Practice Plan for Dealing with COVID-19

Confidentiality

All patient infomation is considered to be confidential and we comply fully with the Data Protection Act and Information Governance. All employees have access to this information in relation to their role. To ensure all employees understand their responsibilities they will each sign a confidentiality agreement.

It is our legal duty to keep information about you confidential. Our guiding principle is that we are holding your records in strict confidence.

We have a duty to

• Maintain full & accurate records of the care we provide to you
• Keep records about your confidential, secure & accurate
• Provide information in a format that is accessible to you
• Information may be shared, in confidence, with other NHS organisation in the interests of patient care.

We will not share information that identifies you for any reason, unless

• You ask us to do so
• We ask you for specific permision
• We have to do this by law
• We have special permission because the interest of the public are thought to be of greater importance than your confidentiality

For further more in depth information about how we handle your personal data and your rights, please click on the following links for full information leaflets for you to download and print.

How we use your Health Records

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Comments & Complaints

We aim to provide a good service at all times, but if you have any concerns or complaints then please address these to the Practice Manager, Jennifer Peters either by telephone on 0208 858 0631 or in writing to Burney Street Practice, 48 Burney Street, London. SE10 8EX.

Our complaints procedure is set out in the Complaints leaflet below.

Complaints Leaflet R15

If you wish to make a complaint about our service, the link below will take you to a complaint form.

Complaint form R15

Patients who have a comment or complaint about a GP, dentist, pharmacy or optician, which cannot be resolved locally with the practice manager, can contact NHS England using the details below.

NHS England

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 2233

Email: england.contactus@nhs.net

The Health Service Ombudsman in England

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website contains detailed information on raising a complaint about any aspect of the NHS in England. There is also a leaflet explaining the procedure of bringing a complaint to the ombudsman.

We are the only Doctors Practice whose catchment area incorporates the main Halls of Residence of the University of Greenwich  (Devonport House, Cutty Sark Halls & Rachel McMillan Halls). Students studying at the University of Greenwich have used our range of health care services for many years, most of which stay registered with us for the duration of their course.

If you are staying in a private residence you may still be eligible to join, as long as your address falls within our catchment area, please refer to our practice area or contact Reception for further advice.

Students who are entitled to NHS care are strongly advised to register as soon as possible when moving to the local area. This process is much easier when you are well, rather than leave it until you require urgent medical advice. Once accepted onto our register we will carry out a New Patient Assessment, this helps us get to know your medical needs whilst we are waiting for your records to arrive from your previous doctor.

Please note:- After registration at this practice we will request your full medical records and hold them as your permanent Doctor. This means when you travel home during term breaks, and you need medical advice, you will need to be seen as a Temporary Resident, otherwise when you return your records will have been recalled and your registration with us cancelled.

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

All staff & volunteers of this practice recognise they have a duty to safeguard children who present to this practice.  This practice will take all reasonable steps to ensure that any evidence of child maltreatment in relation to physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect and sexual abuse is identified and acted on.

Any suspected cases of child maltreatment will be brought to the attention of the Lead GP and practice manager within 24 hours.

The Lead GP will:

· Listen to the concern and if appropriate, notify social care.

· Seek advice from safeguarding colleagues in health & social care.

· In cases of immediate serious threat the practice will inform the police and social care.

The notification to social care will be by telephone and in writing within 3 working days.

CHAPERONE POLICY

All examinations may place patients in a situation in which they will feel uncomfortable, and this may be compounded further by the need to undress, consent to intimate touching or intrusive examination. The presence of a third party may alleviate some of these concerns and provide protection for both patient and clinician.

Ideally, the clinician will have explained the nature of the examination, the reasons for it, and what is involved prior to it commencing, and will have given the patient the opportunity to have a chaperone present.

Alternatively, the clinician may themselves have elected to have a chaperone present for their own security. Either way, it is important for at least one of the persons present that the third party is also there.

Further details can be found in our Chaperone Policy by clicking on the link below.....

Chaperone Policy R15

ACCESS TO MEDICAL RECORDS

The Data Protection Act 1998 gives every living person (or authorised representative) the right to apply for access to their health records.

Please click on the link below for the leaflet explaining how to do this and the costs involved.

Access to Medical Records Leaflet

Please click on the link below for the application form.

Application Form for Access to Medical Records

Application Form for Online Access to Medical Records

ADVOCACY POLICY

Introduction

There may be times when vulnerable patients and/or their carers need assistance in gaining the help, support and advice they need. This could be for a variety of reasons, including when they are looking to access benefits, support, or health and social services.

An advocate is a person independent of the NHS and social services, who is not one of the patient’s family or friends. They will help direct the patient to gain, argue the patient’s case and help to make sure that correct procedures are followed.

Not every area of the country has a dedicated advocacy service, however if they do it can usually be found through the local council. Patients can find this out by going to the local council website or visiting

www.gov.uk.

Greenwich Mind – T: 020 3198 2222 F: 020 8301 8374

Greenwich Mind Advocates work as instructed by the client. Therefore they work differently according to the needs and wishes of our individual clients. Some common examples of advocacy work include:

1.　　　Listening to you and helping you have your voice heard.　
2.　　　Supporting you in making complaints regarding services.　
3.　　　Supporting you with regard to access personal budgets (‘personalisation’)
4.　　　Supporting you in seeking to further your education, including accessing　　grants , etc
5.　　　Supporting you in gaining legal advice and representation if necessary.　
6.　　　Providing information on community groups and support networks　

If you have a care co-ordinator from your local social services or healthcare team they could be another point of call for the patient.

Help can also be gained from services such as AGE UK and Diabetes UK, who can help patients find the help and support they need.

Care UK have a free advice line for carers on 0808 808 7777, or try visiting their website.

Other Policies

DNA's (Did Not Attend)

We want to offer as many appointments as possible to those who really need them. We lose many appointments every day through non-attendance. If you cannot keep your appointment please cancel it in good time, in order that we can offer it to someone else.

Eating or Drinking

Please do not consume food or drink whilst in the surgery, it is a health hazard and can be upsetting for unwell patients waiting to be seen. However, if you feel you need a drink of water, please ask one of our receptionists.

Lateness

If you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, you may be asked to wait until the end of the surgery, before you are seen. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late you will be asked to rebook your appointment.

Mobile Phones

We would ask all patients to switch these off and not use them whilst on the surgery premises. They interfere with electrical equipment and disturb others whilst waiting or working.

Smoke Free zone

From the 1st July 2007 it became illegal to smoke anywhere on or surrounding these premises. Can we ask all patients that should you need to smoke that you move away from the building and windows and not smoke around the front entrance.

Please click on the below link to view our policy on Smoking Ban.

Smoking Ban Policy

Equal Opportunities & Anti-Discrimination

Burney Street Practice.....

• Will ensure that all visitors are treated with dignity and respectwill promote equality of opportunity between men and women
• Will not tolerate any discrimination or perceived discrimination against, or harassment of, any visitor for reason of age, sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief
• Will provide the same treatment and services (including the ability to register with the practice) to any visitor irrespective of age, sex, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, religion or belief

The practice actively promotes and supports the ethos and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. 

Equal Opportunities Anti-Discrimination

Zero Tolerance

Here at the Burney Street Practice we have a Zero Tolerance Policy for aggressive, rude and unreasonable behaviour. Our Staff are here to help you and have the right to carry out their duties without fear of being attacked, either verbally or physically.

We will not tolerate any such behaviour directed at them and ask that you treat all members of staff with respect. However, if whilst attending the surgery, you do behave unacceptably, you will be asked to leave the premises and removed from our list and possibly reported to the police.