Please click on the drop down boxes below to see our practice policies and procedures.
 

• Access to Medical Records

  View your GP health record - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

• Accessing someone else's information

  As a family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.

  To requests proxy access, please collect a proxy access form from reception.

   

  Linked profiles in your NHS account

  Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.

  The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.

   

• CCTV

  CCTV is in place in our practice.

  This has been installed solely for the safety and security of our patients, staff, and premises to prevent and deter crime.

  Images are recorded 24 hours a day and stored on the hard drives of the recording devices that are situated in secure areas and only those authorised at the practice and those delivering technical support services will have access to the system.

  The CCTV only records images and does not record audio.

  All CCTV recordings are stored on our recording devices for 31 days before being permanently deleted.

  There are signs in the practice telling you that CCTV is in place.

  We will only ever share information with the relevant internal personnel/authorities in connection with the safety and security of patients and staff and will not share with any other third parties.

  Visitors to the practice have the right to request to see images of themselves on CCTV as part of a request made under the privacy legislation.  Such requests may be declined if there are other personnel on the images.

• Chaperone Policy

  We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable - these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.

  You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.

• Confidentiality

  You can be assured that anything you discuss with any member of the surgery staff, whether doctor, nurse or receptionist, will remain confidential. Even if you are under 16, nothing will be said to anyone, including parents, other family members, care workers or teachers, without your permission. The only reason why we might want to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect either you or someone else from serious harm. In this situation, we would always try to discuss this with you first.

  If you have any worries or queries about confidentiality, please ask a member of staff.

  If you would like to discuss matters of a confidential nature, either with our receptionists or a member of the dispensary team, we have a side room available in reception for this purpose.

• Data Protection

  In order to provide the right level of care, we are required to hold personal information about you on our computer systems and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.

  Confidentiality and Personal Information

  Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.

  All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.

  In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstance you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.

  To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not, leave messages with others.

  You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details about our patient information leaflet. An appointment may be required. In some circumstances a fee may be payable.

• Disabled Access

  We make every effort to make the surgery accessible for disabled patients. There is access through the main door and we have a wheelchair available for use in surgery.

  Hearing Difficulties

  If you are experiencing hearing difficulties when being called in to see the doctor or nurse, please do let us know in order for us to set up an alert on your medical records and personally collect you from the waiting room. Alternatively, we do have the facility of a portable induction loop. If you would like to use this, please ask at reception for assistance.

• IT Policy

  This practice is committed to preserving, as far as is practical, the security of data used by our information systems. This means that we will take all reasonable actions to;

  Maintain the Confidentiality of all data within the practice by:

  • Ensuring that only authorised persons can gain access to our systems
  • Not disclosing information to anyone who has no right to see it

  
  Maintain the integrity of all data within the practice by:

  • Taking care over input
  • Ensuring that all changes are reported and monitored
  • Checking that the correct record is on the screen before updating
  • Reporting all apparent errors and ensuring that they are resolved

  
  Maintain the availability of all data by:

  • Ensuring that all equipment is protected from intruders
  • Ensuring that backups are taken at regular, predetermined intervals
  • Ensuring that contingency is provided for possible failure or equipment theft and that any such contingency plans are tested and kept up to date
• Personal Data

  The following IT systems are in use at the practice:

  • Referral Management (using NHS numbers in referrals)
  • Electronic Appointment Booking (the facility to book routine appointments online and, similarly, to cancel appointments
  • Online booking of repeat prescriptions
  • Summary Care Record (uploading details of your current medication and allergies to the national “spine” so that these are available for doctors involved in your care elsewhere)
  • GP to GP transfers (the electronic transfer of records from practice to practice when you re-register
  • Patient Access to records (the facility to view your medical records online).

  If you are not already registered for online access and would like to be please complete our online form.

  If you would like access to your medical records enabled or would like to opt out of the local or national summary care record, please contact reception.

• Summary Care Record

  Your patient record is held securely and confidentially on the electronic system at your GP practice. If you require treatment in another NHS healthcare setting such as an Emergency Department or Minor Injury Unit, those treating you would be better able to give you appropriate care if some of the information from the GP practice were available to them.

  This information can now be shared electronically via: The Summary Care Record, used nationally across England

  The information will be used only by authorised health care professionals directly involved in your care. Your permission will be asked before the information is accessed, unless the clinician is unable to ask you and there is a clinical reason for access.

  If you would like to opt out, please ask reception for our opt out form.

  A parent or guardian can request to opt out children under 16 but ultimately it is the GP’s decision whether to create the records or not, because of their duty of care to the child. If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16 and feel that they are able to understand, then you should make this information available to them.

  Who Has Access?

  Across all health care settings, including urgent care, community care and outpatient departments in England.

  Information Source

  GP record

  Content

  • Your current medications
  • Any allergies you have
  • Any bad reactions you have had to medicines
  • Additional information (upon request to your GP)

  For more information visit: www.digital.nhs.uk

• Training

  We are an accredited training practice and currently provide education and training to the following:

  • Registrars in training in general practice prior to becoming a GP.
  • Junior Doctors undertaking training to gain experience of general practice.
  • Medical students from Liverpool University at varying stages of their studies.

  The training of doctors relies heavily on the co-operation of patients. You may be asked if you consent to a student doctor or nurse being present in your consultation.

• Violence Policy

  The Practice staff shall always show due respect and courtesy when dealing with patients and their representatives. We respectfully request that patients and their representatives do the same when dealing with members of the practice team.

  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. 

  No form of aggression (whether verbal or physical in nature) will be tolerated - any instances of such behaviour on the practice premises may result in the perpetrator being reported to the Police and removed from the practice’s List of Registered Patients.

  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.

Please note Diazepam will no longer be prescribed for fear of flying from January 2025
 

Practice staff should be able to come to work without fear of violence, abuse or harassment from patients or their relatives.

The NHS operate a Zero Tolerance Policy with regard to violence and abuse, and the Practice has the right to remove violent patients from their 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.

Where patients are disruptive and display aggressive and/or intimidating behaviour and refuse to leave the premises, staff are instructed to dial 999 for Police assistance, and charges may then be brought against these individuals.

Examples of Unacceptable Standards of Behaviour

• Violence.
• Excessive noise, e.g. recurrent loud or intrusive conversation or shouting.
• Threatening or abusive language involving swearing or offensive remarks.
• Derogatory racial or sexual remarks.
• Aggressive, forceful tone and/or language that upsets staff.
• Malicious allegations relating to members of staff, other patients or visitors.
• Offensive sexual gestures or behaviours.
• Abusing alcohol or drugs on practice premises.
• Drug dealing on practice premises.
• Wilful damage to practice property.
• Threats or threatening behaviour.
• Theft.
• Persistent and/or unrealistic demands on the service.
• Repeated derogatory comments about the practice or individuals either verbally, in writing/digitally or on social media platforms – this applies to factual and false information as we have a process to provide feedback on dissatisfaction.

This list is not exhaustive, and there may be other occasions when we have cause to issue a warning or remove you from our patient list. If you are unhappy with the practice, we have a complaints procedure to assist you, or you have the choice to register with another practice. There really is no need for unpleasant behaviour with these options available to support you.