Patients' Access to Health Records
Patients have the right to have copies of their medical records, although in exceptional circumstances the law allows for records to be withheld. The law concerning this is contained mainly in the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Access to Health Records Act 1990. For more information please either ask at reception for a leaflet or contact the practice manager. A charge for this service may be applicable.
Your Medical Records
Your medical records are confidential. However, to ensure the highest quality of care, information may be shared with other healthcare professionals. For example, Solihull CT purposes and anonymised PCT may require access to records for audit purposes. Anonymised patient data may be provided to third parties for audit and research. If you do not want your records to be shared please contact the practice manager.
Your Medical Card
Please keep this in a safe place. It shows your NHS number which you may be asked to give if you seek NHS treatment. If you have lost your medical card ask for a form at reception. Please help us: change of name, address, or telephone number? Do notify the surgery as soon as possible of any such changes.
If your name or address changes please ask for a form at reception. A new NHS medical card will follow shortly.
Freedom Of Information - Publication Scheme
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception.
Comments, Suggestions And Complaints
We aim to provide the best services possible. However, there may be times where you feel this has not happened. We operate an in-house complaints procedure for such times and hope that you will use this procedure to allow us to look into and, if necessary, correct any problems that you have identified, or mistakes that have been made.
If you wish to make a complaint, please write or telephone Mrs W Earl, complaints manager. Full details will be taken at this time so that investigations may be made. We believe it is important for complaints to be dealt with swiftly and would hope to be able to offer a full explanation within seven days. However, this it not always possible but we will keep you informed throughout. When our investigations are complete you will be asked to attend a meeting to discuss our findings. You may bring a friend or relative along to this meeting if you wish. Should you be unable to attend a meeting, our findings may be discussed via the telephone or letter.
Our practice procedure is unable to deal with questions of legal liability or compensation. Nevertheless, should you wish to use it, that would not affect your right to complain to the Health Authority. Please note that we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient's consent will be necessary should a complaint not be made by the patient in person.
Full details of the procedure are available from reception.
Violence And Aggression
The practice operates a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of verbal or physical aggression. Any breach of this policy will result in instant removal from the practice list.