Practice Charter

These are the local standards set within the practice for the benefit of our patients. It is our job to give you treatment and advice. Following discussion with you, you will receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people. No care or treatment will be given without your informed consent. In the interest of your health it is important for you to understand all the information given to you. You can pick up a leaflet at reception. Please ask us questions if you are unsure of anything.

Our Responsibility To You

We are committed to giving you the best possible service.

Names

People involved in your care will give you their names and ensure that you know how to contact them. The surgery should be well signposted and the doctors' or nurses' names indicated on their surgery doors.

Access

You will have access to a doctor rapidly in case of an emergency; within 24 hours in cases of urgency; and within two working days in all other circumstances. We will arrange a home visit as appropriate for those who are too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery.

Telephone

We will try to answer the phone promptly and to ensure that there are sufficient staff available to do this. You should be able to speak to the doctor by telephone.

Respect

Patients will be treated as individuals and partners in their healthcare, irrespective of their ethnic origin or religious and cultural beliefs.

Information

We will give you full information about the services we offer. Every effort will be made to ensure that you receive that information which directly affects your health and the care being offered.

Health Promotion

The practice will offer patients advice and information on:
Steps they can take to promote good health and avoid illness.
Self-help which can be undertaken without reference to a doctor in the case of minor ailments.

Health Records

You have the right to see your health records, subject to limitations in the law. These will be kept confidential at all times. Please speak to the practice manager. A fee may be payable.

Test Results

We may give you the results when you telephone the surgery (after 1.00pm please) or you may be asked to make an appointment with the doctor.

Appointments

You will be given a time to see a doctor in accordance with the system used in this practice. If there is a substantial delay for any reason you will be given an explanation. We will endeavour to offer you an appointment with your preferred GP but this will not always be possible and in such a circumstance an explanation will be offered.

Referrals - Choose & Book

In the event of a referral, we offer a choice to all patients - the GPs will discuss this with you at the time of referral and advise you of the procedure. Routine referral letters for hospital appointments will normally be dispatched within three working days of the referral being agreed by the doctor. Urgent referrals for hospital appointments will be faxed, telephoned or provided as a handwritten note for the patient to take to hospital.

Patient Responsibilities

1. Healthcare staff have demanding jobs to do, often under stressful circumstances. We ask that patients treat the doctors and staff with courtesy and respect and not discriminate against any practice member on the grounds of sex, colour or creed.

2. We operate a policy of zero tolerance to violence or threats of violence. Racial, sexual or verbal abuse is also completely unacceptable behaviour. Patients should not attend the surgery under the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol as this too is unacceptable. If you are rude or aggressive to our staff you will be told of this and the incident will be recorded in your notes. If it happens a second time you will be removed from our list and will have to find another GP.

3. Patients are responsible for their own health and the health of their children and should co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep healthy. We give professional help and advice. Please act on it.

4. The first two hours of the morning can be extremely busy. Please keep telephone calls brief. If possible leave routine calls until later in the day.

5. Test results - please ring after 1.00pm for results and allow up to seven working days; X-rays may take longer. Enquiries about tests ordered by the hospital should be directed to the hospital.

6. Please let us know if you change your name, address or telephone number.

7. Patients should attend their appointments at the arranged time. If this is not possible, they should inform the surgery as soon as possible.

8. We expect that patients will understand that appointments are for one person only.

9. Please try to keep the length of the appointment to the allotted time. If you need to, make a longer appointment or arrange a further appointment.

10. Try to take any medicine which is prescribed and finish the course of treatment. Do not take any medicines which are out of date. Do not take more than the doses stated. Return old medicines to your pharmacist for disposal.

11. Out-of-hours services are for urgent cases only. For advice or non-urgent matters please contact NHS 111.

12. Home visits should only be requested for patients who are seriously ill or housebound. It is important to bear in mind that most medical problems are dealt with more effectively in the clinical setting of a well-equipped surgery or hospital than at the patient's own home.

13. Patients should realise that home visits are made at the doctor's discretion.

14. Many problems can be solved by advice alone, therefore patients should not always expect a prescription.

15. Please read our practice booklet. It will help you get the best out of the services we offer. It is important that you understand the information given to you. Please ask questions if you are unsure of anything.