Medical Records Access And Confidentiality

You have a legal right to see your medical records (with certain exemptions), to have a copy and to have inaccuracies of fact corrected. We may charge a fee for this process. Your medical records are confidential and without your express consent, unless we are required by law to do so, we will not divulge any details of your medical records to any person beyond the health professionals involved in your immediate medical care. This includes members of our administrative staff who are bound by confidentiality. In addition certain details of your records are disclosed to NHS North Lincolnshire for the purpose of NHS administration. The practice complies with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Access To Medical Records Act. You can choose not to share your computer records with other medical units. Please ask the receptionist for details or speak to the practice manager or her deputy.

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. A copy can be found on the NHS North Lincolnshire website www.northlincolnshire.nhs.uk

Zero Tolerance

The practice values the contribution of its staff and wishes to safeguard persons present on the practice premises or in a place where treatment is provided. Accordingly the practice operates a zero tolerance policy to any violence or abusive behaviour or language. Any such behaviour will result in the removal of the perpetrator from the practice list.

What We Would Like The Patient To Do To Help Us

The essence of establishing a good patient/practice relationship is based upon each party recognising their obligations to each other.

The practice, for its part, undertakes to provide its patients with healthcare services that are delivered in a professional, patient friendly manner.

Patients, for their part, can assist the practice greatly by:

• Arriving on time for their appointments (late arrivals may have to wait until the end of surgery or re-arrange the appointment).

• Affording the practice as much notice as possible if an appointment cannot be kept.

• Having consideration that some consultations do overrun - the GPs cannot predict in advance that some consultations will require slightly longer than normal.

• Not expecting the doctor to deal with more than one consultation per appointment. If a parent wants to see the doctor and wishes for her child/children to be seen at the same time then the appropriate number of appointments should be booked.

• Ordering repeat prescriptions in good time, ie at least two days before the medication runs out.

• Remaining polite and courteous and understanding of the busy nature of the practice.

• Not expecting unnecessary home visits. Please remember, in most instances, your healthcare is best served by attendance at the practice wherever possible.

• Endeavouring to access the practice appropriately - for example: avoid ringing or visiting the practice, for non-urgent needs, at peak times such as a Monday morning.

As car parking space is limited it would be appreciated if patients could park responsibly, allowing access for ambulances and for doctors to leave quickly to attend emergencies. Vehicles are parked at your own risk. Please only use the disabled parking bays if you have a blue badge. Please do not park in the entrance near the gates!