CONFIDENTIALITY OF PATIENT INFORMATION & DATA PROTECTION ACT - see our summary leaflet

We need to hold personal information about you on our computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances. 

Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private. 

All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss. 

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc. 

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends, or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not leave messages with others. 

You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details. An appointment will be required. In some circumstances a fee may be payable.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act was passed on 30 November 2000. It gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, with full access granted in January 2005. The Act sets out exemptions to that right and places certain obligations on public authorities.

FOI replaced the Open Government Code of Practice, which has been in operation since 1994.

For information about the Freedom of Information Act model publication scheme click here

Data Protection and FOI – how do the two interact?

The Data Protection Act 1998 came into force on 1 March 2000. It provides living individuals with a right of access to personal information held about them. The right applies to all information held in computerised form and also to non-computerised information held in filing systems structured so that specific information about particular individuals can retrieved readily.

Individuals already have the right to access information about themselves (personal data), which is held on computer and in some paper files under the Data Protection Act 1998.

The right also applies to those archives that meet these criteria. However, the right is subject to exemptions, which will affect whether information is provided. Requests will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

The Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act are the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor’s Department. A few of its strategic objectives being:

• To improve people’s knowledge and understanding of their rights and responsibilities
• Seeking to encourage an increase in openness in the public sector
• Monitoring the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information
• Developing a data protection policy which properly balances personal information privacy with the need for public and private organisations to process personal information

The Data Protection Act does not give third parties rights of access to personal information for research purposes.

The FOI Act does not give individuals access to their personal information, though if a request is made, the Data Protection Act gives the individual this right. If the individual chooses to make this information public it could be used alongside non-personal information gained by the public under the terms of the FOI Act.

Complaints

Complaints Leaflet

Introduction
If you have a concern or complaint about the service you receive from the doctors or any member of staff working in the practice please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints, which meets the national standards.

How to complain
We hope that most problems can be Dealt with easily and quickly at the time they arise with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be resolved in this way and you wish to make a complaint we would like you to let us know as soon as possible because this will help us to establish what happened more easily.  
Complaints can be made orally to the practice manager or GP's or in writing addressed to the practice manager or GP's. The practice manager will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days. We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved. When we look into the complaint we will aim to:-
1.        Find out what happened and what went wrong make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned if you would like this.
2.        Make sure you receive an apology where this is appropriate Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

Complaining on behalf of someone else
Please note we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable of providing this because of ill health.

The Care Quality Commission
If you remain dissatisfied with our response to your complaint you have the right to ask the Ombudsman at the Care Quality Commission to review your case. The Care Quality Commission is an independent body established to promote improvement in healthcare through the assessment of the performance of those who provide the service. You can contact the Care Quality Commission on 0845 015 4033 or write to
The Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

www.ombudsman.org.uk

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

Harrogate - 0800 06 88 000

The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.

So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. But sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

What does PALS do?

In particular, PALS will:

• Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
• Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
• Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
• Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
• Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
• Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
• Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.

Find out more
If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve , follow this link.

ICAS 

The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service is available to assist you wiith your complaint. Contact them on 0845 120 3734


 

Access to Medical Records

Under section seven of the Data Protection Act, patients have the right to apply for access to their health records.  Provided that the fee has been paid and a written application is made by one of the individuals referred to below, the surgery is obliged to comply with a request for access subject to certain exceptions (see below).  However, the Practice also has a duty to maintain the confidentiality of patient information and to satisfy itself that the applicant is entitled to have access before releasing information.

Application Form

Requests should be in writing, using the form above with your signature. For the purposes of the Data Protection Act email requests are valid, however the practice will need to be satisfied that a valid signature exists prior to disclosure or release. Where a solicitor or other representative is making the request, ensure that you sign a patient consent form, including sufficient information to clearly identify you as the patient.

Fees

To provide copies of electronic patient health records a maximum charge of £10 can be requested to cover photocopying.  For manual records or a mixture of electronic and manual there is a maximum charge of £50 - dependent on the size of your records.

Inspection of records of any type without copies, including those held only in electronic form, will incur a £10 charge. It is normal for inspection to be supervised.

Disclosure of Personal Data

A GP may refuse to disclose all or part of the health record if he / she is of the view that:

• disclosure would be likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health of the patient or any other person;
• the records refer to another individual who can be identified from that information (apart    from a health professional).  This is unless that other individual’s consent is obtained or the records can be anonymised or it is reasonable in all the circumstances to comply with the request without that individual’s consent, taking into account any duty of confidentiality owed to the third party; or if
• the request is being made for a child’s records by someone with parental responsibility or   for an incapacitated person’s record by someone with power to manage their affairs, and the:
  • information was given by the patient in the expectation that it would not be disclosed to the person making the request, or
  • the patient has expressly indicated it should not be disclosed to that person.

Our Commitment & Your Rights

Beech House Surgery is committed to delivering the very best care to you and your family provided by doctors and nurses who live in the local area.

We have a dynamic and developing clinical team whose aim is to provide the most up to date care delivered with old fashioned values based on family and community . The doctors and nurses are supported by an administrative team including our experienced reception staff who a patient's  important first point of contact with us. We pride ourselves that the quality of the medical information that we hold about our patients is very high having invested considerable resources into creating an outstanding data team who are responsible for all aspects of the medical records that we hold.

The practice operates a learning & supportive culture within, allowing staff to develop & extend their skills in order to improve services and give patients more options for their care.

We are a dispensing practice and this means that patients who live more than one mile from a chemist may obtain all their medicines from the surgery .

Patient feedback is very important to us and any comments from our patients aregratefully received at any time. We have an open list and are happy to register new patients in person , by telephone and over the internet.

Patient Rights

You will be treated with respect and as a partner in your care. Being a partner means you have responsibilities too.

We will:

• Ensure our patients have 24-hour access to medical advice.
• Aim for you to have access to a suitably qualified medical professional within 48 hours of your initial contact during surgery hours, or in an urgent case, the same day.
• Work in partnership with you to achieve the best medical care possible.
• Involve you and listen to your opinions and views in all aspects of your medical care.
• The prevention of disease, illness and injury is a primary concern.

The medical staff will advise and inform you of the steps you can take to promote good health and a healthy lifestyle. We would respectfully ask that you: 

• Let us know if you intend to cancel an appointment or are running late.
• Treat staff with courtesy and respect. Reception staff may have to ask some personal questions to assist us in providing you with the best service
• Inform the practice staff of any alterations in your circumstances, such as change of surname, address or telephone number. Please ensure that we have your correct telephone number, even if it’s ex-directory.

Violence Statement

As patients, you are responsible for your own health and that of any dependents. It is important that you adhere to information and advice given to you by health professionals, and co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep you healthy.

The practice considers aggressive behaviour to be any personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, cursing and/or swearing, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures.

The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property.

All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.