Policies and Procedures

We will register you with a GP, and you do have a right to request to see a GP of your choice.

All patients aged over 75 years will have a named GP.

You can find out who your named GP is by asking at reception; this information is also shown on your repeat prescription form.

Should you experience a problem with the service received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often 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 formal complaint, please fill in a Problem Report form.

We operate a practice based complaints procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints.

Complaints should be addressed to Miss C Hinks (Practice Manager) and marked private and confidential.

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.

If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

• Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
• Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing to the Practice Manager. You can email your complaint to rwh-tr.complaints.ess.cr@nhs.net. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must 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 Time2Talk

We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.

However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.

Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?

If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and Time2Talk and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.

To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033

Need help making a complaint?

If you want help making a complaint, Healthwatch Hounslow can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.

Alternatively, POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.

Your medical records are confidential and we are only able to divulge this information (to Solicitors etc) with your written consent.
We ask you for information about yourself so that you can receive proper care and treatment.

We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again.

We have a statutory obligation to keep information about you as part of your medical record. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone’s interest.

\Whenever we can we will remove details which identify you.

The sharing of some types of very sensitive personal information is strictly controlled by law.

Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal obligation to keep it confidential.

• Cannock Road Medical Practice

Cannock Road Medical Practice

The average pay for GPs working in Cannock Road Medical Centre in the latest financial year was £53,607 before tax and National insurance. This is for 0 full-time GPs, 5 part-time GPs.

Every patient in our practice has a ‘Named GP’ who will be accountable for their care. This GP will periodically review your care in which you receive.

Your ‘Named GP’ is who you are registered under. If you are unsure as to whom this is please ask at reception.

Having a ‘Named GP’ is does NOT stop you from seeing the doctor of your choice at the practice.

Cannock Road Medical Practice

As a patient you have the right to:

1. Be registered with a named doctor
2. Receive emergency care
3. Receive appropriate drugs and medicines
4. Be referred for specialist or second opinion if they and GP agrees
5. See your medical records or a copy, subject to certain laws
6. Know that by law, everyone working for the NHS must keep the contents of your medical records private.

With these rights come responsibilities for the public. That means being:

1. Courteous to staff at all times
2. As prompt as possible for all appointments
3. Responsible for cancelling appointments in adequate time.

Patients Rights & Responsibilities

Below is a précis of the main points you need to know, a full guide to your Rights & Responsibilities can be obtained from 0800 555 777.

Rights

• To be treated with respect and courtesy
• Receive clear understandable information about your treatment and care.
• You have the right to refuse treatment

 Responsibilities 

• To know what is being written about you
• We expect reasonable behaviour from patients, relatives and friends
• To provide full information about any health matters which will aid treatment
• To follow treatment plans recommended. The patient is responsible for the consequences of refusing treatment or not following professional advice
• Notify the appropriate member of staff if you cannot make an appointment
• To provide accurate and up-to-date information, and to advise the GP and hospital if you change your address

The practices operate within the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy on violent, abusive or aggressive behaviour from patients and relatives.

We believe that everyone has a right to feel safe from violence or verbal abuse. Therefore we take any acts of violence, verbal aggression or intimidation very seriously.

Acts of violence will be reported to the police and patients involved will be removed from the practice list and banned from the premises.

Verbal aggression (including shouting and swearing), may be treated in the same way as acts of violence. Otherwise, a warning will be issued and if the behaviour is repeated then the patient may be asked to leave the list.

All staff at the practice can report problems and this includes aggression or swearing over the phone.