Your Rights and Responsibilities

Practice Charter

We aim to provide our patients with the best quality care available. Our charter is a statement of what you can expect from this practice and what we feel we can expect in return from you.

How We Want To Help You:

  • To be treated equally. We do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.
  • Our premises will be clean and comfortable and have facilities for the disabled and babies.
  • To be greeted in a friendly manner and be treated with courtesy and respect by everyone at the practice.
  • You have a right to absolute confidentiality.
  • All patient data will be treated in accordance with GDPR regulations.
  • All newly registered patients will be offered a health check.
  • We run an appointments system in this practice. You will be given a time at which the doctor or nurse hopes to see you. We will try to ensure that you are seen on time, but some consultations take longer than others and we have no way of knowing about this in advance. If there is a patient with an emergency or a serious problem we will give them priority.
    When there is a prolonged delay, an explanation will be given by the receptionist.
  • We try to answer the phone promptly and ensure there are sufficient staff to do this.
  • Repeat prescriptions will be available within 3 working days, following their requests. Prescriptions should be made in writing, by online services or by calling our medicines order line 01246 588860 between 9am-4pm Monday-Friday.
  • The practice will inform patients of services available by means of notice boards, information monitor, practice leaflet and website.
  • We work with the Patient Participation Group to understand patients’ needs and introduce suitable improvements.
  • We will provide you with the information about how to make suggestions or complaints about the care we offer. We want to improve services and we, therefore, welcome any comments you have.
  • Any complaints will be dealt with promptly in conjunction with our complaints policy.
  • If we consider that you need a second opinion or treatment not available in the practice, we will try and inform you of the best way of achieving this. A referral to Secondary Care will be done if the doctor feels this is indicated.
  • All practice staff will wear a badge so that their name is known to you.
  • If you change your doctor we will ensure that your notes are forwarded as soon as possible.

The Practice Will Offer Advice and Information On:

  • Steps that can be taken to promote good health and avoid illness.
  • Self-help, which can be undertaken without reference to a doctor in the case of minor ailments.

If you are totally dissatisfied with us or the services we provide, you have the right at any time to leave our list and register with another practice.

How You Can Help Us:

  • We ask that you treat the doctors and practice staff with courtesy and respect. Abusive or threatening behaviour to any member of our staff will not be tolerated and will result in removal from our practice list.
  • Please inform the practice of any alterations to your circumstances, such as change of surname, address or telephone number, even if it is ex-directory.
  • Please do everything you can to keep appointments. If you cannot attend or no longer require an appointment cancel in plenty of time – somebody else is waiting.
  • Please remember that an appointment is for one person only.
  • Please try and be punctual. If you arrive later than your appointment time this may cause delays and inconvenience to other patients. If we are running late, please be patient because on another occasion it might be you that needs the extra time – please don’t blame the receptionist.
  • Only request an urgent appointment if it is medically appropriate.
  • If you are referred for a hospital outpatient appointment – please keep it or if you cannot, inform the hospital NOT the surgery as soon as possible. It is also very important to tell the hospital of your new address if you are on a waiting list or are currently under their care.
  • Enquiries about tests ordered by the hospital should be directed to that hospital, not to the practice.
  • Please ask for home visits by the doctor only when the person is too ill to visit surgery, not for social convenience. It is important to bear in mind that most medical problems are dealt with more effectively in the clinical setting of a well-equipped surgery. Patients should realise that home visits are made at the doctor’s discretion.
  • Please avoid calling during peak morning time (8.00am – 8.30am) for non-urgent matters.
  • For reasons of confidentiality we are only able to give results out to the patient or the patient’s authorised representative.
  • Please do not expect a prescription every time you visit the GP – good advice is often the best medicine.
  • You are responsible for your own health and that of your children and you should take appropriate action and advice.