We try to offer our best service at all times. If however, you are unhappy with any aspect of your care, please either write or make an appointment to speak to the practice manager. We have a complaints procedure and we will contact you with a timely response.

If you feel that you cannot raise your complaint with us, you may wish to contact:

NHS England, P O Box 16738, Reddtich, B97 9PT

E-mail: England.contactus@nhs.net

Tel: 0300 311 2233

If you have any problems with the Out of Hours Service, please let us know and we will pass your complaint on to the appropriate person(s).

Suggestions

We welcome your suggestions, and a suggestion box is situated in the reception area.

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

1. Getting it right
2. Being customer focused
3. Being open and accountable
4. Acting fairly and proportionately
5. Putting things right
6. Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Health Service Ombudsman.
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

This is a completely confidential service. Even if you are under 16, the doctors and nurses still have to keep anything you tell them private, just as they would for an adult. We will not discuss any information about you with anyone else, unless you ask us to, except in very exceptional circumstances – if you, or another’s safety is at risk. In these circumstances, we will keep you fully informed.

Confidentiality and Medical Records

Any person given access to your records will be subject to a duty of confidentiality. You have a right to object to disclosure.

Referrals

When referring you to other healthcare workers the doctors will make available to them details of your medical history. The doctor will respect the wishes of any patient who objects to particular information being shared with others providing care, except where this would put others at risk of serious harm.

STATEMENT FROM NHS England – How information about you helps us to provide better care

Confidential information from your medical records can be used by the NHS to improve the services offered so we can provide the best possible care for everyone.

This information along with your postcode and NHS number but not your name, are sent to a secure system where it can be linked with other health information.

This allows those planning NHS services or carrying out medical research to use information from different parts of the NHS in a way which does not identify you.

You have a choice.  If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything.

If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, please speak to practice staff or ask at reception for a copy of the leaflet “How information about you helps us to provide better care”.

More information can be found here www.nhs.uk/caredata

An Opt Out Form is available – this can be printed from the website and returned to the practice.  Please see care.data opt out form in the further information section on the right hand side of the screen.

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt.

Model Publication Scheme – further information