Confidentiality, Medical Records, and Freedom of Information

The practice complies with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the General Data Protection Regulation and the Access to Health Records Act 1990.

Information required for disclosure under Freedom of Information in respect of the Practice and the General Practioners can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

In accordance with the Access to Health Records and the GDPR acts, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice staff and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient's consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

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.

Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you, for example, from district nurses and hospital services.

• To help you get other services, for example, from the social work department (this would require your explicit consent)

• When we have a duty to others, for example, in child protection cases. Additionally, anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan specific 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.

See more detailed information about how GDPR affects you

Duty of Candour

We share a common purpose with our partners in health and social care – and that is to provide high quality care and ensure the best possible outcomes for the people who use our services. Promoting improvement is at the heart of what we do. We know that we deliver exceptional care on a daily basis but sometimes things go wrong and it’s how we deal with these incidents that is important.

What it means for you

Further information about Duty of Candour

Chaperone Policy

The St Brycedale Surgery is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

This Chaperone Policy adheres to local and national guidance and policy i.e. the ‘NCGST Guidance on the role and effective use of chaperones in Primary and Community Care settings’.

The Chaperone Policy is clearly advertised through patient information leaflets, website (when available) and can be read at the Practice upon request. A poster is also displayed in the practice waiting area and all clinical rooms.

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they consider one is required. The chaperone may be a family member or friend, but on occasions a formal chaperone may be preferred.

Patients are advised at the time of booking an appointment that they should ask for a chaperone if they require one, so that arrangements can be made and the appointment is not delayed in any way. The Healthcare Professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations.

All staff are aware of and have received appropriate information in relation to this Chaperone Policy.

All trained chaperones understand their role and responsibilities and are competent to perform that role.

There is no common definition of a chaperone and their role varies considerably depending on the needs of the patient, the healthcare professional and the examination being carried out.

Their role can be considered in any of the following areas:

• Emotional comfort and reassurance to patients.
• Assist in examination.
• Assist in undressing.
• Act as interpreter.
• Protection to the healthcare professional against allegations/attack.
  
  

Complaints Policy

We strive to provide the best service we possibly can, and we therefore welcome constructive criticism. If you have a problem we hope that you will make use of our practice complaints procedure so that we can improve.

A new complaints procedure was introduced in April 2017.  We hope most complaints can be resolved within 5 working days under Stage 1, but if not, under Stage 2 with a full investigation and a response within 20 working days.

Please ask to speak with the Practice Manager, Office Manager or a GP.

Written complaints should be addressed to the Practice Manager. 

If you are complaining on behalf or someone else, we will need their consent in writing.

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.

Further written information regarding the complaints procedure is available from reception.

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.