access to Medical Records (SAR) Policy (Updated June 2019)
Application for Access to Medical Records Form
Explanation Letter to Patients regarding Accessing their Medical Record
Accessible Information Standards
All organisations that provide NHS or adult social care must following the Accessible Information Standards (AIS) in full from 31st July 2016.
The AIS aims to make sure that disabled people have access to information that they can understand and any communication support they might need.
The standards tells organisations how to make information accessible to the following people:
- Patients
- Service users
- Their carers and parents
This includes making sure that people get information in different formats if they need it, such as:
- Large print
- Braille
- Easy read
- Via email
The AIS also tells organisations how to support people’s communication needs. As part of the AIS organisations must:
- Ask people if they have information or communication needs and find out how to meet their needs
- Record those needs in a set way
- Highlight a person’s file so it is clear that they have information or communication needs, and clearly explain how those needs should be met
- Share information about a person’s needs with other NHS and adult social care providers, when they have permission or consent to do so
- Make sure that people get information in an accessible way and communication support if they need it
We will always do our best to try and provide this information as soon as possible but in some cases this may not be an instant service and further enquiries may need to be made.
Additional information can be found by following the links below:
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 formal complaint please contact the Practice Manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information regarding the complaints procedure is available below, or from reception.
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. The Practice’s Privacy Notices are given below. However, the only website this Privacy notice applies to is the Surgery’s website. If you use a link to any other website from the Surgery’s website then you will need to read their respective privacy notice. We take no responsibility (legal or otherwise) for the content of other website.
GDPR Children Privacy Notice v2.3
Children’s Privacy Information Leaflet
Confidentiality Code of Practice
Confidentiality Policy for Patients Under the Age of 18
Confidentiality Disclosure & Sharing of Patient Information Policy
Health Sharing
Please be aware that our staff cannot and will not release information regarding a relative or friend’s care and/or medication unless written permission has been given by the patient via a data sharing agreement. Patients can, if they so wish, indicate the type of information they are happy to be released and to whom on the form which is then transferred to their medical record. Please ask for a form from our Reception Team or download this below and return it to the Practice at your earliest convenience.
Equality & Diversity Policy
Weobley & Staunton on Wye Surgeries is committed to equality and valuing diversity within its workforce, as well as ensuring it meets its obligations to all sectors of the community in the health and social care services it commissions. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments, reinforced by our values, are embedded in our day-to-day working Practices with all our stakeholders, colleagues and partners.
We will provide equality of opportunity and we will not tolerate discrimination on grounds of gender, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, age, disability, HIV positivity, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs – or any other grounds.
All our staff undergo Equality & Diversity training annually and our Equality & Diversity policies are reviewed annually or as and when legislation/regulation changes are made.
Equal Opportunities Anti-Discrimination (Service Provision) Policy
Freedom of Information
Information about the 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 Practice Manager.
GP Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (eg average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs who worked for six months or more in Weobley and Staunton Surgeries in the last financial year was £80,620 before Tax and National insurance. This is for 3 full time GP’s and 3 part-time GP’s.
NHS Constitution
The NHS is founded on a common set of principles and values that bind together the communities and people it serves – patients and public – and the staff who work for it. This Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively. All NHS bodies and private and third sector providers supplying NHS services are required by law to take account of this Constitution in their decisions and actions. The Constitution will be renewed every 10 years, with the involvement of the public, patients and staff.
Patient Rights and Responsibilities
Patients have the right:
- To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament
- To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds
- To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary
- In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS
- Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness) or age
- To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible
- To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality
- To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights
- To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given
- To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing
- To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure
- To access their own health records
- To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons
- To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice
- To make choices about their NHS care and to provide information to support these choices
- To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this
- To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services
- To have any complaint you make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman
- To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body
- To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment
Patient Responsibilities
- To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it
- To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution
- To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status
- To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time
- To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their clinician if they find this difficult
- To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination
- To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation
- To give feedback, both positive and negative, about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had
Shared Care Record
New Shared Care Record delivering better, safer care for all our patients
We wanted to let you know that we are finally connecting our systems to offer joined-up health and care records, which will enable better, safer care and treatment for all our patients.
As a GP, it is difficult to provide joined-up care with so many separate systems for handling patient information. These were not connected, meaning that you often had to repeat your story each time you received care at a different organisation, or with a different health professional. The Shared Care Record means up-to-date records will be immediately available to professionals caring for you as a patient, when you need direct care.
It will mean, for instance, a doctor in a hospital, or a paramedic who attends a 999 call will be able to confidentially access the same crucial information that we can at the Practice, such as details of any allergies and current medications, bringing potentially life-saving benefits.
Robust security measures are in place to protect your health information and all staff must follow the law on keeping your information confidential.
The Shared Care Record is not the same as the General Practice Data for Planning and Research Directions (GPDPR), which is a national NHS Digital initiative to use GP practice data for research and planning purposes.
The Shared Care Record is a local initiative to share information with organisations directly involved in your care to ensure that you receive prompt and appropriate treatment when you need it.
For more information, please visit: https://herefordshireandworcestershireccg.nhs.uk/health-services/shared-care-record
Shared Care Record – Privacy Notice Oct 22 – Updated 6/10/2022
Social Media Patient Policy
There are many social media platforms that are widely used by both staff and patients; these include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. At Weobley & Staunton on Wye Surgeries we have a Facebook page which provides a range of useful information for our patient population.
The Practice has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us achieve this by adhering to the Code of Conduct outlined in the policy below.
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). The Summary Care Record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially, it will contain just your medications and allergies.
Later on as the central NHS computer system develops, (known as the ‘Summary Care Record’ – SCR), other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.
Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.
As with all new systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.
On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Record have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.
For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.
If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery.
Download the opt out form and view further information here.
Surgery Equipment Policy
From time to time it will be necessary for patients to loan equipment from the Surgery as advised by their doctor.
Upon receipt of a request for an item of equipment to be loaned, the Receptionist will:
- Confirm the item is available and indicate that it is to be loaned on a short term basis only (ie. one week or less)
- The terms of the loan will be explained to the patient
- An equipment loan form will be completed by the Receptionist giving the related serial number of the equipment, a deposit of £5.00 collected and a receipt issued
- The patient will be required to sign the appropriate loan form as evidence that the equipment has been taken from the Surgery
On returning the equipment, the Receptionist will:
- The equipment will be checked for any damage which was not noted when it was issued and verify that it is complete
- The receptionist will complete the return details on the Loan Agreement Form
- If the equipment is returned in the same condition and within the agreed loan period, then the full deposit amount will be returned to the patient
Text Messaging Policy
Please view our text messaging policy 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.
Unacceptable Behaviour, Violence & Aggression Policy (Updated November 2019)