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of 19 Practice Booklet – July 2019

Practice Leaflet

Partners Dr Sarah Longstaff

Dr Andrew Fernando

Dr Charlotte Hutchings

Dr Kate McKenna

Associates Dr Fabian Trevelyan

Dr Rachel Freer

Dr Nuala Lynch

Dr Jeni Rees

Dr Hugo Riveros

Dr Fergus Shanahan

Dr Sophie Hulme

We are a four doctor training partnership working with seven associate doctors

based on two sites. We are contracted to The Wessex Area Team of NHS

ENGLAND. We provide medical services to patients registered with our practice

between the hours of 8.00am-6.30pm as well as improved access appointments

in the evenings and Saturdays. We also provide medical services to temporary

residents within our practice boundary. And immediately necessary treatment for

any person not registered with the practice who has a medical emergency

within our practice boundary.

We wish to thank you for registering with our Practice. The Partners and staff of

this long-established practice are committed to providing the highest level of

patient care. This leaflet explains the services we provide. Please keep it in a safe

place for reference. You can also find further information on our website

www.whitewaterhealth.nhs.uk

The Surgery

Reading Road

Hook

Hampshire

RG27 9ED

Tel: 01256 762125

Fax: 01256 760608

The Surgery

1 Chapter Terrace

Hartley Wintney, Hook

Hampshire

RG27 8QJ

Tel: 01252 842087

Fax: 01252 843145

http://www.whitewaterhealth.nhs.uk/


DOCTORS:

All GPs are registered with the General Medical Council.

The Practice is approved for Minor Surgery, Child Surveillance and all the doctors

are on the Obstetric List.

Hook Surgery

Dr. Sarah Longstaff

MBBS; MRCGP; DRCOG; FPCert – Registered Cambridge 2002

Dr. Andrew Fernando

MBBS MSc MRCGP DFFP DOC. Med.- Registered Royal London Hospital 1985

Dr. Hugo Riveros

MB ChB MRCGP DFFP- Universidad Central del Caribe 2001

Dr. Nuala Lynch

MBBS, MRCGP, DRCOG.

Dr. Fergus Shanahan

BA Hons, MBChB, MRCGP – Bristol University 2010

Dr Sophie Hulme

MBCH DRCOG DFFP

Hartley Wintney

Dr Charlotte Hutchings

B.MedSci BM BS DRCOG MRCGP – Nottingham Medical School 1993

Dr. Kate McKenna

BM (Hons), MRCGP, DRCOG, DFSRH

Dr Jeni Rees

Mb DRCOG DFFP. – Southampton Medical School 1979

Dr Fabian Trevelyan

BM MRCGP DFSRH

Dr. Rachel Freer

MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG, MBChb-Leicester 2008

Practice Staff:

Practice Manager Moira Clark

Office Managers - Hook Jo Clinch

Office Manager - Hartley Wintney Clare Greenwood

Nurse Practitioners: Terry Crame

Lizzie Bettridge

Sarah Rogers

Practice Nurses: Charlotte Kirkpatrick

Denise Noonan

Libby Kirby

Katerina Parr

Lynne Moore

Sharon Hodge

Jane Harman

Health Care Assistants: Amanda Lawrence

Belinda Woodley

Michelle Boucher

Cara Milliner

Jayne Kelleher


Link Nurses: Liz Good

Jackie Hordle

Clinic Pharmacist Marta Radkowska

Practice Manager

The Practice Manager for the two sugeries may be able to help you with any

administrative or non-medical aspects of your health and treatment.

They are also available to discuss any suggestions or complaints. A suggestion

box is available in the waiting room.

Reception Staff and Administration Staff

Our Reception Staff are here to help you. When telephoning for medical

attention our Reception Staff may ask for a few details. The doctors have asked

them to make these enquiries so that they can help you in the most appropriate

way. Our Reception Staff have undertaken special training and always respect

patient confidentiality.

Nurse Practitioners

Nurse Practitioners consult with patients in the same way as our doctors. They are

trained to deal with a wide range of both acute and chronic problems and can

diagnose, treat and manage common ailments and routinely deal with ear,

chest and urine infections. They can offer contraceptive advice, emergency

contraception and prescribe medication. Terry Crame also specialises in Asthma

and COPD. You may be offered an appointment with our Nurse Practitioners who

are part of our Triage Team.

Practice Nurses

Our Practice Nurses are available by appointment to provide a wide range of

services. These include Asthma and COPD clinics, Diabetic clinics, Coronary

Heart Disease monitoring, smear tests, family planning checks and advice, travel

advice and immunisations, wound-care and dressings and removal of stitches.

The nurses can also give you advice on the telephone at the end of their

morning surgery. Please ask the receptionists if you require this.

When booking an appointment with a Nurse Practitioner or a Practice Nurse, our

Reception Staff will need to ask you the reason for an appointment in order to

determine how much time to allocate, and book with the appropriate nurse.

Consultations are by appointment.

Health Care Assistants

Healthcare Assistants are not qualified nurses, but have undergone training to

enable them to take bloods, blood pressure, assist with minor surgery, ear

syringing, and new patient health checks that do not involve medication and

ECGs. They also assist the nurses with 24-hour Blood Pressure Monitoring.


ATTACHED STAFF

Midwife

Midwives are attached to both sites and care for and support pregnant women,

their partners and new babies before, during and after the birth. They monitor the

health of the mother, counsel her on health issues and explain the options for

delivery of the baby. Their job also involves reassuring parents, running antenatal

and parenting classes, taking care of the mother and baby during labour and

birth and giving advice on breast feeding.

You can get in touch with them by ringing the Community Midwives office -

For Basingstoke patients: 01256 313327, for Frimley Park patients: 01276 604241

District Nurses

District nurses assess, plan and manage the care of sick and disabled patients of

all ages in the patient's own home, general practices and residential nursing

homes and also provide support for their carers. They administer drugs, give

injections, dress wounds, take blood samples and give personal care. The team

may be contacted by ringing 0300 003 0022

Health Visitors

Child development checks are organised by the Health Visitors. Please contact

the Health Visiting Team at Alton Community Hospital, telephone 01420 88336

who will advise when the checks are due and the days and times of the Baby

Clinics.

Health visitors are qualified nurses and have additional training in child health

and development, they will monitor your child’s growth and development,

answer any child health queries and help mothers to cope with children under

five, advising on things like hygiene, safety, feeding and sleeping. They also co-

ordinate child immunisation programmes and organise special clinics or drop-in

centres. Health visitors can also provide you with help and information regarding

such issues as emotional problems, relationship difficulties, family planning and

health problems and advise on healthy eating, keeping warm and getting the

right exercise.

Surgery Opening Hours

The Surgery is open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.00 am –

6.30pm. Improved Access appointments are also available between 6.30pm –

8.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am – 11.00am Saturdays. These may be at

your local surgery, Clift (Bramley) or Chineham surgeries. During these times, the reception staff are here to make appointments, to

accept written repeat prescription requests and to help in any other way.

Emergencies

For life-threatening emergencies such as:

Severe bleeding

Collapse or unconsciousness

Severe chest pains

Telephone 999 for an ambulance IMMEDIATELY, then inform your doctor.


Out-of-Hours Appointments

Practice patients who have urgent medical problems that will not wait until

normal working hours should ring 111

The out-of-hours service will discuss your problem and, after taking a full history,

will either:

Give advice over the phone;

Refer you to the local out of hours service -Hantsdoc

Or to your local pharmacy

The Out-of-Hours service is provided by the North Hants Clinical Commissioning

Group and any queries, comments or complaints should be directed to them.

Making an Appointment

All our regular surgeries are by appointment only. Please see our Reception Staff

or telephone the Practice during Opening Times to make an appointment.

Hook patients on 01256 762125

Hartley Wintney patients on 01252 842087

All regular routine doctors or clinic appointments may be made up to a

maximum of 1 month in advance.

The doctor will try their best to give enough time to each patient but if, for

example, two members of one family try to be seen in a single appointment,

other patients will be kept waiting. So please make an appointment for each

person wishing to be seen. If you think that your problem may take an unusually

long time, please inform our Reception Staff so that allowances can be made for

this.

Urgent Appointments

If you have an urgent medical problem that you feel needs attention on the

same day, please explain this to our Reception Staff who will invoke our

telephone triage service to deal with such urgent requests.

When you call, our Reception Staff will take your name and telephone number

and one of the duty team will telephone you to discuss your problem and decide

with you when/where you should been seen. This may mean that they book you

an appointment with your own GP at a later date or they may ask you to attend

either Hook or Hartley Wintney Surgery on the same day and they will give you a

time to do so.

Cancelling Appointments

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please let us know as soon as

possible so that we can allocate it to someone else.

On average we lose 280 appointments across both surgeries per month when

patients fail to keep their appointments.


Patient Online Access

You can register to use our online access, this allows you to:-

• book, view, amend, cancel and print appointments online

• order online, view and print a list of their repeat prescriptions for drugs,

medicines or appliances

• medical records - view online, export or print summary information from your

records, relating to medications, allergies, adverse reactions and any other

items agreed between the practice and individual patient*

To use Patient Online Access, please ask at reception. You will be asked for

Photographic ID, which must be in the form of a current Driving Licence or

Passport. *Access to medical records will require additional ID, separate request

form and may take up to 2 weeks to process.

Access to Services by People with Disabilities

The Practice has done its utmost to be easily accessible and user-friendly for our

disabled and wheelchair-bound patients.

Hartley Wintney surgery is on one floor. Hook surgery is on two floors but there is a

lift to the first floor. There is a ramp at the entrance to both buildings, and a toilet

facility for the disabled. A hearing loop is available at reception and can be

taken into your consultation too. A wheelchair is available for those with difficulty

in walking - this can be obtained through our Reception Staff.

Please make your needs known to the receptionists

Other Access Issues

Bicycles

Bicycles may be left in the staff car park at your own risk at Hook however

patients should provide their own chains / locks. They should be left in the public

car park at Hartley Wintney.

Prams

Prams and push chairs may be taken into the surgeries but should be left at the

bottom of the stairs at Hook. Please take all valuables with you.

Dogs

All dogs, with the exception of assistance dogs, should be left outside the

building. There are metal eyes available to secure a leash if required.

Smoking & Food

The building is a non-smoking building and we request that this be honoured and

we would also request that patients do not eat or drink whilst waiting for their

appointments.

Self-Check-in

The surgery has an automated self-check-in touch screen situated in the

reception at both Surgeries. This is a simple to use system that enables the patient

to check themselves into our appointments system. Should you feel

uncomfortable about using such a system, you can obtain help, or book in with

our Reception Staff in the traditional manner.


Home Visits

As home visits are for those patients too ill to attend surgery, please only request a

home visit if you (or the person you are calling on behalf of) is too ill or frail to

attend the Practice. We prefer you to attend the surgery if at all possible where

we have your full medical history available. Please remember the doctor can see

four patients in the time it takes to make one house call. Your telephone number

will be taken by the receptionists and a doctor will telephone you before they

visit to assess whether the visit is necessary. If you feel that your need is more

urgent than this please tell the receptionists when you call.

Prescriptions

We run a computerised prescription service via our Patient Online Access.

Requests can be made either in writing or via our website. Please tick the items

you require on the right hand side of your prescription or complete a prescription

request form available at reception with the items you require. You may obtain

your repeat prescription by handing in your prescription repeat slip to the

receptionist, posting it to the surgery with an SAE or by ordering it on our website

www.whitewaterhealth.nhs.uk

Please allow 5 days for the prescription to be processed by the surgery &

pharmacy.

We do not accept telephone requests for prescriptions.

Once the prescription has been processed you can either:

collect it from the surgery

collect it from one of the local chemists of your choice. This can now be

done electronically if you wish. You will need to arrange this with your

chosen pharmacy, and once you have done so, all prescription will

automatically go to that pharmacy unless you arrange to change to

another pharmacy.

We can post it to you if you include a stamped addressed envelope with

your request.

Please mark clearly what you would like us to do.

WE DO NOT FAX PRESCRIPTIONS TO CHEMISTS UNLESS IT IS A MEDICAL

EMERGENCY.Your GP will want to review you regularly while you are on

medication. There is a review date on the repeat medication form. If this is

overdue we may send you a reminder message to ask you to make an

appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. It may not be possible for us

to issue more medication unless you have seen your doctor.

Four chemists collect prescriptions from the surgeries.

From Hook: Whitewater, Boots and Lloyds in Hartley Wintney

From Hartley Wintney: Whitewater, Lloyds or Morrison’s in Fleet

Please contact the chemist for more details on their service.

http://www.whitewaterhealth.nhs.uk/


Medication Queries

If you have any problems or queries about your medication you should make an

appointment with your usual doctor to discuss this, or you can contact your local

pharmacist and he/she will also advise you.

Prescription Charges

All children under 16, or under 19 and in full time education, and the over 60s are

exempt from prescription charges. Some medical conditions will also mean that

you are exempt, so check with your pharmacist. Prescription costs change in line

with inflation, but you might like to consider buying a prepaid card. Further

information can be obtained from your pharmacist, or reception.

Please let us have this slip at least 5 days before you require the prescription

We cannot accept telephone requests for prescriptions

Order early to allow for postal delays, especially on Public or Bank Holidays.

Please let our Reception Staff know if your medication has been changed

following a hospital visit.

Alternatively, you can take your repeat prescription counterfoil to your usual

pharmacy and they can issue you with a small quantity to tide you over until your

repeat prescription is issued; there will be a charge for this.

Facilities Available at the Practice

Rooms suitable for access by disabled people;

Patient’s toilet has facilities for nappy changing;

A room can be made available for breastfeeding;

A room can be made available to discuss matters in private on request;

A comfortable waiting area (our Practice is cleaned and checked every

day).

We will keep you informed through:

Our up-to-date Health and Practice information booklets;

Notice boards and television screen in the waiting room;

Local press, newsletter, website.

SMS text messages

Local & Parish Magazines

SERVICES AVAILABLE AT THE PRACTICE

Antenatal Clinics

Antenatal Clinics are held at Hook on a Thursday and at Hartley Wintney on a

Monday. These are run by one of our two community midwives.

Please arrange your first Antenatal appointment with our Reception Staff.

The midwifery team book newly confirmed ladies into a special clinic held on

Monday at Hartley Wintney, and Thursday at Hook. Our Reception Staff will inform

you when the next clinic is to be held.


Anti-Coagulation Therapy

Anti-Coagulation (INR) blood tests can be arranged any day, but must be taken

before the morning blood collection, in order to process them the same day, so

please ensure you book a appointment time that is before 10.30am, and inform

the receptionist it is for an INR check.

Asthma Clinic

In recognition of the increasing prevalence of asthma in our community , our

nursing team will monitor, and ensure that treatment is effective by checking

inhaler technique and measuring lung function regularly, referring you to your

usual doctor if necessary.

REMINDER: Would all patients attending for Asthma appointments please

remember to always bring along their inhalers. Patients with asthma will be

referred by their own GP to the clinic.

Acute Asthma problems and emergencies should be seen within normal surgery

consultations - appointments can be made with our Reception Staff.

Cardiac Monitoring

Cardiac patients are monitored by our nursing team during their normal clinics. If

you are asked to book an appointment please ensure you tell the receptionist

what you are seeing the nurse for, as they can then book the appointment for

the appropriate time.

Child Health Clinic and Vaccinations

This is a clinic for babies in good health. Our Practice Nurses will be at Hook on

Tuesdays, from 2.00 – 3.20, and at Hartley Wintney on a Thursday, between 2.00

and 3.00, to give immunisations. You will not need to book an appointment, but

can come along between those times. Please ensure you book in with the

receptionist at the front desk when you arrive. All babies will need to have had

their six week post-natal check before a course of immunisations can

commence. The Practice urges all parents to have their children fully immunised.

Coils and Contraceptive Implants.

Coils and Contraceptive Implants can both be fitted at either surgery. Patients

will need to have a telephone consultation first with either their doctor, or Sandie,

one of our nurses, prior to a fitting.

We have Dr Longstaff, Dr Clay, Dr McKenna at Hook surgery that are able to fit

coils, and with the exception of Dr McKenna, are also able to fit contraceptive

implants.

At Hartley Wintney, Dr Rees and Dr Hutchings will fit coils, and Dr Trevelyn will fit

contraceptive implants.

The doctors have allocated slots for these procedures, so please telephone

reception, who can advise you on the appropriate times.


COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic lung condition

encompassing diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema.

The Practice runs a specialised service to help patients with COPD, and 30 minute

appointments with our nurse practitioner can be made with our Reception Staff.

Diabetic Clinic

This is a clinic with one of our Nurses who specialise in Diabetes. These run on a

Wednesday. It is held The first, third and fourth week of the month at Hook, and

the second week at Hartley Wintney.

Family Planning

The Practice offers a full range of contraceptive services. Please ask our

Reception Staff for details.

Flu Vaccinations

An influenza vaccination is particularly recommended for patients with heart,

lung or kidney disease, diabetes and residents of nursing and rest homes. If you

are aged 65 or over, you are strongly advised to have a pneumonia vaccination.

Appointments with the nurse can be booked with our Reception Staff.

Please contact our Reception Staff in early September for details of the

vaccination dates although these will be published in the surgeries, newsletter

and website prior to the clinics. If you are housebound, a home visit will be

arranged to administer this vaccination. Please telephone reception if you are

unable to come to the surgery.

Minor Surgery and Cryotherapy

Sessions are held at regular intervals for the removal of skin lesions, moles, warts,

verrucae, etc. This is usually undertaken by the application of liquid nitrogen

(Cryotherapy) or occasionally with minor surgery.

Elaine, our practice nurse is trained in the use of cryotherapy, and your doctor

would carry out any minor surgery required.

It is essential that patients have an appointment with the GP first so that the lesion

can be properly assessed. If we are able to remove it at the surgery, we will

arrange for patients to have an appointment at the minor surgery clinic.

Travel Vaccinations

The travel clinic is run by nurses with special training in overseas health. Patients

who are planning to travel overseas, whether on business or pleasure should

contact our Reception Staff at least 8 weeks beforehand to enquire about their

specific vaccination requirements.

Our Reception Staff will give you a questionnaire to complete or you can

download this from our website, which will help the Practice Nurse ascertain what


vaccinations you will require for your trip and enable her to give you the best

possible advice on all health issues, as well as administer the vaccinations. Once

you have completed the questionnaire, the nurse will contact you to advise you

on booking an appointment.

There is a charge for some travel immunisations and prescriptions not covered by

the NHS – a list of these charges is available from our Reception Staff.

Well-Woman

We recommend that women between the ages of 20 and 49 years are

encouraged to have a cervical smear every three years and those aged

between 50 and 64 every five years, unless advised otherwise by a doctor.

Smear tests are usually performed by one of our qualified nurses. Patients will be

called by the screening service, so once you receive your letter, please call us to

book. Patients wishing to check their results (and it is always wise to do this)

should wait between 2 & 3 weeks before doing so as this is the approximate time

taken by the laboratory to process the tests.

Breast cancer kills more women than any other cancer. It is more common in

older women but, if the small changes are discovered early, there is a better

chance of a successful recovery. Your doctor will provide information about

breast cancer and also give instructions on how to examine your breasts at

regular intervals.

Boundary / Catchment Area / Location of the Practice

The boundary of the Practice is shown on the large maps in Reception at both

surgeries.

Hook surgery

Hartley Wintney Surgery


Please ask our Reception Staff if in doubt whether you fall into the correct

catchment area.

If you move, please check that you are within the Practice catchment area. If

not, you will need to register with another Practice.

Carer’s Register

The Practice has a Carer’s Register for people who care for a relative/friend.

Carer’s Information Packs are available from our Reception Staff and there is a

Carer’s Board in the Waiting Room. Plese advise us if you are a carer.

Car Parking

Parking is available in the public car parks adjacent to both surgeries, with

designated parking spaces for the use of disabled patients and for parent and

child. Theses are both ‘pay and display’, but there are a few free spaces

available at Hartley Wintney for a limited period.

Please note that no responsibility can be accepted by the Practice for damage

caused to any vehicle using the car park.

Change in Personal Details

Please inform our Reception Staff if you change your name, address, marital

status or telephone number, so we can keep our records accurate.

Chaperones

If you wish to have a member of the Practice staff present during your

consultation please mention this to our Reception Staff when booking your

appointment, or to the doctor at your consultation, and it will be arranged.

Comments and Complaints

Comments

We welcome your views and constructive suggestions which will help us improve

our service to you. There is a suggestion / comments box located in the reception

areas for this purpose or you can use the Friends and Family Test on our website.

Practice Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint about the service you have received from any of the

staff working at this Practice, please let us know.

Complaints pack, available from our Reception Staff, explains the process and

includes a form to complete.

If You Feel You Need to Complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, preferably at

the time they arise and with the person concerned.


If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a

complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible, ideally within a

matter of days, or at the most a few weeks, as this will enable us to establish what

happened more easily. Complaints should be addressed to the Acting Practice

Manager, Ms Beccie van Oostrum, in the first instance, or one of the doctors.

Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the Practice Manager in

order to discuss your concerns.

Mechanism for Dealing with a Complaint

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to have

looked into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it

with us. If we need to investigate your complaint further we will keep you

updated as to when a response will be available.

We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the

people involved. When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:

Find out what had happened and what went wrong;

Agree a plan on how your complaint will be dealt with and the timescales

involved;

Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you

would like this;

Make sure you receive an apology where that is appropriate;

Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.

Complaining on Behalf of Someone Else

Please note that we keep strictly within the rules of medical confidentiality. If you

are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have

their permission to do so.

A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are

incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that if you have a grievance you will use our Practice complaints

procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of correcting whatever

has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our Practice.

Nevertheless, this does not affect your right to approach NHS England complaints

department. If you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, you should

contact:

PO Box 16738,

REDDITCH,

B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 2233

Email: [email protected]

If you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation you can contact the

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman:

mailto:[email protected]


By telephone: 0345 015 4033(8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday.) or

In writing to:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,

Millbank Tower,

Millbank,

London

SW1P 4QP; or

By e-mail: [email protected]

Contacting the Care Quality Commission

If you have a genuine concern about a staff member or regulated activity

carried on by this Practice then you can contact the Care Quality Commission

on 03000 616161, or alternatively visit the following website:

http://www.cqc.org.uk

Confidentiality

All staff in the Practice are bound contractually to maintain Patient

confidentiality and any proven breach of this will be treated extremely seriously.

We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential

and secure. Confidentiality also extends to Patients’ family members. Medical

information relating to you will not be divulged to a family member or anyone

else, without your written consent.

As we are a computerised Practice, all our patient records are kept on computer

and can assure patients of complete confidentiality. Your rights are protected

under the GDPR (2018)

It is important that the NHS keeps accurate and up-to-date records about your

health and treatment so that those treating you can give you the best possible

advice and care.

Fair Processing Notice For Patients - Your Information, Your Rights

Our Fair Processing Notice explains why we collect information about you and

how that information may be used to deliver your direct care and manage the

local health and social care system.

The notice reflects:

• What information we collect about you;

• How and why we use that information;

• How we retain your information and keep it secure;

• Who we share your information with and why we do this.

The notice also explains your rights in relation to consent to use your information,

the right to control who can see your data and how to seek advice and support

if you feel that your information has not been used appropriately.

A full copy of the Fair Processing Notice is available via our website, as well as

other information about your data & GDPR at [email protected] or

from Reception.


Consent for Children’s Treatment (Between the ages of 13 and 16)

It is the practice policy that from the age of 13 and above, requests for

information, including test results, or general health queries come from the young

person themselves, or that they have given written permission for their parents or

guardian to act on their behalf.

Where it is considered appropriate by parents, or where an adolescent does not

wish the presence of an adult, a child may give the legal consent to their own

treatment.

Under these circumstances, the clinician must be satisfied that the child has a full

understanding of the advice and treatment being provided.

Proxy Access

You can now use Patient Access o behalf of loved ones and those you care for

to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and, where appropriate, view

and share medical records.

Who this is aimed at?

This is designed for all users of Patient Access who need to use the service on

behalf of someone else. This may include:

Families with young children

Those who care for a family member or friend who finds the internet

difficult

Professional carers

Why are we doing this?

We have received many requests from both patients and GP’s over the past year

to build this capacity and we’ve been working hard to ensure that we’ve built it

in a way that is simple to use and most importantly, clinically safe. This cabability

is available in Patient Access.

Freedom of Information – Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the Practice to produce a

Publication Scheme.

A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the Practice

intends to routinely make available. Details are available from our Practice

Manager

Interpreters

If required, an interpreter can be organised to accompany the patient during a

consultation with the doctor. Please ask at reception.

Mobile Phones

We respectfully request that you turn your mobile phones off in the surgery

building.


New Patients

The practice is able to take new patients providing they live in the practice area.

To register complete a registration form, and health questionnaire, obtained from

our Reception Staff. Don’t worry if you have no NHS card, our Reception Staff are

still able to register you. In the case of a new baby, bring their NHS Number

(obtainable from Child Health or the Maternity Ward) or the child’s red book.

Two forms of identification are required; one to prove who you are - this would

normally be some form of photo identification, (such as a passport or driving

licence); the other, to prove where you live, (this could be a utility bill or a bank

statement).

Your medical record often takes a considerable time to arrive from your previous

doctor and completing the health questionnaire gives us the opportunity of

recording some basic information about you and offering you any immediate

care you may need.

You will be registered with a specific doctor, but you do have the right to ask to

see a particular doctor, if you wish.

If you have a requirement for a prescription then you should arrange an

appointment with a doctor of your choice to discuss your ongoing care.

Please note that consent to contact via mobile phone will be assumed if no

other option is marked on the registration form or when the mobile phone

number is provided to the Practice. Your consent is required to contact you via

email or SMS

We do not exclude patients from the Practice on grounds of age, sex, colour,

race, nationality, ethnic or national origin or disability, sexual orientation, religion

or religious or philosophical belief or medical condition.

Non-NHS Services

Patients should be aware that fees may be charged for services not covered by

the NHS (e.g. private certificates, reports supporting private health insurance

claims and other non-NHS medical reports). A list of charges are displayed in the

reception area.

Patient Participation Group (PPG)

Are you interested in having a say in how your Practice is run? Do you have

some free time to attend meetings, usually every month or would you like to be

part of an e-mail consultation group with whom we can consult on service

development and implementing planned changes?

New members are always welcome to join our active Patient Participation Group

– if you are interested, please email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


PRACTICE CHARTER

Our Responsibilities to you.

You will be treated with courtesy and respect by all Practice personnel.

An urgent appointment with a Doctor or Nurse Practitioner will be available

on the same day.

We aim to answer the telephone within six rings.

An appointment with a Practice Nurse will be available within three working

days.

All comments and suggestions about the service are welcome. Please use the

box provided in the waiting area.

We wish to make the Practice as accessible as possible. If you have hearing,

visual or physical difficulties please let our Reception Staff know, so that we

can enable you to fully use our services.

Your Responsibilities to us.

If you are unable to attend for an appointment please let us know so that we

can offer it to someone else.

If you are late for your appointment you may be asked to rebook at another

time. Try to let us know in advance if you are going to be unavoidably

delayed, so that we can make alternative arrangements to help you.

A home visit should only be requested for those who are unable to come to

the surgery because of serious illness or infirmity. Please ring the surgery before

10.00am if at all possible.

An urgent appointment is for an urgent medical problem. Please speak to our

Reception Staff if you require a sick note or repeat prescription.

We would ask you to be patient if the Doctor is running late. This is often due

to unforeseeable emergencies but please ask for an explanation from the

Receptionist.

Make a separate appointment for each patient that needs to be seen. This

allows the Doctor enough time to treat each patient with the time that they

deserve.

Please act in a responsible and courteous manner whilst on the Practice

premises for the safety and comfort of others.

Please treat all surgery staff, fellow patients, carers and visitors politely and

with respect. Violence or verbal harassment will not be tolerated or

accepted.

If you are violent or abusive, you will be warned to stop their behaviour. If you

persist, we may exercise our right to take action to have you removed,

immediately if necessary, from our list of patients and asked to register at

another surgery. In some cases, where necessary, the Practice will involve the

police.

While we strive to meet the standards in this charter, we will also need your

help to achieve this by following the actions given by your clinician and taking

the correct medications promptly.

Sickness Certificates

Under current legislation a Patient can “self-certificate” for the first 7 working days

of any illness. The self-certificate (Form SC2) is available from the DSS office or

your employer. We do not normally issue doctors certificates for the first week.


After the first week, if you require a free Statement of Fitness for Work (Fit Note),

please make an appointment as these are obtained as part of a consultation

with a doctor.

Form SC1 (Incapacity Benefit Claim Form) is available from this Practice for

people who have an illness or disability and are unable to work.

If you require one for insurance or other purposes, please ask your doctor (a fee

will be payable in this instance – details are available on a poster in the waiting

room, at reception and on our website). A receipt will be issued if requested.

Temporary / Short Term Resident

We provide a Temporary Patient service for anyone staying within our Practice

area (e.g. whilst on holiday, staying with relatives etc.). Just call into the Surgery,

obtain a Temporary Resident Form from our Reception Staff, return it to us

completed and we will be happy to assist you.

Test Results. Please request test results after 2.00pm, as the telephones are very busy during the morning.

To ensure confidentiality and security, test results will only be given to the patient

direct and not to relatives or friends, unless alternative arrangements have been

agreed in writing. We will, of course, make every effort to contact you should

your returned result need urgent action. However, it is your responsibility in all

cases to find out the result of your test.

The doctors check the results before our Reception Staff are able to give any

information to you. Our Reception Staff will only be able to state that the result is

normal or that you will have to see the doctor. Please do not expect our

Reception Staff to relay any other information regarding the test results. If the

doctor needs to speak to your personally, our Reception Staff will suggest the

best possible time to ring, so as to avoid interruptions during the surgeries, which is

upsetting for both the doctors and our patients.

Training Practice

The surgery has been accredited as being suitable as a training practice for

those Doctors intending to become GPs and is proud to have offered this service

for a number of years.

The GP Registrar is a fully qualified doctor who already has much experience of

hospital medicines and who will gain invaluable experience by being based

within the Practice. They work full-time in the practice for a period of 6 or 12

months. At all times they provide care of the same standard as that provided by

the other doctors – please accept them as a valued addition to our team.

Consultations are sometimes videoed for training purposes. You will be notified

beforehand if this is the case and will be asked to sign a consent form. The

recording will only take place if you agree to this; there is no obligation for you to

do so. We also assist in the training of medical students.


Zero Tolerance

We will treat our Patients with respect, courtesy and will not discriminate against

them in any way on the grounds of age, sex, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or

national origin or disability, sexual orientation, religion or religious or philosophical

belief.

Physical violence and verbal abuse is a growing concern. GPs, Practice Nurses

and other Practice staff have the right to care for others without fear of being

attacked or abused. We ask that you treat your GP and Practice staff properly –

without violence or abuse. We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance.

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