PROTECTION AND USE OF INFORMATION

We will respect our patients’ privacy and confidentiality at all times. All our staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the doctors and nurses.

We ask you for information so that you can receive proper care and treatment. We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again. You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS. So that we can all work together for your benefit, we may need to share some information about you.

We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone’s interests. Whenever we can, we shall remove details that identify you. Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.

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DATA PROTECTION ACT

The Moat House maintains patient confidentiality in accordance with legislation. Data may be extracted via the DoH for auditing purposes. Should you object, please inform the Managing Partner. 

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt by 1st January 2009. If you wish to make a request there are more details under Further Information to the right of this page.

Model Publication Scheme - further information

Comments & Suggestions

The Managing Partner handles all comments or complaints about our services.

We record all complaints. We write to say we have received a written complaint within two working days of receiving it. We respond to all complaints within ten working days.

Where a complaint is about a doctor, you have the right to choose to discuss this with another doctor in the practice if you wish.

Use of the practice complaints procedure does not take away your right to make a complaint to other NHS bodies. However, we find that the sooner we are made aware of your problem, the sooner we can solve it and make sure that it does not happen again. This is your practice and we want to work with you to make it the best. A leaflet containing full information on our complaints procedure is available in reception.

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

1. Getting it right
2. Being customer focused
3. Being open and accountable
4. Acting fairly and proportionately
5. Putting things right
6. Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

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.

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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.

PATIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Being a patient brings with it certain responsibilities and we would ask that you:

• Be courteous to all the staff at all times. Please remember they are trying to help you. There is no place for aggressive or rude attitudes at our surgery; it upsets the other patients too. We want our practice to be a friendly place for all.
• Be on time for your appointments.
• Cancel your appointments in plenty of time. Someone else could use your appointment
• Make separate appointments for each member of the family who needs to be seen. An appointment is for one person only.
• Try to make best use of nursing and medical time by making an effort to come to the surgery. Home visits should be for medical reasons and not requested to suit your social needs.
• Give 48 hours notice for repeat prescriptions. This time allows us to make sure your medicines are correct.
• Only ask for a doctor at night (after 6.30) or at weekends if it is urgent.
• Read the practice leaflets and other information we give you. They are there to help you use our services. Please ask us if you do not understand them, this will help us make them easy to read.

YOUR RIGHT TO SEE YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS

• The Managing Partner will help any patient to see their own medical records, subject to relevant legislation.
• The patient’s doctor will be available to explain medical terms and words within 40 working days.
• There is a charge for this service.

WAITING TIMES

• Surgeries will normally start on time.
• We usually expect patients to be seen within 20 minutes of their appointment time. Please ask at reception if you are kept waiting longer than this.
• When a doctor is called away on an emergency, we will inform you. We will then give you the chance to book another appointment, or if you wish, to be seen by another doctor. 

YOUR RIGHTS TO PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE

As a patient you have the right to:

• Be registered with a Practice.
• See the doctor of your choice, subject to availability.
• Be offered a health check on joining the practice.
• Receive emergency care.
• Receive appropriate drugs and medicines.
• Be referred for specialist or second opinion if they and the GP agrees.
• Know that, by law, everyone working for the NHS must keep the contents of your medical records private. 

TEACHING AND TRAINING

The practice has been accredited to train fully qualified doctors who wish to enter the speciality of General Practice. The practice needs to be regularly inspected for this purpose and this involves inspection of the medical records.

Only doctors approved for this purpose will do this and they will respect completely the confidentiality of the information. If you do not want your records to be available for inspection, then please inform the practice of your wishes.

Sometimes the doctor may wish to video record their consultations and in this case your permission will always be requested beforehand. We are very grateful for your help in facilitating the training of tomorrow’s doctors.