Your Personal Health Information
What we record
To provide you with the care you need we hold details of your consultations, illnesses, tests, prescriptions and other treatments that have been recorded by anyone involved in your care e.g. Doctor, nurse Practitioner, practice nurse, Healthcare Assistants. This information may be stored on paper or electronically on computer files by practice staff.
How we use Your Personal Health Information
We may need to disclose information to other health professionals involved in your care, such as when your doctor refers you to a specialist at hospital we will send relevant details about you in a letter, and receive information about you from them. Our practice also participates in regional and national screening programmes such as cervical cytology service and your name, address, date of birth and health number will be given to them to allow an invitation to be sent to you.
We need to use some information for administrative purposes. In order to receive payment for services provided to you, we have to disclose basic details about you to NHS Tayside and to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service. These organisations have a role in protecting funds and are authorised to check that payments are being made properly. We are required to co-operate with these checks and the disclosure of data is a necessary part of our provision of healthcare services.
Sometimes we may participate in studies that are designed to improve the way services are provided to you or to check that our performance meets required standards and benchmarks. Whenever we take part in activities such as these, we will ensure that as far as possible, any details that may identify you are not disclosed.
We are also sometimes involved in health research and the teaching of student nurses, doctors and other health professionals. We will not use or disclose any personal health information for these purposes unless you have been informed beforehand and given consent for us to do so.
Where you need a service jointly provided with a local authority we will seek your permission before giving them your details.
Sometimes we are required by law to pass on information e.g. the notification of births, deaths and certain disease or crimes to the government is a legal requirement.
Our use of your personal health information is covered by a duty of confidentiality and is regulated by the Data Protection Act. This Data Protection Act gives you a number of rights in relation to how your personal information is used, including a right to access the information we hold about you.
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential and adheres to a Code of practice on Protecting Patient confidentiality. Further information on this can be found at www.nhsis.co.uk/confidentiality. Anyone within the NHS who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.
Suggestions or Complaints
Our aim is to provide you with high quality primary health care. As successful relationships depend upon mutual trust between patient and doctor you will be treated with respect and courtesy and any information you give us will be treated in the strictest confidence. In return, we expect patients to afford the same respect to the doctors and staff of this practice.
We take seriously any comments or complaints and have a procedure to deal with such instances as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints. We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. Complaints should be addressed to Mrs. Gail Graham, Business/Practice manager, or alternatively you may ask for an appointment with Mrs. Graham to discuss your concerns.
Patients Charter
As doctors, we aim to provide you with safe and up to date medical care, honest and realistic advice and a friendly efficient service.
As Patients, we ask you to use our services responsibly and respect our staff and premises.
Your Rights
- Confidentiality from all members of staff at all times.
- Telephone calls answered as promptly as possible
- A consultation will be given with one of the doctors on the same day if you are acutely ill.
- An explanation given if you have to wait more than 20 minutes after your appointment time
- Repeat prescriptions to be processed within 2 working days
- Prompt investigation of any complaint
Your Responsibilities
- To treat our staff with courtesy at all times. We have a zero tolerance towards violent/abusive patients. Any patient who acts in an unacceptable manner may be removed from the list of patients for this practice. In the unlikely event of such an incident the patient will be informed in writing and advised to register with another practice.
- Not to request a home visit when you are capable of attending the Surgery
- To cancel appointments as soon as possible if you cannot attend.
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.