Confidentiality

The practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan 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.

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.

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt.

Model Publication Scheme - further information

Comments & Complaints

We aim to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients. However, if you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know. Speak to whomever you feel most comfortable – your GP, our practice manager or our reception staff will be happy to help. In the majority of cases, concerns can be resolved quite easily. However, if you feel we have not dealt with the issues you have raised as you would wish, you can write to the Complaints Manager at the following address:

The Complaints Manager
NHS Northamptonshire
Complaints Department
Highfield
Cliftonville Road
Northampton NN1 5DN
Tel: 01604 615326.
Email: complaints@northamptonshirepct.nhs.uk

If you have a complaint about a Community or PCT provided service please make these to the above address and do not send them to the Centre. Our full complaints policy is here Complaints Procedure  and our Comments, Complaints, and Suggestions leaflet is here Comments,_Complaints_and_Suggestions.doc

You can also leave a comment on the NHS Choices Website

We are continually striving to improve our service. Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated and a suggestion box is located in the waiting area.

The Health Service Ombudsman in England

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website contains detailed information on raising a complaint about any aspect of the NHS in England. There is also a leaflet explaining the procedure of bringing a complaint to the ombudsman.

Zero Tolerance Policy

As you will appreciate, it is vital that the practice provide a safe environment for staff, patients, and members of the public. Consequently, in line with normal Department of Health and NHS policy, the Practice operates a zero tolerance policy towards patients who verbally abuse, harass, intimidate, or physically attack staff, other patients, or members of the public. Where appropriate any patient behaving in this manner will be prosecuted by the police. In all cases the patient will be removed from the practice list.

Patient Rights and Responsibilities

We aim to treat our patients courteously at all times and expect our patients to treat our staff in a similarly respectful way. We take seriously any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff or patients. If a patient is violent or abusive, they will be warned to stop their behaviour. If they persist, we may exercise our right to take action to have them removed, immediately if necessary, from our list of patients. It should be noted that in line with NHS guidance the practice operates a Zero tolerance policy toward violence and abuse.

As a patient you have both rights and responsibilities. You have the right to be treated in a polite manner and to be seen by: 

1. A GP or 
2. A Nurse

If you wish to see a specific clinician that is your choice and you may have to wait to get an appointment. You will then receive the appropriate clinical care for your medical needs.

As a patient it is your responsibility to: 

• Not to provide verbally or physically abuse staff or other patients (see our Zero Tolerance Procedure). 
• Follow the practice's working procedures. 
• Keep the appointments that you have made or to cancel them if you can not keep them. 
• Be on time for your appointment. 
• Keep us informed of your current contact information. 
• Comply with the treatment plan and medication instructions given to you by your Doctor or Nurse. 
• Let us know if you have special needs or need additional assistance. 
• Let us know if you are a carer.