{"id":538,"date":"2026-07-17T16:07:55","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T15:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/?page_id=538"},"modified":"2026-07-17T16:07:55","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T15:07:55","slug":"practice-policies","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/practice-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"Practice Policies"},"content":{"rendered":"<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Chaperone Policy<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable &#8211; these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.<\/p>\n<p>You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during the consultation.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Confidentiality<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>You can be assured that anything you discuss with any member of the surgery staff, whether doctor, nurse or receptionist, will remain confidential. Even if you are under 16, nothing will be said to anyone, including parents, other family members, care workers or teachers, without your permission. The only reason why we might want to consider passing on confidential information without your permission would be to protect either you or someone else from serious harm. In this situation, we would always try to discuss this with you first.<\/p>\n<p>If you have any worries or queries about confidentiality, please ask a member of staff.<\/p>\n<p>If you would like to discuss matters of a confidential nature, either with our receptionists or a member of the dispensary team, we have a side room available in reception for this purpose.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">DNA Policy<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>The Practice monitors and regulates rates of non-attendance at surgery appointments. When a patient does not turn up for their appointment and does not contact the surgery in advance to cancel or change the appointment, this can mean:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>An increase in the waiting time for appointments for other patients<\/li>\n<li>Patients may not be able to see the doctor on the day that they wished<\/li>\n<li>Frustration for both staff and patients<\/li>\n<li>A waste of resources<\/li>\n<li>A potential risk to the health of patients .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you fail to attend appointments without informing us, we will therefore contact you asking if there are specific problems preventing you from letting us know. If you repeatedly fail to attend for appointments without fair reason, you may be removed from the Practice list and have to find an alternative GP Practice.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Data Protection<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>We need to hold personal information about you on our computer systems and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.<\/p>\n<p>All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.<\/p>\n<p>In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstance you may be required to give written consent before information is released \u2013 such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.<\/p>\n<p>To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not, leave messages with others.<\/p>\n<p>You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details about our patient information leaflet. An appointment may be required. In some circumstances a fee may be payable.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Equal Opportunities\/Anti-Discrimination<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>The term \u2018visitor\u2019 used below refers to anyone (including patients and their family members, other visitors and contractors) making use of the practice\u2019s premises and services (except employees for whom the Equality and Diversity Policy applies).<\/p>\n<p>The practice:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>will ensure that all visitors are treated with dignity and respect<\/li>\n<li>will promote equality of opportunity between men and women<\/li>\n<li>will not tolerate any discrimination or perceived discrimination against, or harassment of, any visitor for any reason of age, sex, gender, gender reassignment including trans and non-binary status, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief<\/li>\n<li>will provide the same treatment and services (including the ability to register with the practice) to any visitor irrespective of age, sex, gender, gender reassignment including trans and non-binary status, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, religion or belief<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The practice actively promotes and supports the ethos and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Applicability<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This policy applies to the general public, including all patients and their families, visitors and contractors as well as other agencies working out of \u00a0or on the same premises<\/p>\n<p><strong>Procedure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Discrimination by the Practice or Visitors \/ patients against you<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you feel discriminated against:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>you should bring the matter to the attention of the Practice Manager or nominated deputy.<\/li>\n<li>The Practice Manager or nominated deputy will respond within 3 working days and will investigate the matter thoroughly and confidentially.<\/li>\n<li>The Practice Manager will establish the facts and decide whether discrimination has taken place and advise you of the outcome of the investigation within 35 working days.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you should raise a formal complaint through the Practice\u2019s Complaints Procedure [*]<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Discrimination against the Practice\u2019s staff<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Practice will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment of our staff by any visitor. Any visitor, who expresses any form of discrimination against, or harassment of, any member of our staff, will be required to leave the practice\u2019s premises forthwith. If the visitor is a patient, he\/she may be removed from the practice\u2019s list if any such behaviour occurs on more than one occasion.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">IT Policy<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>This practice is committed to preserving, as far as is practical, the security of data used by our information systems. This means that we will take all reasonable actions to;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Maintain the Confidentiality of all data within the practice by:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensuring that only authorised persons can gain access to our systems<\/li>\n<li>Not disclosing information to anyone who has no right to see it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Maintain the integrity of all data within the practice by:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Taking care over input<\/li>\n<li>Ensuring that all changes are reported and monitored<\/li>\n<li>Checking that the correct record is on the screen before updating<\/li>\n<li>Reporting all apparent errors and ensuring that they are resolved<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Maintain the availability of all data by:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensuring that all equipment is protected from intruders<\/li>\n<li>Ensuring that backups are taken at regular, predetermined intervals<\/li>\n<li>Ensuring that contingency is provided for possible failure or equipment theft and that any such contingency plans are tested and kept up to date<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally we will take all reasonable measures to comply with our legal responsibilities under:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ico.org.uk\/for-organisations\/data-protection-act-2018\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>The Data Protection Act (2018)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hse.gov.uk\/pUbns\/priced\/l24.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>The Health and Safety at Work Act (1992)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/1990\/23\/contents\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>The Access to Health Records Act (1990)<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Personal Data<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>The following IT systems are in use at the practice:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Referral Management (using NHS numbers in referrals)<\/li>\n<li>Electronic Appointment Booking (the facility to book routine appointments online and, similarly, to cancel appointments<\/li>\n<li>Online booking of repeat prescriptions<\/li>\n<li>Summary Care Record (uploading details of your current medication and allergies to the national \u201cspine\u201d so that these are available for doctors involved in your care elsewhere)<\/li>\n<li>GP to GP transfers (the electronic transfer of records from practice to practice when you re-register<\/li>\n<li>Patient Access to records (the facility to view your medical records online).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are not already registered for online access and would like to be please complete our online form.<\/p>\n<p>If you would like access to your medical records enabled or would like to opt out of the local or national summary care record, please contact reception.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n<details class=\"nhsuk-details nhsuk-expander\">\n\t\t\t<summary class=\"nhsuk-details__summary\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"nhsuk-details__summary-text\">Zero Tolerance<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/summary>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"nhsuk-details__text\"><\/p>\n<p>The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person\u2019s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient\u2019s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.<\/p>\n<p><\/div>\n\t\t<\/details>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-538","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/538\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/surgerywebtemp.org.uk\/l81084\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}