Practice Charter

Sick Notes

For any period of illness that lasts less than your working week (be that 5 or 7 days), you should obtain a self-certificate available from your employer. A sick note from the doctor is only required if you are absent from work for a period longer than your working week.
If you are an inpatient or attend hospital on a regular basis, the consultant there can issue you with a certificate to cover further absence after the 5 or 7 day period has expired. He will validate this for the length of time he thinks you should be excused from work. It is important that you remember to request this: it will not be issued to you automatically.

Comments & Suggestions

We are happy to accept comments and constructive suggestions from our patients. Please present your views in writing at the reception or send them to our practice manager.

Complaints

If you have a problem or complaint against the surgery, in the first instance contact the practice manager or, if she is not available, the assistant practice manager. This can be done by telephone, letter or verbally at the main reception. Please give all relevant details as soon as possible after the event. Complaint forms are available from the reception. We aim to resolve the complaint at practice level by using the practice complaints procedure. Your rights to complain to PALS (Patient Advice & Liaison Service) are in no way affected.
We will:
• Acknowledge your complaint within two working days
• Try to offer an explanation within 10 working days
• Arrange a meeting to discuss your concerns with those involved, if appropriate
• Offer an apology
• Take action to make sure that your complaint is not repeated
• Use your complaint to improve our services and provide training where necessary.

Complaints On Behalf Of Others

Due to strict patient confidentiality, if you complain on behalf of another person, even a member of your own family, we will require you to complete a complaints form ensuring that the patient signs and gives you authorisation to complain and receive an answer to the complaint on their behalf.

Confidentiality

When we ask you for personal information, this will be recorded on the computer. The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act to protect you. The practice will ensure that patients' confidentiality is maintained at all times by all members of the practice.
Confidentiality also extends to family members; therefore medical information relating to you will not be discussed or divulged without your written consent. Please do not pressurise the staff for details as saying no will be embarrassing for both parties.

Disabled Access

At both surgeries, all services are offered on the ground floor, disabled toilets are in both reception areas and both sites have parking spaces. The surgery offers the loop service for the deaf - please ask at the main reception.

Zero Tolerance Policy

The practice is committed to producing a high quality level of care to our patients. The relationship between the patients and those working in the surgery is an important issue and a two-way process. Therefore in order to protect both the staff and the patients, we respectfully point out that the following inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated:
• Threatening or abusive behaviour • Swearing
• Verbal or physical abuse • Drunkenness
Such behaviour has a marked effect on staff and patients, therefore where such behaviour is observed, we reserve the right to withdraw from treating the patient and ensuring removal from the premises and from the practice list.
In extreme cases the practice will not hesitate in calling the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.

Freedom Of Information

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 that the practice intends to make routinely available.

Primary Care Trust