PARKHEAD HEALTH CENTRE |
|
BBC | Health News
|
 Practice Standards For our part, we are committed to giving you the best possible service, but in order to enable us to do so we ask you to help us in the following ways:
Confidentiality Complaints
Procedure Removal
From List Violence means any incident in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted by any person in circumstances arising out of, or in connection with, their work. This definition includes aggression, disorder, intimidation and bullying. Our staff work here to care for others. Being victims of violence is not part of their job. Aggression, intimidation and bullying is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. If you are concerned or worried, shouting at the staff will not help. In fact, it can make things worse. If you have a concern, please speak to a member of staff and they will do their utmost to assist you. A request for information must be made in writing and made to the practice manager. The applicant must give their name and an address for the reply. They do not need to say why they want the information. They may express a preference for the information to be provided in a particular form eg paper copies or floppy discs. We should aim to comply with their requested preference. We are not obliged to charge applicants for supplying information. If we do we will inform you before providing the information. We have 20 days to comply with your request. If you are unhappy with the information provided, please contact the Scottish Information Commissioner who has the power to enforce individuals' rights under the Act. Contact can be made at: Kinburn Castle, Doubledykes Road, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9DA, telephone 01334 464610, fax 01334 464611, email: enquiries@tspublicknowledge.info or website: www.nhsgg.org.uk/foi Your Personal Information 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 everyone involved in your care and treatment eg GP, health visitor and practice nurse. This information may be stored on paper or electronically on computer files by the practice staff. We sometimes disclose some of your personal health information with other organisations involved in your care. For example, when your GP refers you to a specialist at the hospital we will send details about you in the referral letter and receive information about you from them. Our practice also participates in regional and national programmes such as the cervical cytology screening service, and your name and address, date of birth and health number will be given to them in order to send an invitation to you. We need to use some of your personal health information for administrative purposes. In order to receive payment for services provided to you, we have to disclose your basic details to the NHS Board responsible for this area and to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service. 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 the required standards and benchmarks. Whenever we take part in activities such as these we will ensure as far as possible that any details that may identify you are not disclosed. We are sometimes involved in health research and the teaching of student nurses, doctors and other health professionals. We will not use or disclose your personal health information for these purposes unless you have been informed beforehand and given your consent or us to do so. Where you need a service jointly provided with a local authority we would seek your permission before giving them your details. Sometimes we are required by law to pass on information eg the notification of births and deaths, and certain diseases 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. The Data Protection Act gives you a number of rights in relation to how your personal information is used, including a right to access 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 who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. If you have any queries or concerns on how we use your personal health information or would like to access your information, please apply in writing to the practice manager. Your Rights And Responsibilities As An NHS Patient What Are Your Rights? As an NHS patient you have certain guaranteed right s. It is important that you know these rights and how to use them. Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board have published a Patient Charter, which sets out your rights and the standard of service you should expect to receive locally. To Receive Healthcare On The Basis Of Clinical Need, Regardless Of Your Income Everyone has the same right to equal treatment by the NHS regardless of race, sex, age, disability or sexual orientation. To Be Registered With A GP Information about GPs in your area is available from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board. You can ask for a practice leaflet from any GP practice. This will tell you about the practice and the services they offer and other details. To Receive Emergency Medical Care At Any Time Through Your GP Or The Emergency Ambulance Service, And Via Hospital Accident And Emergency Departments Many of the community hospitals in Glasgow have casualty departments. Alternatively, patients can contact their GP for casualty services. Serious emergencies should use the 999 emergency departments. To Be Referred To A Consultant, Acceptable To You, When Your GP Thinks It Is Necessary, And To Be Referred For A Second Opinion If You And Your GP Agree This Is Desirable GPs are responsible for referring patients to hospital-based specialists. You should discuss this with your GP if you want a particular consultant. You can ask your GP for a second opinion and he will discuss this with you. If you want a second opinion about GP care, you can ask to see another GP in the practice. To Be Given A Clear Explanation Of What Is Wrong With You, And Of Any Treatment Proposed, Including Risks And Any Alternatives. You Also Have The Right To Withhold Consent To Medical Treatment It is important that you should feel free to ask questions about your care and your treatment from any person involved. You can take a friend or relation with you to help get an explanation. To Have Access To Your Health Records And To Know That Those Working In The NHS Are Under A Legal Duty To Keep The Contents Confidential You can ask to see or get a copy of your own medical records stored on computer, or written health records (NHS or private after November 1991). You may also see any medical reports prepared by your doctor or insurer before they are sent on, and for six months after the date of the report. To Choose Whether Or Not You Wish To Be Examined Or Treated By A Medical Student And To Choose Whether Or Not To Take Part In A Medical Trial You should always be asked in advance about medical students or medical research. This may not always happen, and you should be aware that you can refuse and are free to withdraw at any time. To Be Given Detailed Information On Local Health Services, Including Quality Standards And Maximum Waiting Times NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board can provide you with such information. To Be Guaranteed Admission For Treatment By A Specific Date, No Later Than 12 Months From The Day Your Consultant Places You On A Waiting List You should never have to wait more than 12 months for an in-patient or daycase treatment. The Health Board is responsible for ensuring that the guarantee times are met, if necessary, by offering you treatment in an alternative hospital. To Have Any Complaint About The NHS Services - Whosoever Provides Them - Investigated And To Receive A Full And Prompt Reply If you have a complaint about any aspect of your care you should make your concerns known to the practice manager. You can also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau or NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board at: Divisional Headquarters, Gartnaval Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0XH, telephone 211 3986 or 211 0863. The Ombudsman office can generally consider complaints only when they have been fully considered. The Ombudsman's contact details are: The Scottish Public Service Ombudsman, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR, telephone 0870 11 5378 or visit their website at: www.scottishombudsman.org.uk For further information on the complaints procedure please ask the receptionist for a patient information leaflet. What are your responsibilities? The Patient's Charter sets out the commitments that the NHS makes to you as a patient. To ensure the smooth running of health services and to ensure services are effective and efficient, patients too have certain responsibilities. These are set out here: Please Keep Appointments Please try to arrive on time. If you are unable to attend an appointment, please inform the clinic or surgery in good time. If you are given an appointment time or date which is unsuitable, please telephone to change it. Remember, if you continue to default your appointments you may be removed from the list. Please Ensure Your Address Is Correct If you move house, change address or the postcode is changed, please inform your doctor's surgery or outpatient clinic and the Health Board. Please treat all healthcare staff in a reasonable and courteous manner. This is for the benefit of all concerned and will help ensure that you get the best from the NHS. Please Use Emergency Services In A Responsible Manner You should use the out-of-hours services for emergencies only and not for routine care which should be dealt with during normal working hours. Please Take Care With Medicines Medicines are for one person only and should not be shared. Keep them safely away from children and in the original container so that the instructions are clear to you. Sometimes your doctor will decide that a prescription medicine is not necessary and will explain the best treatment for your condition. Your pharmacy can dispose of unwanted medicines for you. What Is On Your Record? The Data Protection Act 1984 gives you the right to see personal information about yourself in health records that are held on computer. The Access to Health Records Act 1990, gives you the right to see personal information kept in manual files by a Health Professional concerning your care and treatment. How Do I Apply? Applications to see medical records need to be made in writing to the practice manager or, in the case of hospital records, the hospital records officer. They may send you an appointment form to fill in. You can ask someone to make the request on your behalf, but the holder of the records must be satisfied that this person has your authority. How Long Does It Take? Where your records have been created or added to within the last 40 days you must be given access within 21 days from the date of your application. Otherwise, the period is 40 days. If you have to supply further details, the period starts when these have been received. What Does It Cost? You can be charged up to £10.00 for each request if your record is held on computer, or if it is held in a manual file that has not been added to in the past 40 days. The holder can charge less or waive the fee altogether. There is no fee to see a manual file that has not been added to within the previous 40 days. If you wish to have photocopies, the holder can charge for photocopying plus any postage if they are sent to you. What Information Can I See? You are entitled to see your records and to get a copy. Any abbreviations or jargon in the record must be explained to you. Some information held on your records may be withheld, but if your record is kept on computer and you suspect that information has been withheld without any justification, you can complain to the Data Protection Registrar or by going to court. The holder does not have to tell you if information has been withheld. For more details please contact: The Scottish Public Service Ombudsman. How Can I Correct Errors? You can ask for any information about you that you think is inaccurate to be removed or corrected. This includes inaccurate or incomplete factual information or an opinion based on inaccurate or misleading information. Is Compensation Available? If your record is kept on a computer and you suffer financially or physically as a result of inaccurate information you have the right to compensation. You can also apply for compensation if the record has been lost, destroyed or disclosed without the authority of the holder. Who Can Apply? The patient themselves or a person authorised in writing on behalf of the patient; you can also make a request on behalf of your child (under 16), someone who is unable to manage their own affairs and you have been appointed to do so by a court, or on behalf of a patient who has died, if you have a claim arising from that person's death. Responsible Health Board NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde |
