Norbury Health Centre

PRACTICE CHARTER

Our Standards

These are the local standards set within this practice for the benefit of our patients. It is our job to give you treatment and advice following discussion with you. You will receive the most appropriate care given by suitably qualified people; no care or treatment will be given without your informed consent. In the interest of your health it is important for you to understand all information given to you; please ask us questions if you are not sure of anything. It is our responsibility to give you the best possible service. People involved in your care will give you their names and ensure that you know how to contact them. The surgery will be sign-posted and the doctors' and nurses' names indicated on the surgery room doors.

Waiting Time - We run an appointment system in this practice. You will be given a time at which the doctor or nurse hopes to be able to see you. You should not wait more than one hour without an explanation. If you are seen as an emergency, most delays will be due to an emergency or the necessity of longer consultation for certain patients.

Access - You will have access to a doctor rapidly in case of emergency. We will arrange for a home visit as appropriate for those too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery.

Respect - Patients will be treated as individuals and partners in their health care, irrespective of ethnic origin, religion or cultural beliefs.

Information - We will give you full information about the services we offer. Every effort will be made to ensure that you receive information which directly affects your health and the care being offered.

Health Promotions - The practice will offer patients advice and information on steps they can take to promote good health and avoid illness. Self-help can be undertaken without reference to a doctor in the case of minor illness.

Health Records - You have a right to see your health records subject to limitations in the law. The next section explains this in more detail.

The Information We Hold About You

Your doctor and other health professionals caring for you need to collect, hold and use information about you. Your health record contains information about you, your health, and the treatment and care you receive from the NHS. These records help us ensure we give you the best possible care. The records may include:

1. Basic details about you, such as address and next-of-kin
2. Contacts we have had with you, such as clinic visits
3. Notes and reports about your health and any treatment and care you need
4. Details and records about the treatment and care you receive
5. Results of tests, such as x-rays and laboratory tests
6. Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you and know you well

Your records are used to guide and administer the care you receive to ensure:

1. Your doctor, nurse or any other healthcare professional looking after you has accurate and up-to-date information to assess your health and decide what care you need when you visit in the future

1. Full information is available should you see another doctor, or be referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS
2. We have a good basis for assessing the type and quality of care you have received
3. We can investigate any complaints properly

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to respect your confidentiality. If you receive care from another organisation (such as social services) we may need to share some information about you so we can all work together for your benefit. This can also mean that you don’t have to give the same information repeatedly. We will only ever share information about you with others who have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the health or safety of others is at risk, or when the law requires information to be passed on.

HELP US TO HELP YOU

• Please let us know if you change your name, address or telephone number.
• Please do everything you can to keep appointments. Tell us as soon as possible if you cannot as otherwise other patients may have to wait longer.
• Please ask for home visits by the doctor only when a person is too ill to visit the surgery. Please keep your phone calls brief and avoid calling during the peak morning time for non-urgent matters.
• Enquiries about tests ordered by the hospital should be addressed to the staff there and not to the practice.
• We ask that you treat the doctors and practice staff with courtesy and respect (violence or abuse against any of the practice staff will not be tolerated).
• Please read our practice booklet as it too will help you to get the best out of the services we offer. It is important that you understand the information given, so please ask us if you are unsure of anything. Remember: you are responsible for your own health and the health of your dependant. We will give you our professional help and advice; please act upon it.

PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

The group was formed in 2006 and its membership is composed of patients of the practice who meet with doctors and practice staff at regular intervals to:

• Foster and maintain a good relationship between the practice and the patients
• Increase patients' awareness of the practice facilities and topical health issues
• Bring the wishes and concerns of the patient to the doctors and the practice staff

We would like to hear from patients - you can make your general concerns and helpful suggestions known to the PPG by writing to:

Patient Participation Group
c/o Norbury Medical Practice
2b Pollards Hill North
Norbury
London SW16 4NL
(Please mark envelope 'Confidential')

Or by email to: norbury.ppg@dsl.pipex.com

COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

We are always pleased to receive comments from our patients. Your comments and suggestions are a valuable way of improving our service for the care of our patients.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

The practice offers an in-house complaints procedure to deal with the complaints about the services we provide. Please contact our practice manager Mr Shah who will give you further information. We attempt to resolve your problems swiftly and to take action as appropriate. We will try to address your concerns, provide you with an explanation and discuss any action that may be needed.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION – PUBLICATION SCHEME

Following the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the practice produces a publication scheme. A publication scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available.

This scheme is available from reception.

ZERO TOLERANCE

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone attending the surgery who abuses the GPs, staff or other patients be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will risk removal from the practice list. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.