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RESPONSIBILITIES OF PATIENTS
- Help us to help you - 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 on it.
- Let us know if you change your name, address, telephone number or e-mail address.
- Cancel any unwanted appointments in good time so it can be given to another patient.
- Try to arrive on time for your appointment. If you are late we cannot guarantee to see you.
- Avoid phoning for non-urgent matters during morning peak time.
- We ask that you treat the doctors and practice staff with the same courtesy and respect
that you would expect to receive yourself.
- Please be patient if your appointment is delayed. Delays are often caused by patients
needing emergency attention.
- Refrain from using mobile phones in the surgery. The entrance lobby is acceptable for this.
COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
We are very happy to accept and consider comments and suggestions from our patients.
Please present your views in writing at reception.
COMPLAINTS
PROCEDURE
We always try to provide the best services possible, but there may be times when
you feel this has not happened. The following information explains our in-house
complaints procedure, drawn up to respond to patient grievances. Our practice
procedure is not able to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation.
We hope you will use it to allow us to look into and, if necessary, correct any
problems that you have identified, or mistakes that have been made. If you use
this procedure it will not affect your right to complain to the Health Services
Authority. 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. 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. A copy of our complaints procedure
can be obtained from reception.
Patients may find it helpful on occasion
to take advantage of the service offered by PALS (the Patient Advice and Liaison
Service), which functions under the auspices of the Primary Care Trust. You can
contact PALS on 01482 672074.
CONFIDENTIALITY
We
ask you for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and
treatment. This information is recorded on computer and we are registered under
the Data Protection Act. The practice will ensure that patient confidentiality
is maintained at all times by all members of the practice team. However, for the
effective functioning of a multidisciplinary team it is sometimes necessary that
medical information about you is shared between members of the team. Information will not be divulged to a third party without prior consent. All patients have a right of access to their own health records. For further information on how we use your health records please ask for a leaflet.
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