Practice Policies

This page contains all the information that you need to know about our policies as a practice. Please take the time to look through them and if you want any more information, please ask at reception or email us from the contact page with your query.

Patient Information

Car Parking
There is limited car parking at the rear of the Medical Centre and is for the use of patients with a doctor or nurse appointment only. There is a large public car park adjacent to the surgery.

Disabled Access
Designated parking spaces are available for disabled patients. Wheelchair access is possible to all rooms and facilities.

Nappy Changing
Nappy changing facilities are available in the ground floor WC. This door is kept locked for security reasons, please ask at Reception.

Non NHS Services
Fees are chargeable for services falling outside the NHS regulations, such as private sick certificates, insurance reports and examinations, holiday cancellation forms, pre-employment medicals, HGV, PSV, Ofsted forms, etc. Please check at Reception.

Chaperone
Trained chaperones are available in the surgery. If you would prefer somebody with you during your physical examination with the doctor or the nurse, please ask at Reception.

Patient Responsibilities

Access
You can help us by:

• Being on time for your appointment
• Letting us know if you need to cancel
• Calling for a home visit or urgent appointment before 10am
• Ringing for the results of tests after 11.30am

Health Questionnaire
When joining the Practice you will be asked to complete a confidential health questionnaire. We can then plan your health care with regular health screening and specialist clinics for diabetes, asthma, heart disease and blood pressure.

Appointments
If you are unable to attend an appointment please let us know immediately. Even at short notice we may be able to book another patient into that slot and not waste the Doctor’s or Nurse’s time.

Change of Personal Details
If you change your name, address or telephone number, please let us know. If you move outside the practice area you will be need to find a doctor in your new area. If you have any difficulties, please contact Patient and Practitioner Services Agency on 01392 207459 or the Health Commission on 020 7448 9100.

Complaints
We have an in-house complaints procedure should you have any complaints. Please contact the Practice Manager for further details.

Requests for Results
Please ring for results or to make general enquiries after 11.30am. Between 8.30am and 11.30am is a very busy time in Reception resulting in delays in getting through, and results are not usually received at the Medical Centre until later in the morning.

Zero Tolerance
We aim to treat our patients courteously at all times and expect our patients to treat our staff in a similarly respectful way. We take seriously any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff or patients. If a patient is violent or abusive, they will be warned to stop their behaviour. If they persist, we may exercise our right to take action to have them removed, immediately if necessary, from our list of patients.

Alternative Resources
Advice and possible treatment can also be sought from your local Pharmacy or from NHS Direct - 08 45 46 47.

Practice Responsibilities

Freedom of Information - The Act
The Freedom of Information (FOI) was passed on 30th November 2000. It give a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, with full access granted in January 2005. The Act sets out exemptions to that right and places certain obligations on public authorities.

FOI will replace the Open Government Code of Practice that has been in operation since 1994.

You can read the full Act on:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/20000036.htm

Practice FOI statement:
Click here to open the FOI Publication scheme

Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat in order to view the FOI Publication scheme.

Data Protection Act 1998
If you want to know what information the Practice holds about you then you have rights under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA)

How do I make a request?
You can write to the Practice Manager requesting access to your medial record. We can provide someone to interpret medical terminology for you and can also provide photocopies of any information you wish to keep.

Confidentiality
To protect your confidentiality, we check that anyone asking for personal information has the right to receive it. We may ask you to provide proof of your identity or provide a written authority before making information available.

Cost
We charge a fee for the interpreting service and for providing copies of the information. We will tell you the cost first so that you can choose whether to proceed or not.

More details
We may ask for further details to help us find the information you want. In certain circumstances we may edit the information provided by a third party.

You will find a great deal of information and guidance about the Data Protection Act on the Information Commissioner’s website:

www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

How we use personal information

Information we hold

1. Personal information such as your name, address, contact details, and date of birth.
2. Your medical record including your past record, details you have told us about and details provided by others, e.g. any hospitals you may have attended.
3. Details of when you contact us and when we contact you.

Central Database

1. All clinical information is stored in the Practice on a secure central Database.
2. The Practice database now has links to the Department of Health Patient Demographic Service (PDS).
3. Any information received by us or if you advise us of any changes we will automatically update our database to ensure records are up to date and accurate.

Managing Records

1. The Practice uses your information to open and maintain your record.
2. We collect this information from you directly or from a third party authorised to transfer information on your behalf, e.g. your previous GP Practice.

Pre-filling of forms

1. If we are asked to provide information about you, in order to improve our services we may pre-fill forms using the information we hold on you.
2. No information is provided to a third party without written authorisation from you.

Database security

1. Our database is password protected and only authorised personnel may access your record on a need to know basis.
2. Database information is validated on a quarterly basis by our Clinical System Support Organisation and by the Patient and Practitioner Services Agency every three years.

Risk Assessment
The Practice is required to hold policies on:

1. Patient Privacy and Confidentiality
2. Clinical Procedures
3. Administrative Procedures
4. Complaints
5. Records Management, Information Sharing and Data Protection
6. Drugs, Dispensing, Prescribing and Prescriptions
7. Health and Safety
8. Employment
9. Risk Management
10. Audit and Controls Assurance

All the above policies are in place. These are audited by Devon Primary Care Trust each year and are monitored and updated annually by the Practice.