Practice Policies & Patient Information

Accountable Named GP

In line with our contractual requirements all of our patients, as of 30th June 2015, will have been allocated a named, accountable GP.

What does ‘Accountable’ mean:

Your named accountable GP will oversee the co-ordination of your care amongst the other health professionals.

Does this mean that my named accountable GP will take 24 hour responsibility for my care:

No, the named accountable GP will not take 24 hour responsibility for your care, your named GP will purely oversee the care that you receive.

Does this mean that have the right to see my named GP every time I book an appointment:

No, a patient can express who they would like to see, however, this may not always be possible due to appointment availability with that GP.

Can patients still see any GP they wish:

Yes, a patient can continue to see any GP they wish as they currently do.

Will I be informed in writing who my accountable named GP is:

No, your practice does not have to inform you in writing. If you would like to know who your named GP is then please contact the practice.

Can I change my named accountable GP:

Yes, just ask at reception and they will help you with this or email [email protected]

Complaint 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 GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.

If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing [PRACTICE TO ADD SPECIFIC CONTACT DETAILS]. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:

Find out what happened and what went wrong.
Make it possible for you to discuss what happened 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

We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must 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

We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.

However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.

Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?

If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and NHS England and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.

To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033

Need help making a complaint?

If you want help making a complaint, Healthwatch Hounslow can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.

Alternatively, POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.

Confidentiality

We record information about you so that you can receive the best possible care and treatment.

We keep this information together with details of your care to ensure that your doctor or nurse has accurate and up to date information.

There are times when we have to pass on information about you to other people such as hospitals, Dept. of Work & Pensions or Clinical Commissioning Group (formerly the Health Authority or PCT).

This is always done confidentially or by removing identifying details when they are not essential.

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to maintain the highest level of confidentiality about patient information.

Outside the NHS—when asked to provide information to outside agencies, e.g. solicitors, written consent will be obtained at all times before this information can be supplied.

You have a right at any time to refuse the release of your details.

Data Sharing

Use this link to Opt-Out

Data sharing in a general practice setting means sharing patient notes with other organisations; at present there are two ways this can happen.

Summary Care Record

It is important that your medical record is available when and where you need it.

You may feel, especially if you have an extensive medical history that it is very important for some of your medical information to be available if you were on holiday away from the practice area and taken ill and ended up in hospital.

Having your Summary Care Record (SCR) available will help anyone treating you without your full medical record.

They will have access to information about any medication you may be taking and any drugs that you have a recorded allergy or sensitivity to.

The system at Cantilupe Surgery means that your SCR is automatically updated on at least a daily basis, to ensure that your information is as up to date as it can possibly be.

If you do not want your medical records to be available in this way please let us know so we can update your records.

All households received a booklet a few years ago outlining this procedure, this also contained a form to be completed if you did not want your data uploaded which the practice received and the correct code was added to your notes so that no information left our computer system.

At present a patients summary care record consists of medication, allergies and adverse reactions but there is capacity for more.

Patients who initially “opted in” can change their mind and download a form from tempuri.org/tempuri.html and send the signed for to their surgery.

Once the form is received a code is added to your surgery record which will then send a blank summary overwriting the one already there so nothing is visible.

Patients can also change their mind and opt in having previously opted out – please let us know if this is what you want and ideally put it in writing.

When your medical records leave the practice (GP2GP)

It is very important that you are registered with a doctor near to where you live.

We encourage patients to do this as soon as possible if they move outside the practice area.

Once you have registered with a new GP, your records will be forwarded to them via NHS England.

NHS England requires all practices to use electronic transfer of patient records (GP2GP) between practices when a patient registers or de-registers from our Practice.

Cantilupe Surgery already uses GP2GP for all patient record transfers unless there is an issue with the receiving practices computer system that does not allow the transfer.

Patient’s access to their GP record

All practices are required to promote and offer the facility for patients to view online, export or print any summary information from their records relating to medications, allergies, adverse reactions and any other items agreed between GP and patient, Cantilupe Surgery now has this facility; please read the information leaflet below, complete the application form and provide the necessary ID evidence.

Online Access Information Leaflet

Herefordshire One Record

Privacy Policy 10.6.21

Online Access ID Evidence

Online Access Application Form

Data sharing agreement for Risk Stratification Hfd CCG to Opt Out

https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/

GP Net Earnings

PALS

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.

So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. But sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

What does PALS do?

In particular, PALS will:

Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.

Find out more

If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve, follow this link.

Practice Survey Reporting

Prescriptions Charges

Extensive exemption and remission arrangements protect those likely to have difficulty in paying charges (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).

The NHS prescription charge is a flat-rate amount which successive Governments have thought it reasonable to charge for those who can afford to pay for their medicines.

Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer real savings for people who need extensive medication.

NHS charges

These charges apply in England only, in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prescriptions are free of charge.

If you pay for four or more prescription items in three months, or more than 15 items in 12 months, you may find it cheaper to buy a PPC.

Telephone advice and order line 0845 850 0030
General Public – Buy or Renew a PPC On-line

There is further information about prescription exemptions and fees on the NHS website.

Proxy Access

There are a number of patients who book their appointments, request repeat medication and can view certain parts of their medical records online.

Patient Access have now improved their system to allow parents and Carers to be authorised to all of the above-mentioned functions for children or the people they care for.

Any patient or Carer wishing to have proxy access will need to sign up to this service by completing a form available at the practice Reception.

Summary Care Record

There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR).

It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.

Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.

This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

How do I know if I have one?

Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory.

If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery.

You can use the form at the foot of this page.

More Information

For further information visit the NHS Care records website or the HSCIC Website.

Violent or Abusive Behaviour

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.

Any incidence of violence in the practice is taken seriously and may result in police involvement.