Practice Policies

Confidentiality & Medical Records

Locked blue folderThe 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

Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

Access to Records

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

Safeguarding Children/Young People

Safeguarding children, young persons and vulnerable adults is a fundamental goal for Newport Surgery. Our policy has been written in conjunction with legislative and government guidance requirements, our local Clinical Commissioning Group child and adult protection procedures and relevant internal policies. Our policies are the practice-agreed policies, applicable to all clinicians and staff as well as official visitors to the premises, and it represents the means by which the practice intends to keep children and vulnerable adults safe.  Our policies are detailed and lengthy but are no substitute for staff – clinical as well as administrative – ensuring they are aware of local and national procedures and maintaining their up-to-date training.

Our safeguarding policies are available on request.

 

Complaints

Customer service form

During the Covid-19 pandemic we will respond verbally to your complaint. A written response will usually take 28 days but during the pandemic this may take longer.

We believe it is important to deal with complaints swiftly, so you will be offered an appointment for a meeting to discuss the details within two days. Occasionally it may take longer, but we will keep you informed throughout. You may bring a friend or relative with you to the meeting. We will try to address your concerns, provide you with an explanation and discuss any action that may be needed.

If you wish to make a complaint, please telephone or write to our practice manager. Full details will be taken and a decision made on how best to undertake the investigation.

Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient's consent will be necessary if a complaint is not made by the patient in person.

Should you have a complaint about any local services you may contact West Essex Clinical Commissioning Group, St Margaret's Hospital, Building 4, Spencer Close, Epping, Essex CM16 6TN

Violence Policy

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. 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.



 
Call 111 when you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergencyNHS ChoicesThis site is brought to you by My Surgery Website