Your Rights and Responsibilities
We aim to provide the best possible service to our patients and hope you will feel that we achieve that aim. The care of your health is a partnership between yourself and the Primary Health Care Team. The success of that partnership depends on an understanding of each other’s needs and co-operation between us.
Our Responsibility to You
- To be treated with respect and courtesy, to have privacy, confidentiality and dignity respected.
- To receive clear understandable information about your treatment and care, Ask questions if you are unsure.
- You have the right to see your medical records subject to the limitations of the law.
- To be seen the same day if your problem is urgent.
- To be seen by the doctor or health professional of your choice whenever possible.
- To be kept informed on waiting times, delay and cancellations.
- You will be referred to a consultant when your GP thinks it necessary.
- You will be given the result of any test or investigation on request or at your next appointment.
- Your repeat prescription will be ready for collection within 48 hours of your request.
- Your suggestions and comments about the services offered will be considered sympathetically and any complaint dealt with quickly.
Your Responsibility to Us
- Please treat all surgery staff with the same respect – we are all just doing our job.
- Do not ask for information about anyone other than yourself.
- Tell us of any change of name or address, so that our records are accurate.
- Only request an urgent appointment if appropriate.
- Home visits should only be requested if you are really too ill to attend surgery, and night visits should be for emergencies only.
- Please cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend as alternative arrangements can be made, benefiting others.
- Please be punctual, but be prepared to wait if your own consultation is delayed by an unexpected emergency.
- Please allow sufficient time for your consultant’s letter or the results of any tests to reach us you will be advised of the usual length of time to wait.
- Use the tear off slip to request your repeat prescription whenever possible.
- Please attend for review, when asked, before your next prescription is due.
- Do let us know whenever you feel we have not met our responsibility to you, we would, of course, be pleased to hear when you feel praise is due as well.
Zero Tolerance Policy
The Practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff.
Please understand that violent, aggressive and abusive behaviour towards any member of our practice team will NOT be tolerated.
Patients who behave in a violent, aggressive or abusive way to practice staff or other patients on the premises, will be removed from the practice list with immediate effect and the incident will be reported to the police.