Complaints/Praise
All members of the practice team are keen to provide patients with the best possible care. If you are unhappy about something we have or have not done for you please let us know. We are always seeking to improve our service and your comments could help others in the future.
If you have a serious complaint and feel you require an explanation or apology please ask the practice manager for information on the practice complaints procedure.
POhWER | NHS Complains Advocacy
NHS Complaints Advocacy is free confidential and independent of the NHS.
They can:
- Support you to make a complaint about the service, care or treatment provided by the NHS, including complaints about your GP.
- Support you make an NHS complaint on someone else’s behalf, including if someone has died.
- Listen to your concerns.
- Signpost you to the right organisation if we think that someone else can be of more help than we can.
- Answer questions about the NHS complaints procedure and explain your options.
- Provide a step by step guide to making an NHS complaint and offer some tips.
- Provide you with a POhWER advocate, an experienced worker who can help you make your complaint and support you through the NHS complaints process.
- Support you to write a complaint letter, attend a complaint meeting, request access to medical records and refer to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) if the local service is unable to resolve your complaint.
To find out more about the role of the Ombudsman in investigating complaints, see the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s website.
Contact POhWER:
Telephone – 0300 456 2370 (charged at local rate)
Email – pohwer@pohwer.net
Post – PO Box 14043, Birmingham, B6 9BL
Website - http://www.pohwer.net/index.html
Violent or abusive Patients
The practice operates a policy of zero tolerance to the above. Patients who are violent or abusive towards a doctor, staff or persons present on practice premises will be quickly removed from our practice list. Violence includes actual or threatening physical violence or verbal abuse leading to fearing for a person’s safety. We reserve the right to report the matter to the police.
Your Medical Records and Confidentiality:
All medical records, written and computerised, are confidential and information from records cannot be disclosed to anyone other than the patient unless authorisation has been attained. However patients have a legal right to have access to their own medical records under the Data Protection Act 1998 and applications to view records should be in writing and patients should be aware that a fee will be payable.
The practice complies to the statutory requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the misuse of Computers Act 1990.
The Practice share the full patient record to Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) clinicians for direct care purposes and demographic details to allow direct appointment booking.
Freedom of Information Act
The practice is registered under this Act and information can be requested from the practice manager.
Data Protection Act
We need to hold personal information about you on our Computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.
Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.
All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.
In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.
To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends, or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not leave messages with others.
You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details. An appointment will be required. In some circumstances a fee may be payable.
Subject Access request
The right of access gives individuals the right to obtain a copy of any personal information that is held about them . An individual is only entitled to their own personal data.
Subject access requests can be made in writing to the Practice Manager . You may be asked to verify your identity .