Practice Policies

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.

GDPR

Please see our data privacy notice.

Privacy information leaflet

Privacy information leaflet for children

NHS Digital transparency notice

Freedom of Information

Information about the general practitioners 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.

Infection Control

Infection Control Policy

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.

All information can be found in the practice’s complaints leaflet.

Extended Access Service Complaints

If you have been seen by the Extended Access Service at the Brambles Surgery at an evening or weekend appointment and wish to raise a complaint or concern, please contact their General Manager:

Email ACE manager at ace.ltd@nhs.net

By post: The Brambles Surgery, Geary Dr, Brentwood, CM15 9DY

Full Extended Access complaints procedure

Zero Tolerance 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. Any verbal abuse directed towards us via any social media platforms may also result in either a written warning or removal from the practice list.  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.

Patient Social Media Guidance

At The New Surgery, we have a website page that provides a range of useful information for our patient population.

This practice has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us to achieve this by adhering to the code of conduct outlined in this guidance.

Patients are expected to always adhere to the following code of conduct:

1. The organisation requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, respecting their fellow patients. Portable devices are not to be used during consultations, except when agreed with your clinician.

2. Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients unless they have the express consent of that patient.

3. Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory or unlawful. Any such posts on any of the practice’s social media pages will be deleted and the post reported.

4. Patients are not permitted to take photographs in any area where other patients are present, nor is it permitted to take photographs of staff.

5. Patients must not post comments on social media that identify any staff.

6. Defamatory comments about our team are not to be shared on any social media platform. Legal advice may be sought and the appropriate action taken against any patient who posts defamatory comments.

Patient complaints on social media

We have a separate Complaints Procedure that patients are to use should they wish to make a complaint. We will only respond to complaints made to the organisation in accordance with practice policy.

If a complaint is made on a social media platform, it will not be acknowledged and you will be requested to delete it.