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 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
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
Practice Charter
At Dashwood Medical Centre we aim to provide our patients with the best quality care. Our patient charter is a statement of what you can expect from our practice and in turn what we feel we can expect from you.
Your Rights As Our Patient
- You will be treated courteously by the doctors, nurses and all members of the admin team
- You have the right to confidentiality
- You have the right to have access to your medical records subject to the limitations of the law
- You will be seen by the doctor of your choice wherever possible
- You will be referred to a consultant appropriate to your condition when necessary
- Any complaint will be dealt with sympathetically and promptly
Your Responsibility To Us
- To treat all surgery staff with courtesy and respect
- To let the surgery know if you are not attending an appointment so that someone else can attend
- To inform us of your up-to-date address and telephone numbers in case we need to contact you
- To only request an emergency appointment or home visit if appropriate
- To let us know when you feel that we have not met our responsibility to you but please give praise when it is due
- Not to expect a prescription from every consultation with the doctor. There may be other options for treatment
- To take medicines according to instructions and only ask for a repeat prescription if you need one.
Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
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.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
Privacy Notices
Dashwood Medical Centre - Privacy Notices