PATIENTS'
CHARTER
WE ARE COMMITTED TO GIVING YOU THE BEST POSSIBLE SERVICE. A SATISFACTORY
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOCTORS AND PATIENTS MEANS THAT WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES
TO EACH OTHER. PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU.
The
practice aims to:
- treat you as
an individual and give you courtesy and respect at all times
- ensure that you
receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people
- give you full
information about the service we offer
- ensure that people
involved in your care will give you their names and inform you of
how you can contact them
- ensure that surgery
consultations will be readily available and a home visit will be offered
to those patients who are too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery
- endeavour to
start consultations on time, but please appreciate that delay is sometimes
inevitable and, when this happens, we will try to keep you informed
- consider any
comments that you have to make on how we can improve the service that
we offer
- try to answer
the telephones promptly and ensure there are sufficient staff available
to do this
- provide you with
prompt and accurate information regarding test results
- offer you advice
on how to achieve a healthier lifestyle
- offer advice
on self-help in minor illnesses
- offer an efficient service
with regard to repeat prescriptions
Patients
can help to provide an efficient service by:
- treating the
doctors and their staff with courtesy and respect
- following medical
advice that you are offered and taking any medication as advised
- asking for an
explanation if you do not understand any advice or treatment that
is given to you
- informing us
if you change your name, address or telephone number
- reading our practice
booklet – it and this website will help you to get the best out of the services
that we offer
- asking for medical
attention in the evenings, at night and weekends only in a situation
where the patient cannot be brought to the surgery within normal hours
- making requests
for home visits before 10.00am and only in a situation where the patient
cannot be brought to the surgery within normal hours
- doing your best
to keep appointments and notifying us as soon as possible if you cannot
attend
- endeavouring
to be punctual; if you arrive later than your appointment time this
may cause delays and inconvenience to other patients
- requesting more
than one appointment, if you wish more than one patient to be seen
- keeping telephone
calls as brief as possible and avoiding calling during peak morning
for non-urgent matters
- cancelling any
hospital appointments which have been made for you if you cannot attend
– this will enable another patient to be fitted in.
Help
Us To Help You
Please take the time to browse our website and read our practice booklet; they will help you get the best out of the services
we offer. We trust that you will find them helpful and informative.
It is important that you understand the information given to you; please
ask us questions if you are unsure of anything. Remember, you are responsible
for your own health and the health of your children. We will give you
our professional help and advice. Please act upon it.
Please let
us know if you change your name, address or telephone number. Please
do everything you can to keep appointments and tell us as soon as possible
if you cannot. Otherwise other patients may have to wait longer.
We need help too!
Please ask for a home visit by the doctor only when the person is too
ill to visit the surgery. Please keep your phone calls brief and avoid
calling during peak morning time for non-urgent matters. We ask that
you treat the doctors and surgery staff with courtesy and respect.
Confidentiality
The practice computer is registered under
the Data Protection Act and strict confidentiality is maintained. All
staff are bound by strict rules of confidentiality.
Medical
Records
Information from medical records is strictly
confidential and will only be divulged with your written consent.
Your medical records are kept on a secure computer network and
information is shared strictly on a need-to-know basis, only with Priory
Medical Centre staff and other health professionals when necessary to
ensure good quality patient care.
As we are a training practice,
our standards are assessed every three years by external doctors and
a small sample of medical records may be made available to them, in
strict confidence, to aid assessment.
FREEDOM
OF INFORMATION – PUBLICATION SCHEME
The Freedom
of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication
Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’
of information the practice intends to routinely make available.
This scheme is available from reception.
Complaints
Procedure
To help us ensure that we provide the
best possible service for our patients, Priory Medical Centre runs a
practice-based complaints procedure. A leaflet giving information about
the procedure can be obtained from reception.
If you need to
complain about any aspect of our service please ask to speak to Mrs
Christine Riley, Practice Manager.
We will endeavour to acknowledge
your complaint within two days and investigate it within ten days. You
may be invited to attend a meetings with a senior member of the practice
and the team member involved in the complaint.
If you are not
satisfied with the outcome of our investigation you can contact the
Health Authority who will investigate the matter further on your behalf.
Patient
Participation Group
Dr Kevin Simms and the practice manager head this group. They meet once every two months. If you would like to join the group please telephone Chris Riley, practice manager on 0151 261 4704.
Joint
Postnatal/Immunisation Clinic
This clinic is held
every Wednesday morning for baby eight-week checks and first immunisations
and postnatal check-up.
Training
Priory Medical Centre closes every second Monday of the month between
12.30 - 3.30pm for training purposes.
Zero Tolerance
We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone attending the surgery who abuses the GPs, staff or other patients be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will risk removal from the practice list. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.
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