Important Information
Carers
If you are a carer – that is you look after or provide regular help to family members, neighbours or friends who are sick or disabled – our practice has a service to support you. Please ask for a care’s pack.
Chaperones / Intimate Examinations
You are entitled to ask or arrange for a chaperone.
Interpreting and Translation
If you require any help with interpreting and translation in order to use any of our services, please inform the reception staff in advance.
Violent / Abusive Patients
This Practice has a zero tolerance policy with regards to violent and abusive patients. The definition of violence: “Any incident where a GP or their staff are abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances related to their work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, well-being or health”. If an incident occurs, the Practice will telephone the Police and that patient may be removed from the Practice list.
Smoking and the use of mobile phones
These are not permitted in the building. Smoking is not permitted within the grounds.
Change of Address/Telephone Number
Please let us know your new address and a contact telephone number as well as your home telephone number as soon as possible as we may need to contact you urgently on occasion.
Date Protection Act
The Practice is computerised and patients’ details are held on computer. We are therefore, registered under the Date Protection Act 1998.
How the Practice Uses Personal Health Information
In line with Department of Health Guidelines, the Caldicott Report and the Data Protection Act we wish to advise you of how we handle information we hold about our patients.
We ask for information so that you can receive proper care and treatment. We keep this information together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again. We may use some of this information for other reasons: for example to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently; to plan for the future;’ to train staff, and account for actions taken. Sometimes the law requires us to pass on information – for example to notify birth.
The NHS Central Register for England & Wales contains basic personal information of all patients who are registered with a General Practitioner. The register does not contain clinical information. You have a right to access your health records.
EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMAITON ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL
You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS. So that we can all work together for your benefit, we may need to share some information about you. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone’s interest. Whenever we can we shall remove details that identify you. The sharing of some types of very sensitive personal information is strictly controlled by law. Anyone who received information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.
Compliments, Complaints and suggestions
If you have any questions that are not covered in these pages, or if you have a complaint, please contact the Assistant Practice Manager or Practice Manager. We have a complaints procedure which we follow in the event of a complaint.
PALS [Patient Advice and Liaison Service]
PALS is a free, independent and confidential service for anyone who would like advice, information and help, or who may have a concern about the care provided by the West Sussex Primary Care Trust. As a patient, relative or carer, you may not always know where to go for help, information, advice and support. It can be worrying and confusing, when you, or someone you know, is unwell. This is where the Patient and Liaison Service [PALS] can help. You may contact PALS on 01243 534 035 or write to PALS, West Sussex PCT, Bramber Building, 9 College Lane, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 6FX
Doctor Triage
The purpose of ‘triage’ is to ensure that all patients are dealt with fairly by an appropriate member of the team and to ensure that problems are dealt with urgently if necessary. Every morning we run a service for patients who request an urgent appointment. When you request such an appointment the receptionist will ask you for a brief outline of the reason you wish to see a Doctor. If it is appropriate for you to see a Triage Nurse you will be offered a face to face appointment if not they will tell you that you will be placed on the triage list and that the one call Doctor will call you back. You will be asked for your name, telephone number [only one number can be taken] and a brief description of the problem. All staff adhere to strict terms of confidentiality. We cannot give a time when the Doctor will contact you as they will deal with the more urgent cases first but we ask that you remain available to be called – if your condition deteriorates you should telephone the surgery again.
Please note that this website is designed to remove images and web features to aid fast and legible printing. PDFs may have graphics and take longer to print.
