At our Medical Practice we aim to provide our patients with the best quality care available. Our charter is a statement of what you can expect from this practice and what we feel we can expect in return from you.
- All patients will be treated equally. We do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.
- Our premises will be clean and comfortable and have facilities for the disabled
- All patients will be greeted in a friendly manner and be treated with courtesy by everyone in the practice
- Strictest confidentiality may be expected
- Patients will be informed of any delay of more than 20 minutes
- Patients will be offered advice about how to stay healthy and avoid illness
- New patients registering with the practice will be offered a health check
- Patients will be referred to a consultant when the doctor feels this is necessary
- Complaints will be dealt with by our practice manager who will refer complaints to the doctors where appropriate
We Aim:
- To offer patients an appointment with a healthcare professional within 48 hours
- To see all patients with genuine urgent problems as soon as possible
- For all staff in the practice to wear identification badges indicating their name and job title
Policy On Patients’ Rights
In relation to primary care, patients have certain rights.
A Patient:
- Has the right to be on a practice list and have a named GP
- Has a right to see a GP or an Advanced Practitioner (this does not need to be their named GP) at the surgery during surgery hours. An appointment system is operated, if the patient does not have one, an appointment for a later surgery, which may be at another location, should be offered as long as the delay will not result in a risk to health
- Named GP – This means that while a patient will not always be seen by their named GP, any test results or letters will always be seen by a doctor from their own team. Decisions on treatment will be taken by doctors from the team if a patient’s named GP is away or unavailable
- Should have access to a telephone number where a GP can be reached 24 hours a day, every day of the year
- Should have a home visit, if considered necessary by the GP
- If temporarily away from home must receive treatment if it is considered to be required immediately, though the GP is not bound to accept them as a temporary resident
- Has the right to change practice, by applying to another practice. No reason is required
- Requires to give consent before being examined or treated. However, a visit to the GP is considered to constitute consent
- Is entitled to a chaperone during intimate examinations
- Is not bound legally to accept treatment. However, a doctor can give essential treatment if the patient is temporarily incapable of understanding or consenting to treatment as per the Adults with Incapacity Act
- May refuse to be examined when a medical student is present
- Is entitled to a full and truthful answer to questions unless the answers would result in anxiety, which may injure the person’s health
- Has the right to complain about their GP if he has not followed his terms of service or behaves in an unprofessional or unethical way. The patient should then be kept informed about how the complaint is being dealt with and told of the outcome
- Has the right to see medical reports requested by insurance companies or employers before they are forwarded. However, a GP may withhold them if access may cause harm to the patient or if they contain information regarding a third party
- Has the right to confidentiality
With These Rights Come Responsibilities
- We ask that patients attend their appointments at the arranged time. If they cannot attend they will inform the surgery immediately
- We expect that patients will understand that appointments are for one person only. Additional appointments will be made if more than one person needs to be seen
- Patients are responsible for their own health and the health of their children and should co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep themselves healthy
- We ask that requests for help or advice for non-urgent matters be made during surgery hours
- Home visits should only be requested for patients who are seriously ill. It is important to bear in mind that most medical problems are dealt with more effectively in the clinical setting of a well-equipped surgery
- Patients should realise that home visits are made at the doctor’s discretion
- Requests for night visits should only be made for emergencies
- Many problems can be solved by advice alone, therefore patients should not always expect a prescription at every consultation
- We ask that patients treat the doctors and staff with courtesy and respect
- Patients must inform the practice staff of any alterations in their circumstances, such as change of surname, address or telephone number, even if it is ex-directory