Practice Charter

All members of the surgery primary care team are dedicated to achieving health services which meet the patients requirements.

Practice Leaflet
All new patients will receive a copy of our practice leaflet and copies will be available at the reception desk.

Surgery Premises
Our surgery building will be welcoming, easy for patients to find their way around and appropriate to the needs of users, including the disabled.

Patient's rights to General Medical Services
Patient's have the rights to:
- be registered with a General Practitioner
- change doctor if desired
- be offered a health check on joining the practice
- receive emergency care
- receive appropriate drugs and medicines
- be referred for specialist or second opinion if they and the GP agrees
- have the right to view their medical records, subject to the Acts and to know that those working for the NHS are under legal obligation to keep the contents confidential.

Accessing Medical Records
- The Practice Manager will assist any patient wishing to have access to their own medical record, subject to the relevant acts
- The patient's doctor will be available to explain medical terminology within the legal timescales.

Comments, Suggestions and Complaints
- The Practice Manager is responsible for handling comments, suggestions and complaints about any service provided by the practice.
- All constructive comments and suggestions will be considered by the practice.
- All complaints will be recorded, and written complaints will be acknowledged within 5 days of receipt. We will respond to all complaints within 28 working days. Where a complaint is made about a doctor, the patient will be able to discuss this with another doctor in the practice, if required.

Changes to procedures
When changes are introduced to practice procedures that affect our patients, we will ensure that these are clearly explained, by means of our practice leaflet, website, waiting room notice board or individual leaflets.

Repeat Prescriptions
The procedure for obtaining repeat prescriptions will be explained in our Practice Leaflet. Prescriptions will be available from the reception desk - 48 hours notice (two working days) for a repeat prescription is required.

Referrals
- Urgent referrals to other health and social care agencies will be made within one working day of the patient consultation
- We will normally process non-urgent referrals within five working days of the patient consultation of the doctors decision to refer.

Test Results
When a doctor or nurse arranges a test to be taken the patient will be informed how to obtain the result (results are normally available within three working days)

Transfer of Medical Records
The Practice will endeavour to dispatch any medical record required by the Health Board within seven working days and the same day if the request is urgent.

Privacy and Confidentiality
We will respect our patients privacy and confidentiality at all times.

Appointments
With a doctor:
For routine consultations we will endeavour to offer patients an appointment within two working days of the request. For medically urgent requests, we will offer an appointment on the same day.

With a Practice Nurse:
For routine appointments we will offer an appointment within five working days.

Home Visits
The practice policy for home visits is explained in the practice leaflet.

Waiting Times
- Surgeries will normally start on time.
- We usually expect patients to be seen within thirty minutes of their appointment times.
- When a doctor is called away on an emergency we will inform the patients and give them an opportunity to book an alternative appointment, or if preferred, to be seen by another doctor

Patient Responsibilities

With these rights comes responsibilities and for the patients, this means:

- Courtesy to the staff at all times, remember they are working under doctors orders, there is no place for aggressive or rude attitudes within our surgery.

- To attend appointments on time or give the practice adequate notice that they wish to cancel. Someone else could use your appointment.

- An appointment is for one person only. Where another member of family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made for the Medical Record to be made available.

- Patients should make every effort when consulting the surgery to make best use of nursing and medical time. Home visits should be medically justifiable and not requested for social convenience.

- Out of hours calls (e.g. evenings, nights and weekends) should only be requested if they are felt to be truly necessary.