Confidentiality

confidential

The practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt.

Model Publication Scheme - further information

Comments & Complaints

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We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can occasionally go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager and she will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available on the complaints procedure from reception.

We are continually striving to improve our service. Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated and a suggestion box is located in the waiting area.

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

Getting it right
Being customer focused
Being open and accountable
Acting fairly and proportionately
Putting things right
Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.

Tel: 0345 015 4033

Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.

So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. However sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

What does PALS do?

In particular, PALS will:

Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.

Find out more

If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve , follow this link.

Noticeboard

Practice Performance

We are pleased to announce that once again we have achieved maximum points in the 2012 Quality and Performance survey carried out independently by the PCT. We are one of only two surgeries in the Airedale region and one of only twelve in the whole district of sixty-six GP practices to have achieved this!

This year we are also achieved maximum performance in key prescribing indicators which assesses the efficiency of the doctor's prescribing.

And to complete the hat trick we also achieved maximum achievable Quality Outcomes points which covers the management of most of the major chronic conditions.

Thank you to all the staff and patients who helped us perform so well. We will keep up the good work. If you do have any suggestions as to how we could improve our service then please let us know, we are always happy to listen.

Automated Arrival

We now have an automated check in system. On arrival you can register yourself as arrived using the touch screen on the right before reception. When your appointment is due your name will appear on the large screen in the waiting room. If you would prefer to use the traditional method of speaking to a receptionist this is still available.

Baby Changing Facilities

A lot of our new mums and dads have asked us for better baby chaining facilities. We have listened to your comments and will be providing a baby changing area shortly for you and your new arrivals to use.