Rights and Responsibilities of Patients

1. Patients have a right to be greeted courteously.

2. Patients have a right to absolute confidentiality.

3. Any delay in meeting appointment times will be due to medical necessity – where there is a delay in excess of 30 minutes, patients have a right to be informed and to make an alternative appointment.

4. Patients have a right to information about their own health and choices, particularly:

-the illness and its treatment.

-alternative forms of treatment.

-likely outcome of the illness.

5. Access to health records subject to any limitation in the law and to know that those working for the practice are under a legal duty to keep contents of records confidential.

6. The practice will offer advice and seek to inform patients of:

-steps they can take to promote good health and to avoid illness, e.g. smoking, exercise, diet, immunisation.

-advice on self-help which can be undertaken without reference to a nurse, health visitor or doctor in the case of minor ailments.

7. The practice will inform patients of services available by means of its noticeboards, leaflets and website.

8. Patients requiring urgent medical attention will be given priority and will be seen as soon as possible, even when this means a delay to booked appointments.

9. Patients may choose whether or not to take part in research or training.

10. All new patients will be offered a New Patient Health Check, to identify any potential medical problems and to offer timely interventions.

11. Patients will be offered a choice of services when referral is deemed necessary.

12. Any suggestions to improve services will be considered by the appropriate team members and a response given.

13. Complaints will be dealt with promptly in accordance with NHS procedures.

14. Access to a GP will be offered within 48 hours, in urgent need, or to another health professional within 24 hours. This may be over the telephone.

15. Repeat prescriptions will be available within 2 working days of request.

With these rights come responsibilities, and for you this means:-
1. Courtesy to all staff at all times. Receptionists have a very difficult and stressful job and are working under doctors’ orders. There is a zero tolerance policy to violence or abuse towards all staff and other patients. The penalty for violating this rule is immediate removal from the practice list.

2. To attend appointments on time or to give the practice adequate notice that they wish to cancel – lateness or non-attendance inconveniences other patients and wastes valuable appointment time. There is a cancellation option on the telephone menu where patients can leave a message if no-one is available to answer the call. Patients who persistently fail to attend for a booked appointment, where there are no reasonable explanations will be warned and then removed from the list.

3. Attending surgery for review of repeat medication, or chronic condition, when requested to do so by clinical staff, or admin staff acting on their behalf.

4. An appointment is for one person only – where another member of the family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made.

– GP appointments are for ten minutes. If you think you need a longer appointment please request this on booking.

5. Home visits are for housebound patients or those who are too ill to leave the home. Visits will not be made to patients staying outside the practice boundary.

6. Out-of-hours calls, e.g. evening, night and weekends, should only be made if they are felt to be a medical emergency. Repeat prescriptions should be ordered in good time to ensure that they do not run out. The Out of Hours service is not for Repeat Medication requests.