Complaints
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
Confidentiality & Medical Records
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
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.
Data Choices
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How your data is used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You have a choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?
No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What do you need to do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
General Data Protection Regulation
Please find below all information surrounding GDPR:
GP Net Earnings
GP Earnings 2022/2023
The average pay for GPs working at Newport Surgery in the last financial year before tax and national insurance is £111,811.
This is for 3 full time GPs and 3 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
It should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.
Infection Prevention and Control Annual Statement
June 2024.
It is a requirement of The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance that the Infection Prevention and Control Lead produces an annual statement with regards to compliance and good practice on infection prevention and control and makes it available for anyone who wishes to see it, including patients and regular authorities. As best practice, the Annual Statement should be published on the Practice website.
The Annual Statement should provide a short review of any:
- Known infection transmission event and actions arising from this;
- Audits undertaken and subsequent actions;
- Risk assessments undertaken for prevent and control of infection;
- Training received by staff and;
- Review and update of policies, procedures and guidance.
Infection Control Annual Statement
Purpose;
This annual statement will be generated each year in accordance with the requirements of The Health and Social Care act 2008 Code of practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.
-Any infection transmission incidents and actions taken
-Details of any infection control audits
-Details of any risk assessments undertaken for the prevention and control of infection
-Details of staff training
-Review and update of any policies, procedures and guidelines
Infections Prevention and Control (IPC) Lead
-Jennifer Styles-Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Newport Surgery.
Infection transmission incidents
-In the past year there has been one significant event raised to the ICS infection control team, which was investigated by the ICS infection control team and deemed to have started outside of the surgery in the community and was not spread throughout staff/surgery, this was related to a COVID 19 outbreak amongst staff.
We have an isolation room within the practice, potentially contagious patients are offered a telephone consultation with a clinician prior to a face to face assessment.
Infection prevention audit and actions
-All staff have annual infection control training via Bluestream training which is mandatory.
-Laminated posters are available in the treatment room providing information on managing needlestick injuries.
-Sharps bins are dated and signed.
-Daily cleaning schedules are in every clinical room to ensure high standards of cleanliness are maintained.
-Stock checks are undertaken weekly.
-Curtains are changed every 6 months in clinical rooms.
-Fridge temperature and cleaning schedules are in use.
-Hand washing audits were undertaken monthly.
-Handwashing posters are available at every handwashing sink.
-PPE donning and doffing posters are available in every clinical room.
-Staff have received up to date information regarding Newport surgeries policies and expectations.
-Legionella water risk assessment takes place every year.
-Sinks that are not for handwashing are signed as such.
-All furniture is wipeable.
Policies
-All policies are up to date and are available to staff both on the shared drive and printed copies
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of all staff to comply with the infection control policies
Patient Responsibilities
Help us to help you
Please let us know if you change your name, address or telephone number.
Please do everything you can to keep appointments. Tell us as soon as possible if you cannot attend your appointment time. Otherwise, other patients may have to wait longer.
Please ask for home visits by the doctor only when the person is too ill to visit the surgery.
Please keep your phone call brief and avoid calling during the peak morning time for non-urgent matters.
Test results take time to reach us, so please do not ring before you have been asked to do so and after 10am. Enquiries about tests ordered by the hospital should be directed to the hospital, not the practice.
We ask that you treat the doctors and practice staff with courtesy and respect.
Please read our practice booklet. Along with this website it will help you to get the best out of the services we offer. It is important that you understand the information given to you. Please ask us questions if you are unsure of anything.
Remember, you are responsible for your own health and the health of your children. We will give you our professional help and advice. Please act upon it.
Please ask if you wish to see your doctor.
Safeguarding Adults
Safeguarding Adults
WHAT IS A VULNERABLE ADULT?
The definition is wide, however this may be regarded as anyone over the age of 18 years who may be unable to protect themselves from abuse, harm or exploitation, which may be by reason of illness, age, mental illness, disability or other types of physical or mental impairment.
Those at risk may live alone, be dependent on others (care homes etc.), elderly, or socially isolated.
FORMS OF ABUSE
- Neglect – ignoring mental or physical needs, care, education, or basic life necessities or rights
- Bullying – family, carers, friends
- Financial – theft or use of money or possessions
- Sexual – assault, rape, non-consensual acts (including acts where unable to give consent), touching, indecent exposure
- Physical – hitting, assault, man-handling, restraint, pain or forcing medication
- Psychological – threats, fear, being controlled, taunts, isolation
- Discrimination – abuse based on perceived differences and vulnerabilities
- Institutional abuse – in hospitals, care homes, support services or individuals within them, including inappropriate behaviours, discrimination, prejudice, and lack of essential safeguards
Abuse may be deliberate or as a result of lack of attention or thought, and may involve combinations of all or any of the above forms. It may be regular or on an occasional or single event basis, however it will result in some degree of suffering to the individual concerned. Abuse may also take place between one vulnerable adult and another, for example between residents of care homes or other institutions.
INDICATIONS
- Bruising
- Burns
- Falls
- Apparent lack of personal care
- Nervousness or withdrawn
- Avoidance of topics of discussion
- Inadequate living conditions or confinement to one room in their own home
- Inappropriate controlling by carers or family members
- Obstacles preventing personal visitors or one-to-one personal discussion
- Sudden changes in personality
- Lack of freedom to move outside the home, or to be on their own
- Refusal by carers to allow the patient into further care or to change environs
- Lack of access to own money
- Lack of mobility aids when needed
Where abuse of a vulnerable adult is suspected the welfare of the patient takes priority. In deciding whether to disclose concerns to a third party or other agency the GP will assess the risk to the patient. Ideally the matter should be discussed with the patient involved first, and attempt made to obtain consent to refer the matter to the appropriate agency. Where this is not possible, or in the case of emergency where serious harm is to be prevented, the patient’s doctor will balance the need to protect the patient with the duty of confidentiality before deciding whether to refer. The patient should usually be informed that the doctor intends to disclose information, and advice and support should be offered. Where time permits, the medical defence organisation will be telephoned before any action is taken.
Due regard will be taken of the patient’s capacity to provide a valid consent. (See also Consent Protocol)
In assessing the risk to the individual, the following factors will be considered:
- Nature of abuse, and severity
- Chance of recurrence, and when
- Frequency
- Vulnerability of the adult (frailty, age, physical condition etc.)
- Those involved – family, carers, strangers, visitors etc.
- Whether other third parties are also at risk (other members of the same household may being abused at the same time)If any Patient suspects that an adult may be vulnerable and “at risk” please advise one of the Practice Partners, or a member of management – in strictest confidence.
Alternatively, you can report concerns via Social Care Direct 0345 6037630, email socialcaredirect@essex.gov.uk or see www.essexsab.org.uk
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.
Telephone Calls
Please be aware that the new telephone system that has been installed at Newport Surgery records telephone calls.
The recordings are for staff training and patient safety reasons.
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.