Practice Charter

The Patient's Rights

Our commitment to work together:

• This practice aims to provide the highest quality health care available under the NHS to all its patients with a well-trained and motivated primary health care team.

• Patients will be treated with consideration and courtesy by all our staff.

• Patients will receive appropriate information about their condition and treatment.

• The practice will endeavour to educate patients on health care matters whenever possible.

Your commitment to work with us:

• Patients should attend their appointments at the arranged time. If this is not possible they should inform the surgery as soon as possible.

• We expect that patients will understand that appointments are for one person only. Additional appointments should be made where there is more than one person.

• Many problems can be resolved by advice alone. Therefore patients should not always expect a prescription.

We would ask for patients' support in dealing with all members of the Primary Care Team in the practice in a courteous and proper manner. We will deal with your requests as promptly and politely as possible. In return, we ask that patients remain polite and courteous towards our staff at all times.

Confidentiality

We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously. Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. All your personal and medical details are kept secret and will not be released unless you give your permission, with the following exceptions:

1. With the consent of the patient, eg if you require a medical report or your records are to be sent to a third party such as a solicitor or insurance company

2. When letters are sent to other medical personnel, ie when a referral to a hospital or specialist is made. However, they will also keep your information entirely confidential.

3. If we think your health, wellbeing or safety is at risk, we may be obliged to tell someone else, for example, Social Services or other agencies. If this is necessary, the doctor/nurse must tell you first before passing on any information.

4. If the law requires it, eg in notifying certain illnesses in order to protect the health of the public generally.

5. If you have signed a Power of Attorney.

Our practice provides confidential help, information and support.

Even if you are under 16, doctors and nurses still have to keep anything you tell them private, just as they would for an adult.

Comments & Complaints

We have a complaints procedure for dealing with any complaints you may have. If you would like a copy of the procedure please ask at the reception desk. We would hope to be able to sort out your complaint as and when it happens so please tell us straight away if you have a problem with our service. If you feel that your complaint has not been fully answered please ask for our complaints manager, Mrs Angela Martin. If she is not in the building please leave a phone number and we will call you back as soon as possible.

Any written complaints will be acknowledged within three working days and we will then investigate and send you a full written reply. Complaints may be addressed to Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust but they will be referred back to us in the first instance for handling by our practice complaints procedure. We take all comments, complaints and suggestions very seriously as we are continually striving to improve our service to our patients.