Practice Policies & Patient Information

Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the Doctors or any of the staff working in this Practice please let us know. We operate a Practice Complaints Procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our Complaints System meets National Criteria.

We hope that most complaints can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint we would like you to let us know as soon as possible, ideally within a matter of days or, at the most, a few weeks. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that please let us have details of your complaint:

Within 12 months of the incident or
Within 12 months of discovering that there is a problem

Complaints should be addressed to our Practice Manager, Mrs Katharine Miles, who is our Complaints’ Officer or to our Senior Partner, Dr Tim Hill.

All complaints can be sent in via our email; [email protected], dropped in to reception or sent in via post. For more information please refer to the Contact Us page.

Alternatively you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Miles in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly.

It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within ten working days of the date when you raised it with us. We will then be in a position to offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved. When we look into your complaint we will aim to:

Find out what happened and what went wrong.
Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned if you would like this.
Make sure you receive an apology where this is appropriate.
Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

COMPLAINING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE ELSE

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

COMPLAINING TO NHS ENGLAND

If you have a problem we hope that you will use the above complaints procedure. We believe that this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice. This does not, however, affect your right to approach NHS Frimley Complaints Team.

If you feel that you cannot raise your complaint with us you should contact the Complaints Manager at the following address:

South East Complaints Hub
NHS Frimley ICB
Aldershot Centre for Health
Hospital Hill
Aldershot
Hampshire
GU11 1AY

Tel: 0300 561 0290
Email: [email protected]

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome you can contact:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP

Should you need to access support when considering making a complaint, there is also a free and independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS) which can be contacted at:

Healthwatch West Sussex Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service (IHCAS)
The Billingshurst Community Centre
Roman Way
Billingshurst
West Sussex RH14 9QW

Tel: 0300 012 0122
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.healthwatchwestsussex.co.uk

General Practice Transparency Notice

Named GP Statement

Patient Charter

The doctors, nurses and administrative staff at this surgery share a commitment to provide you with the highest standard of medical care. In particular:

Patients have the right to be treated courteously.
Patients have a right to confidentiality.
Doctors and nurses will begin surgery at the appropriate time. Any delay will be due to a medical necessity. When there is a prolonged delay, patients have the right to be informed and to make an alternative appointment if they wish.
Patients have the right to information about their own health, particularly the illness and its treatment, the alternative forms of treatment and the likely outcome of the illness.
The practice will advise patients of the steps they can take to promote good health and to avoid illness e.g. smoking cessation, exercise, immunisation etc and advice on self-help with minor illnesses.
The practice will inform patients of services available by means of its booklet, notice boards, leaflets and it’s website.
Patients with urgent medical conditions will be given priority and will be seen as soon as possible, even when this means a delay to booked appointments.
New patients will be offered an appointment with the practice nurse or doctor.
Patients aged between 16 and 75 who have not attended the surgery within the past three years are welcome to attend a consultation and will be offered the appropriate health checks.
Patients will be referred to a consultant/hospital acceptable to them when their GP thinks it is necessary.
Patients will have easy access to the practice complaints procedure.
Repeat prescriptions will be available within 48 working hours.
Patients may choose whether or not to take part in training.

With these rights come responsibilities and for patients this means:

Treat us with the same courtesy and respect that you expect to receive. We will not tolerate rudeness or abuse of any kind towards our staff, or violence towards anyone in the surgery or to our property.
Attend appointments on time or give the practice adequate notice that you wish to cancel – lateness or non-attendance inconveniences other patients and wastes appointments.
An appointment is for one person only.
Patients should make every effort to attend the surgery to make best use of nursing and medical time and ask for a home visit only if too ill to attend surgery. Lack of transport is not a reason to request a visit.
Repeat prescriptions should be ordered in plenty of time.
Calls to the emergency GP service out of hours should only be made if there is a real need and attendances at the local A & E Department made only for accidents and emergencies.
Patients should inform the practice if they change address or telephone number and please remember to include a postcode. It is also important for those receiving treatment at a hospital to inform them of the same changes so that our records match when we communicate with them.
Please do not try to pressurise staff or doctors into issuing inappropriate medications or repeat prescriptions.
The practice does not discriminate on the grounds of race, gender, social class, age, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, disability or medical condition.
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.

Practice Constitution

How Riverbank Medical Centre Implements the NHS Constitution

Principles

The Practice:

Provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and has a duty to respect their human rights.
Promotes equality through the service, providing and to paying particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.
Provides access to services based on clinical need, not on an individual’s ability to pay.
Aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism, providing safe and effective high-quality care focused on patient experience.
Ensures that it is effectively lead and managed and its staff receive relevant education, training and development.
Its services reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and carers who will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.
Ensures that it works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.
Is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.

Patient Rights

Patients have the right:

To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.
To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.
To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.
In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.
Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness) or age.
To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.
To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.
To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.
To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.
To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.
To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.
To access to their own health records.
To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.
To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.
To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.
To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.
To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.
To have any complaint you make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.
To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.
To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.

Patient Responsibilities:

To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.
To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.
To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.
To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.
To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their clinician if they find this difficult.
To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.
To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.
To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.

Practice Staff Rights

Practice Staff have the right:

To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives.
To have a fair pay and contract framework.
To be involved and represented in the workplace.
To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence.
To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination.
To raise an internal grievance and if necessary seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld.

Practice Staff Responsibilities

Practice Staff have the duty:

To accept professional accountability and maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body applicable to their profession or role.
To take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others, and to co-operate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
To act in accordance with the express and implied terms of their contract of employment.
Not to discriminate against patients or staff and to adhere to equal opportunities and equality and human rights legislation.
To protect the confidentiality of personal information that they hold unless to do so would put anyone at risk of significant harm.
To be honest and truthful in applying for a job and in carrying out that job.

Source:
The NHS Constitution = 8 March 2010: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_113645.pdf

This practice keeps data on you relating to who you are, where you live, what you do, your family, possibly your friends, your employers, your habits, your problems and diagnoses, the reasons you seek help, your appointments, where you are seen and when you are seen, who by, referrals to specialists and other healthcare providers, tests carried out here and in other places, investigations and scans, treatments and outcomes of treatments, your treatment history, the observations and opinions of other healthcare workers, within and without the NHS as well as comments and aide memoires reasonably made by healthcare professionals in this practice who are appropriately involved in your health care.

When registering for NHS care, all patients who receive NHS care are registered on a national database, the database is held by NHS England, a national organisation which has legal responsibilities to collect NHS data.

GPs have always delegated tasks and responsibilities to others that work with them in their surgeries, on average an NHS GP has between 1,500 and 2,500 patients for whom he or she is accountable. It is not possible for the GP to provide hands on personal care for each and every one of those patients in those circumstances. For this reason GPs share your care with others, predominantly within the surgery but occasionally with outside organisations.

If your health needs require care from others elsewhere, outside this practice, we will exchange with them whatever information about you is necessary for them to provide that care. When you make contact with healthcare providers outside the practice but within the NHS it is usual for them to send us information relating to that encounter. We will retain part or all of those reports. Normally we will receive equivalent reports of contacts you have with non NHS services but this is not always the case.

Your consent to this sharing of data, within the practice and with those others outside the practice, is assumed and is allowed by the Law.

People who have access to your information will only normally have access to that which they need to fulfill their roles, for instance admin staff will normally only see your name, address, contact details, appointment history and registration details in order to book appointments. The practice nurses will normally have access to your immunisation, treatment, significant active and important past histories, your allergies and relevant recent contacts, whilst the GP you see or speak to will normally have access to everything in your record.

You have the right to object to our sharing your data in these circumstances but we have an overriding responsibility to do what is in your best interests. Please see below.

We are required by Articles in the General Data Protection Regulations to provide you with the information in the following 9 subsections.

1)	Data Controller	Dr P Fludder, Riverbank Medical Centre
2)	Data Protection Officer	Richard Newell – Contactable via the Practice
3)	Purpose of the processing	Direct Care is care delivered to the individual alone, most of which is provided in the surgery. After a patient agrees to a referral for direct care elsewhere, such as a referral to a specialist in a hospital, necessary and relevant information about the patient, their circumstances and their problem will need to be shared with the other healthcare workers, such as specialist therapists, technicians etc. The information that is shared is to enable the other healthcare workers to provide the most appropriate advice, investigations, treatments, therapies and or care.
4)	Lawfull basis for processing	The processing of personal data in the delivery of direct care and for providers’ administrative purposes in this surgery and in support of direct care elsewhere, is supported under the following Article 6 and 9 conditions of the GDPR: Article 6(1)(e) ‘…necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority…’. Article 9(2)(h) ‘necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services…” We will also recognise your rights established under UK case law collectively known as the “Common Law Duty of Confidentiality”^*
5)	Recipient or categories of recipients of the processed data	The data will be shared with Health and care professionals and support staff in this surgery and at hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centres who contribute to your personal care.
6)	Rights to object	You have the right to object to some or all the information being processed under Article 21. Please contact the Data Controller or the practice. You should be aware that this is a right to raise an objection, that is not the same as having an absolute right to have your wishes granted in every circumstance
7)	Right to access and correct	You have the right to access the data that is being shared and have any inaccuracies corrected. There is no right to have accurate medical records deleted except when ordered by a court of Law.
8)	Retention period	The data will be retained in line with the law and national guidance. https://digital.nhs.uk/article/1202/Records-Management-Code-of-Practice-for-Health-and-Social-Care-2016 or speak to the practice.
9)	Right to complain	You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, you can use this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/. or call their helpline Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate). There are National Offices for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, (see ICO website).

Recording Telephone Calls

We record our telephone calls for two reasons, firstly to protect patients and staff and other health workers. Patients are protected by our having a record of our conversations with you, staff and other health workers are protected from potential abuse. Secondly we record some calls or other audio visual communications such as Skype calls, because they can contain clinical information that can become part of your medical records. We also occasionally use recordings for staff training and quality control.

When you register with us we will make this clear to you and we will also make this clear to you each time you contact us and via our web site and other sources of information

Calls will be retained for 6 months and are then routinely deleted.

Calls, or transcripts of calls, audio or audio-visual recordings or elements of the discussion you have with the clinicians that contain clinical information may be added to your medical records, but this will be clarified with you at the time.

The recordings are stored as part of our telephone system and are protected by password accessed only by Medical Centre Management and for maintenance purposes only by Thorntons Communications. These recordings will not usually be shared outside the practice.

If we hold recordings that have not been deleted you can ask for copies. Please contact reception for details.

If you object to your call being recorded we can locate the recording and delete it from the system immediately afterwards.

CCTV

The Practice has CCTV installed. In keeping with our commitment to providing the best possible service to all our patients, we hope the CCTV installation will provide assurance to patients & staff that safety and security are high on our agenda. All cameras are visible, clearly signed and are in public areas only, including the car park. We uphold our policy that all consultations are private and confidential therefore please be assured that no equipment has been installed in any of the consulting rooms.

Smoking / Mobile Phone Use

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