Practice Policies &
Patient Information
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Access to Medical Records
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What Constitutes a Health Record?
A health record could include, and not exhaustively, hand-written clinical notes, letters between clinicians, lab reports, radiographs and imaging, videos, tape-recordings, photographs and monitoring printouts. Records can be held in both manual or computerised medias.
Patient Access to Medical Records Policy
The Data Protection Act 1998
This scope of this Act includes the right of patients to request information on their own medical records. Requests for information under this Act must:
Be in writing to the data controller (Kathryn Bush, Site Manager is the data controller) at Stourport Medical Centre. (E-mail requests are allowed. Verbal requests can be accepted where the individual is unable to put the request in writing – this must be noted on the patient record);
- Be accompanied with sufficient proof of identity to satisfy the data controller and to enable them to locate the correct information (where requests are made on behalf of another, the data controller must satisfy themselves that correct and adequate consent has been given);
- Be accompanied with the correct fee where applicable (see below for guidance on fees);
The data controller should check whether all the individual’s health record information is required or just certain aspects.
Where an information request has been previously fulfilled, the data controller does not have to honour the same request again unless a reasonable time-period has elapsed. It is up to the data controller to ascertain what constitutes as reasonable.
Requests for health records information should be recorded internally and fulfilled within 21 days (unless under exceptional circumstances – the applicant must be informed where a longer period is required). Information given should be in a manner that is intelligible to the individual.
Which clinician should be consulted for information?
The correct clinician to be consulted about an individual’s information should be:
- The clinician who is currently, or was most recently, responsible for the clinical care of the individual in connection with the information which is the subject of the request; or
- where there is more than one such clinician, the one who is the most suitable to advise on the information which is the subject of the request.
Denial or Limitation of Information
The data controller may deny or limit the scope of information given where it may fall under any of the following:
- The information released may cause serious harm to the physical or mental health or condition of the individual or any other person, or
- The disclosure would also reveal information relating to or provided by a third person who has not consented to that disclosure unless:
- The third party is a clinician who has compiled or contributed to the health records or who has been involved in the care of the individual;
- The third party, who is not a clinician, gives their consent to the disclosure of that information;
- It is reasonable to disclose the information without that third party’s consent.
A reason for denial of information does not have to be given to the individual, but must be recorded.
Former NHS Patients Living Outside the UK
Patients no longer resident in the UK still have the same rights to access their information as those who still reside here, and must make their request for information in the same manner.
Original health records should not be given to an individual to take abroad with them, however, the practice may be prepared to provide a summary of the treatment given whilst resident in the UK.
Parental Requests for Information pertaining to their Children
Parents will normally have responsibility for accessing the health records of their children, however, care must be taken to obtain consent of the child where necessary (16 and 17 year olds are seen as adults in relation to confidentiality, and their consent would be necessary). It is important to be aware that children under 16 who have capacity and understanding for decision-making should also have their confidence respected, however, they should be encouraged to involve parents and guardians in their healthcare matters.
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Consent for Patient Record Access – Proxy consent form
Consent form for FULL Record Access – June 2021
Patient Record Access – Information leaflet from RCGP
Pat Guide – Getting started GP online
Patient Access Support Portal – FAQs patient access link
Using online services – NHS (www.nhs.uk) – Patient details for using online services
Hospital Records
As well as having a copy of your health records, the surgery will also have a summary of any hospital tests, or treatment, that you have had. Any hospitals where you have had treatment, or tests, will also hold records. To see your hospital health records, you will have to contact the Hospital Trust where you were seen / received treatment.
Power of Attorney
Your health records are confidential, and members of your family are not allowed to see them, unless you give them written permission, or they have ‘Power of Attorney’. A lasting ‘Power of Attorney’ is a legal document that allows you to appoint someone to make decisions for you, should you become in capable of making decisions yourself. The person you appoint is known as your Attorney. An Attorney can make decisions about your finances, property, and welfare.It is very important that you trust the person you appoint as Attorney, so that they do not abuse their responsibility. A legal ‘Power of Attorney’ must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian before it can be used.
Care Data / Data Sharing
Care Data / Extraction of Personal Data
One of the Government’s key aims is to modernise health services and to improve health outcomes by putting patients first in every decision that the NHS makes.
Underpinning this vision is the need for high quality information so that everybody can make the right decisions at the right time. A modern data service is being developed for the NHS that will provide NHS organisations, citizens and researchers with accurate, timely information which will radically transform the way we care for and treat people and continuously improve the services we offer.
Your GP will shortly be required to supply your personal and confidential medical information to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) and NHS England. Each practice has no choice but to allow them to extract this information.
Individual patients can instruct their practice to stop the transfer of their data, just let a member of reception know to opt you out. Please make sure you have read all the information from the links below.
How Information about you helps the NHS to provide better care – please read the leaflet that explains about why the NHS needs to share information about you and other questions you may have.
For Official Information from NHS Choices Website please click on this link here Review of health and care data security and consent – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Frequently Asked Questions For Patients – Click here
For patient friendly information about care.data see the patient.co.uk website
This link is to the Patient Information Leaflet for GPES
To opt out of Care Data Sharing you need to fill in the opt out form and drop it in to reception click here to download the form
Care Quality Commission
Our quality of care is officially ‘GOOD’
This is not just what most of our patients think but is the impartial formal findings of the CQC, the Independent Regulator of Health and Social Care in England.
Your practice achieved a rating of ‘good’ for all of the standards reviewed by the Inspection Team which you can read about in more detail on the CQC website by following the link below:-
Chaperones
Chaperones are most often required or requested where a male examiner is carrying out an intimate examination or procedure on a female patient
All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they consider one is required. This is usually for an intimate examination or procedure. The chaperone may be a family member or friend, but on occasions a formal chaperone may be preferred.
If you think you will require a chaperone it is advisable to ask for one at the time of booking an appointment, if possible, so that arrangements can be made and the appointment is not delayed in any way. The Healthcare Professional (doctor or nurse) may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations.
GP Net Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (i.e. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice. The average pay for GPs working in Wyre Forest Health Partnership in the last financial year was £63,880 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 19 full time GPs, 35 part time GPs and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for longer than six months.
GP Teaching
We are an approved University of Birmingham Medical Training site for final year students.
At times you may be offered an appointment with a final year medical student. These consultations are carried out initially by the student alone and will be reviewed by the supervising doctor from the practice. They provide invaluable experience for the fifth year university students and feedback from patients who have seen students has always been very positive. You may also be asked if you would be willing for the consultation to be videoed, the video is used only for training purposes and is not seen by anyone other than the student and the supervising doctor. Any recordings made will not be kept but erased once used for student training purposes.
All your information remains confidential as it would if you were seeing a doctor from the practice in the usual way.
Your consent to be seen by a student or to have the consultation with a student videoed is always requested before the consultation and you will be asked to sign a consent form on arrival at the practice. This is in keeping with the rules set for obtaining consent for any patients to be seen by student doctors as requested by The General Medical Council.
How the Wyre Forest Health Partnership implements the NHS Constitution
The NHS is founded on a common set of principles and values that bind together the communities and people it serves – patients and public – and the staff who work for it. This Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England.
It sets out rights to which patients, public and staff are entitled, and pledges which the NHS is committed to achieve, together with responsibilities which the public, patients and staff owe to one another to ensure that the NHS operates fairly and effectively.
All NHS bodies and private and third sector providers supplying NHS services are required by law to take account of this Constitution in their decisions and actions.
The Constitution will be renewed every 10 years, with the involvement of the public, patients and staff.
The Practice:
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- Provides a comprehensive service, available to all irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and has a duty to respect their human rights
- Promotes equality through the service, providing and to paying particular attention to groups or sections of society where improvements in health and life expectancy are not keeping pace with the rest of the population.
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- Provides access to services based on clinical need, not on an individual’s ability to pay.
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- Aspires to the highest standards of excellence and professionalism, providing safe and effective high-quality care focused on patient experience.
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- Ensures that it is effectively lead and managed and its staff receive relevant education, training and development.
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- Its services reflect the needs and preferences of patients, their families and carers who will be involved in and consulted on all decisions about their care and treatment.
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- Ensures that it works across organisational boundaries and in partnership with other organisations in the interest of patients, local communities and the wider population.
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- Is accountable to the public, communities and patients that it serves.
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- Supports staff when they raise concerns about the service by ensuring their concerns are fully investigated and that there is someone independent, outside of their team, to speak to.
Patient Rights
Patients have the right:
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- To receive NHS services free of charge, apart from certain limited exceptions sanctioned by Parliament.
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- To access NHS services and not be refused access on unreasonable grounds.
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- To expect the Practice to assess the health requirements of the local community and to commission and put in place the services to meet those needs as considered necessary.
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- In certain circumstances to go to other European Economic Area countries or Switzerland for treatment which would be available through the NHS.
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- Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness) or age.
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- To access services within maximum waiting times, or to be offered a range of alternative providers if this is not possible.
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- To be treated with a professional standard of care, by appropriately qualified and experienced staff, in a properly approved or registered organisation that meets required levels of safety and quality.
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- To be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights.
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- To accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.
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- To be given information about their proposed treatment in advance, including any significant risks and any alternative treatments which may be available, and the risks involved in doing nothing.
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- To privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.
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- To access to their own health records.
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- To choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.
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- To express a preference for using a particular doctor within their GP Practice.
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- To make choices about their NHS care and to information to support these choices.
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- To be involved in discussions and decisions about their healthcare, and to be given information to enable them to do this.
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- To be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.
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- To have any complaint you make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.
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- To make a claim for judicial review if they think they have been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body.
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- To compensation where they have been harmed by negligent treatment.
Patient Responsibilities
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- To make a significant contribution to their own, and their family’s, good health and well-being, and take some personal responsibility for it.
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- To treat NHS staff and other patients with respect and recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in prosecution.
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- To provide accurate information about their health, condition and status.
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- To keep appointments, or cancel within reasonable time.
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- To follow the course of treatment which they have agreed, and talk to their clinician if they find this difficult.
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- To participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination.
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- To ensure that those closest to them are aware of their wishes about organ donation.
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- To give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care they have received, including any adverse reactions they may have had.
Practice Staff Rights
Practice Staff have the right:
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- To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives;
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- To have a fair pay and contract framework;
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- To be involved and represented in the workplace;
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- To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence;
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- To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination; and
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- To raise an internal grievance and if necessary seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld;
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- To raise any concern with their employer, whether it is about safety, malpractice or other risk, in the public interest, without suffering any detriment.
NHS Pledge to Staff Members
The NHS Commits:
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- To provide all staff with clear roles and responsibilities and rewarding jobs for teams and individuals that make a difference to patients, their families and carers and communities;
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- To provide all staff with personal development, access to appropriate training for their jobs and line management support to succeed;
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- To provide support and opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety;
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- To engage staff in decisions that affect them and the services they provide, individually, through representative organisations and through local partnership working arrangements. All staff will be empowered to put forward ways to deliver better and safer services for patients and their families;
To support all staff in raising concerns at the earliest reasonable opportunity about safety, malpractice or wrongdoing at work, responding to and, where necessary, investigating the concerns raised and acting consistently with the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.
Named Allocated GP for all patients
All patients that are now registered at York House Medical Centre have a named allocated GP who will oversee your care. You are still entitled to see whichever Clinician you choose to.
There are several ways for you to find out who your allocated GP is:
- On the right hand side of your repeat prescription slip.
- Enquire during your consultation with any clinician
- Enquire at reception
- Enquire with the administration team
Please speak to reception if you would like to change your allocated named GP and we can do this straight away for you.
National Research and Surveillance Data
This practice is one of over 600 practices in England contributing pseudonymised data for national research and surveillance.
These data enable continuous monitoring of infections and diseases in the community and is used in ethically approved research. The RCGP RSC is the main source of information for Public Health England (PHE) and helps with prediction and management of flu out-breaks and pandemics.
Providing pseudonymised data does not affect patients, their care or privacy, however if you no longer wish to allow your information to be used, please speak to your GP.
Patient info leaflet
Practice Charter
Patient Charter
Patient’s Rights to General Medical Services
To be offered a health check on joining a doctor’s list for the first time.
To have appropriate drugs and medicine prescribed.
To be referred to a Consultant acceptable to them when they and their GP thinks it is necessary, and to be referred for a second opinion if they and their GP think it is advisable.
To have access to their health records, subject to any limitations of the law, and to know that those working for the NHS are under a legal duty to keep those records confidential.
To choose whether to take part in research or medical student training.
To receive a copy of their doctors practice leaflet, setting out the services that he or she provides.
To receive a full and prompt reply to any complaints they make about the care they receive at Stourport Medical Centre.
Stourport Medical Centre Philosophy
Our aims are to offer the highest standard of health care and advice to our patients, with the resources available to us.
We have a team approach to patient care and endeavour to monitor the service provided to patients, to ensure that it meets current standards of excellence.
We are dedicated to ensuring that practice staff and doctors are trained to the highest level and to provide a stimulating and rewarding environment in which to work.
Our Practice Charter
You will be treated with courtesy and respect by all practice personnel.
An urgent appointment with a doctor or nurse Practitioner will be available on the same day.
A non-urgent appointment with a doctor will be offered within 48 hours
Our standard is to see 80% of patients within 20 minutes of their appointment time. If you have waited longer than this please ask the receptionist for an explanation.
We aim to answer the telephone within six rings.
An appointment with a practice nurse will be available within three working days.
Requests for repeat prescriptions will be dealt with within 48 hours. This can be in person or by telephoning 01299 827171 between 9am-12noon and 2.00pm-4pm.
All comments and suggestions about the service are welcome. Please use the box provided in the waiting area.
If you have a complaint please speak to any member of staff. Your complaint will be dealt with in a professional and efficient manner.
We wish to make the Stourport Medical Centre as accessible as possible. If you have hearing, visual or physical difficulties please let the receptionist know so that we can enable you to fully use our services.
Patient’s Responsibilities
If you are unable to attend for an appointment please let us know so that we can offer it to someone else.
If you are late for your appointment you may be asked to rebook at another time. Try to let us know in advance if you are going to be unavoidably delayed, so that we can make alternative arrangements to help you.
A home visit should only be requested for those who are unable to come to the surgery because of serious illness or infirmity. Please ring the surgery before 10am if at all possible.
An urgent appointment is for an urgent medical problem. Please speak to the receptionist if you require a sick note or repeat prescription.
We would ask you to be patient if the doctor is running late. This is often due to unforeseeable emergencies but please ask for an explanation from the receptionist.
Make a separate appointment for each patient that needs to be seen. This allows the doctor enough time to treat each patient with the time that they deserve.
Please act in a responsible and courteous manner whilst on the practice premises for the safety and comfort of others.
Please treat all surgery staff, fellow patients, carers and visitors politely and with respect. Violence or verbal harassment will not be tolerated or accepted, you may be asked to register at another surgery if this behaviour occurs.
How You Can Help Us To Help You
Please read our practice booklet. This will help you to get the best out of the services we offer.
Any comments or suggestions you wish to pass on to us may be either given to a member of staff or ‘posted’ into the box in the entrance lobby of the surgery.
We ask that you treat the doctors and staff with the respect and politeness you would expect to receive from them.
Valuable staff time is often spent in ‘tracking down’ patients who have failed to let us know that they have changed their name or address. Please inform us of any such change as soon as possible.
Please do not call before the suggested time.
If you are unhappy with our service, complaints can be made either to any member of your health care team or, if preferred, to the practice manager in writing. Remember that aggressive or abusive behaviour is not helpful and in extreme circumstances an offending patient will be reported to the police and may be removed from the list.
Violence And Abuse
This is a zero tolerance practice and any incidence of abusive or violent behaviour will lead to the person involved being removed from the practice list and advised to seek another practic
Practice Staff Responsibilities
Practice Staff have the duty:
- To accept professional accountability and maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body applicable to their profession or role.
- To take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others, and to co-operate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
- To act in accordance with the express and implied terms of their contract of employment.
- Not to discriminate against patients or staff and to adhere to equal opportunities and equality and human rights legislation.
- To protect the confidentiality of personal information that they hold unless to do so would put anyone at risk of significant harm.
- To be honest and truthful in applying for a job and in carrying out that job.
- To play their part in ensuring the success of the NHS and delivering high-quality care by:
- Maintaining the highest standards of care and service, taking responsibility not only for the care they personally provide, but also for their wider contribution to the aims of their team and the NHS as a whole;
- Taking up training and development opportunities provided over and above those legally required of their particular post;
- Actively taking part in sustainably improving services by working in partnership with patients, the public and communities;
- Raising any genuine concern they may have about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work (such as a risk to patient safety, fraud or breaches of patient confidentiality), which may affect patients, the public, other staff or the Practice itself, at the earliest reasonable opportunity;
- Being open with patients, their families, carers or representatives, including if anything goes wrong; welcoming and listening to feedback and addressing concerns promptly and in a spirit of co-operation. Staff should contribute to a climate where the truth can be heard and the reporting of, and learning from, errors is encouraged;
- Viewing the services they provide from the standpoint of a patient, and involve patients, their families and carers in the services they provide, working with them, their communities and other organisations, and making it clear who is responsible for their care.
Source:
The NHS Constitution (March 2013):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england
This link contains the following documents;
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- The NHS Constitution for England
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- Handbook to the NHS Constitution
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- Public Health Supplements to the NHS Constitution
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- NHS Constitution for England (Easy Read Version)
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- NHS Constitution (Easy Read Poster)
Shared Care Record Privacy Policy
What is the Shared Care Record?
The Shared Care Record is a way of bringing together all your separate records from the different organisations involved in your health and care. It’s confidential and different to anything you might have heard of before.
It will let health and care professionals see relevant information about the care and treatment you’ve had across all services.
We know you only want to tell your story once when receiving care from any health or social care organisation across Herefordshire and Worcestershire. That’s why we’ve developed the Shared Care Record.
A new series of videos raising awareness of the Shared Care Record are available for our patients.
The videos feature recordings from clinicians and social work professionals, and explain the benefits of joined-up health and care records.
The Videos, entitled: ‘An introduction to the Shared Care Record’, ‘Why the Shared Care Record matters’, and ‘The Shared Care Record and your Care’ can all be found by following the link;
Herefordshire and Worcestershire ccg – Shared Care Record
There is also an additional video on: ‘Your right to object to the Shared Care Record’, which explains to our patients the consequences of opting out of data sharing. You have the right to object at any time. We don’t recommend this, as information that could be vital when you need health or social care support – for instance, during a visit to a hospital Emergency Department – might not be immediately to hand as a result. To view this video follow the link;
Herefordshire and Worcestershire ccg – Right to Object
You can find the list of updated partner shared care record organisations on this link
Suggestions & Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice and take any complaint seriously.
However, we are aware that things can 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.
You can contact the Site Manager, Donna Davies by letter, by email [email protected] or telephone on 01299 827171 and she will do all she can to try and resolve any issue.
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.
Your Health Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). The Summary Care Record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially, it will contain just your medications and allergies.
Later on as the central NHS computer system develops, (known as the ‘Summary Care Record’ – SCR), other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.
Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.
As with all new systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.
On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Record have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.
For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.
Your Health Record
Your Information and Confidentiality
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
We have a duty to:
- Maintain full and accurate records of the care we provide to you
- Keep records about you confidential and secure
- Provide information in a format that is accessible to you (e.g. large type if you are partially sighted)
We will not share information that identifies you for any reason unless:
- You ask us to do so
- We ask and you give us specific permission
- We have to do this by law
- We have special permission for health or research purposes, or
- We have special permission because the interests of the public are thought to be of greater importance than your confidentiality—for example, if you had a serious medical condition that may put others you had come into contact with at risk
- We hold your records in STRICT CONFIDENCE
Confidentiality & Medical Records
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. In these circumstances we do not require your consent to share this information
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.
WFHP & Stourport Health Centre’s Patient Privacy Policy
Your Personal Data
We take your personal data extremely seriously and take every precaution to ensure it is safe and secure.
When you attend an appointment or contact the surgery you may be asked to confirm your contact details with a receptionist or clinician. This is to ensure that we have your correct details such as address, mobile number and email address associated with your clinical record; to enable us to communicate with you about your health in a quick, efficient and secure manner.
Our policy is that normally every young person 14 and above has their own mobile number on their records for confidentiality reasons. If this applies to you or a family member, please contact the surgery to make the necessary changes.
WFHP Patients Privacy Notice
Below are 2 leaflets that explains how NHS England and our surgery are sharing your medical information to enable to offer the best possible care:
About your Medical Records
The government have also started a publicity campaign about this.
See below leaflet for details:
How information provides better care leaflet
Your Information and Confidentiality
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential.
We have a duty to
Maintain full and accurate records of the care we provide to you
Keep records about you confidential and secure
Provide information in a format that is accessible to you (e.g. large type if you are partially sighted)
We will not share information that identifies you for any reason unless:
- You ask us to do so
- We ask and you give us specific permission
- We have to do this by law
- We have special permission for health or research purposes, or
- We have special permission because the interests of the public are thought to be of greater importance than your confidentiality—for example, if you had a serious medical condition that may put others you had come into contact with at risk
We hold your records in STRICT CONFIDENCE
WFHP COVID-19 PRIVACY NOTICE – to be updated
Below are 2 leaflets that explains how NHS England and our surgery are sharing your medical information to enable to offer the best possible care:
Patient Leaflet about Care Data
About Your Medical Centre
Who are our partner organisations?
We may share information with the following main partner organisations:
Strategic Health Authorities (SHA’s)
NHS Trusts (Hospital’s, PCT’s)
Special Health Authorities
Ambulance Service
You may be receiving care from other organisations as well as the NHS (for example Social Services), we may need to share some information about you so we can all work together for your benefit. We only ever use or pass on your information if others involved have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health or safety of others is at risk or where the law requires information to be passed on. We may share yourinformation, with your consent and subject to strict sharing protocols on howit will be used, with:
SocialServices
EducationServices
LocalAuthorities
VoluntarySector Providers
PrivateSector
Anyone who receives information from us also has a legal duty to: KEEP IT CONFIDENTIAL!
We are required by law to report some information to the appropriate authorities. For example:
· Infectious diseases which may endanger the safety of others, such as meningitis or measles (but not HIV/AIDS)
· Where a formal court order has been issued
Our guiding principle is that we hold your records in the strictest of confidence.
Why we collect information about you:
In the National Health Service we aim to provide you with the highest quality of health care. To do this we must keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.
These records may include:
- Basic details about you such as address, date of birth, next of kin
- Contact we have had with you such as clinical visits
- Notes and reports about your health
- Details and records about your treatment and care
- Results of x-rays, laboratory tests, etc.
- Relevant information from people who care for you and know you well such as healthprofessionals and relatives
It is good practice for people in the NHS who provide care to:
Discuss and agree with you what they are going to record about you
Give you a copy of letters they are writing about you, and
Show you what they have recorded about you, if you ask
How your records are used
- The people who care for you use your records to:
- Provide a good basis for all health decisions made in consultation with you and otherhealth care professionals
- Deliver appropriate health care
- Make sure your health care is safe and effective, and
- Work effectively with others providing you with health care
Others may also need to use records about you to:
- Check the quality of health care (such asclinical audit)
- Protect the health of the general public
- Keep track of NHS spending
- Manage the health service
- Help investigate any concerns or complaints you or your family have about yourhealth care
- Teach health workers and
- Help with research
Some information will be held centrally to beused for statistical purposes. In these instances we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified
We use anonymous information, wherever possible, but on occasions we may use personal identifiable information for essential NHS purposes such as research and auditing.
However, this information will only be used with your consent, unless the law requires usto pass on the information
You have the right
You have the right to confidentiality under the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), the Human Rights Act 1998 and the common law duty of confidence (the Disability Discrimination and the Race Relations Acts may also apply)
You also have the right to ask for a copy of all records about you (a fee may be charged) see Access to Medical Records
- Your request must be made in writing to the organisation holding your information
- There may be a charge to have a printed copy of the information held about you
- We are required to respond to you within 40 working days
- You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number etc.)
- You will be required to provide ID before any information is released to you
If you think anything is inaccurate or incorrect, please inform the surgery or organisation such as the hospital holding your information
Notification
The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to notify the Information Commissioner of the purposes for which they process personal information
Non-urgent advice: Please Note
Wyre Forest Health Partnership and its sites (Bewdley Medical Centre , Church Street Surgery, Hagley Surgery, Kidderminster Medical Centre, Stourport Medical Centre), does not endorse any private health care provider, which operates within or without of our buildings. Patients are recommended to make their own enquiries as to the suitability of any private provider of health care which they might consider using.