Accessible information –

The Accessible Information Standard is a requirement that all NHS organisations, including GP practices must follow to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss or their carers are given information in a format they can easily read or understand.

So, we can help and support you we want to know;

• If you need information in a specific format e.g. braille, large print or easy read
• If you need to receive information in a particular way
• if you need someone to support you at appointments e.g. a sign language interpreter or an advocate
• We want to know if you lip read or use a hearing aid or communication tool

Please let us know if you require any type of support so we can record this information and add it to your record.  You can do this by telling our reception team, doctor or nurse the support you need. It is best you do this prior to needing an appointment, so the practice can make the necessary adjustments in advance.

NHS England has more information on the standard which is available in a range of formats including easy read, audio and BSL video with subtitles.  You can see these by clicking the link below:

NHS England » Patients

Healthwatch Sunderland have created a leaflet to explain this

Do you have communication needs? | Healthwatch Sunderland

Reasonable Adjustments

All disabled people have the right to reasonable adjustments. This includes when using healthcare, including GP practices.

We need to make it as easy for disabled people to use health services. This is called making reasonable adjustments.

Reasonable adjustments are changes which mean people with a disability can access the healthcare they need.

Reasonable adjustments are dependent on the person. Everyone has different needs.  Some examples might include:

• making sure there is good access for people who use a wheelchair in the surgery
• providing plain English or easy read appointment letters.
• giving someone a priority appointment if they find it difficult waiting in their GP surgery or hospital.
• offering a longer appointment if someone needs more time with a doctor or nurse to make sure they understand the information they are given.
• having a quiet space available for people waiting for their appointment.
• making sure there is a hearing loop system in consultation rooms
• using a communication chart to support a person with dementia during an appointment.

Please let us know if you require any type adjustment to access your appointments so we can record this information and add it to your record.  You can do this by telling our reception team, doctor or nurse the adjustments you need. It is best you do this prior to needing an appointment, so the practice can make the necessary adjustments in advance.

Accessing someone else’s information

As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.

To requests proxy access:

• collect a proxy access form from reception from 10am to 6pm

Linked profiles in your NHS account

Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.

The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.

CQC visited our practice on Tuesday 5th January 18 for an inspection.

Please see the attachments below.

Summary Ratings

Detailed Ratings

We aim to offer a friendly, personal, comprehensive and high standard of family health care to all our patients. We always welcome your feedback and value your comments and suggestions. Please get in touch via our online form or by telephone and let us know your thoughts. We endeavour to listen to your comments and act appropriately on the constructive feedback to deliver the best for you and your family.

The Complaints Manager at Castletown Medical Centre is Emma Ferguson, It is the duty of the Complaints Manager to manage the complaints handling procedure in compliance with the regulations.

The Responsible Person at Castletown Medical Centre is Dr Koriem. It is the duty of the Responsible Person to ensure that all aspects of regulations and constitutional rights have been complied with in respect of all complaints received by the Practice.

Introduction

The Local Authority Social Services and National Health Service Complaints (England) Regulations 2009 oblige NHS organisations to have arrangements in place to deal with complaints.

The Health Act 2009 places a duty on NHS Organisations (including contractors) to ‘have regard to the NHS Constitution’.

The NHS Constitution sets out the following rights for patients:

• To have the right to have any complaint about NHS services dealt with efficiently and to have it properly investigated
• To have the right to know the outcome of any investigation of a complaint
• To have the right to take the complaint to the Independent Health Service Ombudsman if not satisfied with the way the complaint has been handled by the NHS organisation.
  There are two stages of complaints handling:
  – Local resolution at Practice or NHS England/CCG level
  – Referral to the Ombudsman

Policy Objectives

Castletown Medical Centre will:

• Ensure patients are aware of the right to complain
• Ensure patients know how to complain and who to complain to
• Ensure patients understand how their complaint will be handled and the time frame
• Ensure there is a robust system to respond, record and review complaints.

Main Provisions of the Regulations

• Patients wishing to complain may do so orally, in writing or electronically to either the practice or the CCG as commissioner.
• Complaints can be made within 12 months of an incident occurring or them becoming aware of the problem. The time limit can sometimes be extended (so long as it’s still possible to investigate the complaint). An extension might be possible, for instance in situations where it would have been difficult for the patient to complain earlier, for example, if grieving or undergoing trauma.
• Oral complaints that are satisfactorily resolved no later than the next working day are not subject to the regulations.
• Complaints can be made by patients or anyone affected by the actions, omissions or decisions of the Practice, whether on their own behalf or by a representative.  In the case of a representative, the Practice must be satisfied that he/she is acting in the best interests of the person on whose behalf the complaint is being raised.  If the practice decides this is not the case, the complainant will be notified in writing and an explanation given.
• Complainants can complain directly to the CCG or NHS England rather than to the Practice.  The CCG or NHS England is obliged to notify the Practice.
• All NHS organisations (including voluntary and independent sector organisations under contract) are all governed by the same legislation therefore coordinated complaint handling should be easier.  If a complaint is received that involves other organisations, the Practice should, with the patient’s consent, copy the complaint and the acknowledgement letter to the organisations concerned.

Procedure

• Patients will be encouraged to give feedback to the practice.  The process for doing so will be advertised in the Practice Leaflet and also on signage in the waiting room.  An information leaflet is also available for patients to take away which gives details of how and to whom the complaint can be made.
• Where a complaint is made orally, the complaint shall be recorded and a copy of the written record given to the complainant.
• The complaint shall be acknowledged within 3 working days of receipt and may be made orally or in writing.
• When acknowledging the complaint, we will offer to discuss the complaint, with the complainant, at a time to suit them.  We will advise the manner in which the complaint will be investigated and the likely timescale for this investigation and when the complainant is likely to receive a response.
• If the complainant does not accept the offer of a discussion then we will determine the response time and notify the complainant in writing.
• The investigation of the complaint will be made in the most appropriate manner and shall be conducted efficiently, at all times keeping the patient up to date with progress.  As soon as possible after completion of the investigation, the complainant will be sent a written response.
• The response will include an explanation of how the complaint has been considered, conclusions reached and how they may affect the complainant.  It will confirm any actions that need to be taken as a consequence of the complaint.  If local resolution has not been reached, it will identify the right to take the complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman. Castletown Medical Centre will undertake an annual review of complaints

Reporting

• The number of complaints received
• A summary of subject matter
• A summary of outcomes
• Lessons learned and any improvements made
• The way complaints were handled
• The number of complaints passed to Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Ombudsman is completely independent of the NHS and Government.  The Ombudsman can be contacted at Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP, Tel: 0345 015 4033 or by emailing phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk or by accessing www.ombudsman.org.uk.

Complaints process/procedures

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our Practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong, resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would like the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To have your complaint investigated, you need to complain within 12 months of the event happening, or as soon as you first become aware of the issue you want to complain about.

The time limit can be extended in special circumstances.

How to make a compliment or complaint

Whether you are happy or unhappy with the care and treatment that you have received, please get in touch and let us know your views.

Receiving compliments and complaints is important to ensuring good quality local healthcare in our Practice – helping us to find out more about what we’re getting right and what we can improve.

We hope this will help you to make your feelings and experiences known to the appropriate people. Should you have a complaint we hope this page will give you more information about what to do, who to contact and what happens next.

How do I raise a concern / informal complaint?

You can speak to any member of staff initially with your complaint. This gives you the opportunity to resolve any concern you may have without it going through a formal process.

Most complaints are best resolved within the practice and these should be made via the Management team.

If you’re considering making a complaint but need help

If you require support to make a complaint Voice Ability can offer both offer both information and support.  They have advocates to support people to make a complaint about the treatment or care that they or a friend or family member have received from an NHS service. This support is available at every stage of the complaints process.

VoiceAbility | Sunderland

Formal Complaint

What we will do

We will contact you about your complaint within three working days and offer to discuss with you the best way to investigate it, including the time scales for a reply. We will aim to offer you an explanation within that time frame. Or a meeting with the people involved.

• Find out what happened and what went wrong
• Invite you to discuss the problem with those involved, if you would like this
• Apologise where this is appropriate
• Identify what we can do to make sure that the problem does not happen again.

If you feel you do not want to contact the surgery directly, then you can contact the NHS integrated care board complaints team on:

Website address: NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB contact us

Email: necsu.pccomplaints@nhs.net

Telephone: 0191 512 8484

In General

If you have a complaint to make, you can either contact the Practice Manager or ask the Receptionist for a copy of our Complaints Procedure. We will endeavour to:

1. acknowledge any letter or Complaints Form within 3 working days of receiving it.
2. deal with the matter as promptly as possible – usually within 20 working days – dependent on the nature of the complaint.

Who can complain

• Complainants may be current or former patients, or their nominated or elected representatives (who have been given consent to act on the patients behalf).
• Patients over the age of 16 whose mental capacity is unimpaired should normally complain themselves or authorise someone to bring a complaint on their behalf.
• Children under the age of 16 can also make their own complaint, if they’re able to do so.

If a patient lacks capacity to make decisions, their representative must be able to demonstrate sufficient interest in the patient’s welfare and be an appropriate person to act on their behalf. This could be a partner, relative or someone appointed under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 with lasting power of attorney.

Appropriate person

In certain circumstances, we need to check that a representative is the appropriate person to make a complaint.

• For example, if the complaint involves a child, we must satisfy ourselves that there are reasonable grounds for the representative to complain, rather than the child concerned.
• If the patient is a child or a patient who lacks capacity, we must also be satisfied that the representative is acting in the patient’s best interests.

If we are not satisfied that the representative is an appropriate person we will not consider the complaint, and will give the representative the reasons for our decision in writing.

Procedure

We have a two stage complaints procedure. We will always try to deal with your complaint quickly however if it is clear that the matter will need a detailed investigation, we will notify you and then keep you updated on our progress.

Stage one – Early, local resolution

• We will try to resolve your complaint within five working days if possible.
• If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can ask us to escalate your complaint to Stage Two.

Stage Two – Investigation

• We will look at your complaint at this stage if you are dissatisfied with our response at Stage One.
• We also escalate some complaints straight to this stage, if it is clear that they are complex or need detailed investigation.
• We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and we will give you our decision as soon as possible. This will be no more that 20 working days unless there is clearly a good reason for needing more time to respond.

Complain to the Ombudsman

If, after receiving our final decision, you remain dissatisfied you may take your complaint to the Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is independent of the NHS and free to use. It can help resolve your complaint, and tell the NHS how to put things right if it has got them wrong.

The Ombudsman only has legal powers to investigate certain complaints. You must have received a final response from the Practice before the Ombudsman can look at your complaint and it will generally not look into your complaint if it happened more than 12 months ago, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Phone: 0345 015 4033

• E: email the Ombudsman 

Confidentiality

All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Where the investigation of the complaint requires consideration of the patient’s medical records, we will inform the patient or person acting on his/her behalf if the investigation will involve disclosure of information contained in those records to a person other than the Practice or an employee of the Practice.

We keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records will be kept separate from patients’ medical records.

Send us your comments or suggestions

Please use the form below to get in touch with us if you have any general questions or any comments or suggestions about this website. Please DO NOT use this form to request or send any kind of medical information.

How we use your data

We’re making it easier for you to find out how we handle your information

A new data privacy law is being introduced later this year in the UK; as a result we now have a new Privacy Notice effective from 25^th May 2018. To make it easier for you to understand how we protect and use your personal information within the Health service. We are not changing the ways that we use personal information but our new notice will provide you with some additional advice such as:

• Your increased rights in relation to information we hold about you
• How we keep your personal information secure
• The types of personal information collected and how we use it
• The legal grounds for how your information is used
• How you can opt out of sharing your information
• How to have incorrect information changed

PRIVACY NOTICE

 How we use your information

This privacy notice explains why as a Practice we collect information about our patients and how we use that information.

Castletown Medical Centre manages patient information in accordance with existing laws and with guidance from organisations that govern the provision of healthcare in England such as the Department of Health and the General Medical Council.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:

• Data Protection Act 1998
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
• Health and Social Care Act 2012
• NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Information Security

As data controllers, GPs have fair processing responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998. In practice, this means ensuring that your personal confidential data (PCD) is handled clearly and transparently, and in a reasonably expected way.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 changed the way that personal confidential data is processed, therefore it is important that our patients are aware of and understand these changes, and that you have an opportunity to object and know how to do so.

The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any NHS treatment or care you have received (e.g. NHS Hospital Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be processed electronically, on paper or a mixture of both; a combination of working practices and technology are used to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records held by this GP practice may include the following information:

• Details about you, such as address and next of kin
• Any contact the practice has had with you, including appointments (emergency or scheduled), clinic visits, etc.
• Notes and reports about your health
• Details about treatment and care received
• Results of investigations, such as laboratory tests, x-rays, etc.
• Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you

The practice collects and holds data for the sole purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients and we will ensure that the information is kept confidential. However, we can disclose personal information if:

1. It is required by law
2. You provide consent – either implicitly or for the sake of their own care, or explicitly for other purposes
3. It is justified to be in the public interest

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we hold data centrally, we take strict and secure measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.

Information may be used for clinical audit purposes to monitor the quality of service provided, and may be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we do this we ensure that patient records cannot be identified.

Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for clinical research purposes – the practice will always endeavour to gain your consent before releasing the information.

Improvements in information technology are also making it possible for us to share data with other healthcare providers with the objective of providing you with better care.

Patients can choose to withdraw their consent to their data being used in this way. When the practice is about to participate in any new data-sharing scheme we will make patients aware by displaying prominent notices in the surgery and on our website at least four weeks before the scheme is due to start. We will also explain clearly what you have to do to ‘opt-out’ of each new scheme.

A patient can object to their personal information being shared with other health care providers but if this limits the treatment that you can receive then the doctor will explain this to you at the time.

Mobile Telephone

If you provide us with your mobile phone number we may use this to send you text reminders about any appointments or other health screening information being carried out.

Risk Stratification

Risk stratification is a process for identifying and managing patients who are at high risk of requiring emergency or urgent care. Typically this is because patients have a long term condition such as COPD, cancer or other medical condition at risk of sudden worsening. NHS England (the national Commissioning Board) encourages GPs to use risk stratification tools as part of their local strategies for supporting patients with long-term conditions and to provide care plans and planned care with the aim to prevent avoidable admissions or other emergency care.

Information about you is collected from a number of sources including NHS Trusts and from this GP practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your de-identified information using software provided by EMIS as the data processor and is provided back in an identifiable form to your GP or member of your care team as data controller.

Risk stratification enables your GP to focus on preventing ill health and not just the treatment of sickness. If necessary your GP may be able to offer you additional services.

Please note that you have the right to opt out of Risk Stratification.

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed, or wish to opt out of any data collection at the practice, please contact the practice, or your healthcare professional to discuss how the disclosure of your personal information can be limited.

Patients have the right to change their minds and reverse a previous decision. Please contact the practice, if you change your mind regarding any previous choice.

Invoice Validation

If you have received treatment within the NHS your personal information may be shared within a strictly monitored, secure and confidential environment in order to determine which Clinical Commissioning Group should pay for the treatment or procedure you have received.

Information such as your name, address and date of treatment may be passed on to enable the billing process – these details are held in a secure environment and kept confidential. This information will only be used to validate invoices, and will not be shared for any further commissioning purposes.

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (which is overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office), Human Rights Act, the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality, and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security. Every staff member who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to maintain the confidentiality of patient information.

All of our staff, contractors and committee members receive appropriate and regular training to ensure they are aware of their personal responsibilities and have legal and contractual obligations to uphold confidentiality, enforceable through disciplinary procedures. Only a limited number of authorised staff have access to personal information where it is appropriate to their role and is strictly on a need-to-know basis.

We maintain our duty of confidentiality to you at all times. We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), or where the law requires information to be passed on.

Who are our partner organisations?

We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with the following organisations:

• NHS Trusts
• Specialist Trusts
• Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
• Private Sector Providers
• Voluntary Sector Providers
• Ambulance Trusts
• Clinical Commissioning Groups
• Social Care Services
• Local Authorities
• Education Services
• Fire and Rescue Services
• Police

Lawful reasons for processing Special Category Data

Necessary for the purpose of preventative or occupational medicine for assessing the working capacitry of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or management of health or social care systems and services on the basis of Union or members state law or a contract with a health professional.

Access to personal information

You have a right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to access/view information the practice holds about you, and to have it amended or removed should it be inaccurate. This is known as ‘the right of subject access’. If we do hold information about you we will:

• give you a description of it
• tell you why we are holding it
• tell you who it could be disclosed to
• let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form

If you would like to make a ‘data subject access request’, please contact the practice who will provide you with the application form, alternatively you can download the application form from the link below. You are required to present proof of ID and residency to practice staff for authorisation, with your completed application form.

DSAR Form May 2018

The practice has a minimum of 1 calendar month to respond to your completed request.

The practice is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Change of Details

It is important that you tell the person treating you if any of your details such as your name or address have changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.

Notification

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information. This information is publicly available on the Information Commissioners Office website www.ico.org.uk. The practice is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and our registration number is ZA115536

Who is the Data Controller?

The Data Controller, responsible for keeping your information secure and confidential is the GP of Castletown Medical Centre. Any changes to this will be published on our website and displayed in prominent notices in the surgery.

The GP is registered as a data controller under the Data Protection Act 1998.

Further information

Further information about the way in which the NHS uses personal information and your rights in that respect can be found in:

• The NHS Care Record Guarantee : http://www.nigb.nhs.uk/pubs/nhscrg.pdf
• The NHS Constitution : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england
• NHS Digital’s Guide to Confidentiality in Health & Social Care gives more information on the rules around information sharing : http://content.digital.nhs.uk/article/4979/Assuring-information

An independent review of information about patients is shared across the health and care system led by Dame Fiona Caldicott was conducted in 2012. The report, Information: To share or not to share? The Information Governance Review, be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-information-governance-review

NHS England – Better Data, Informed Commissioning, Driving Improved Outcomes: Clinical Data Sets provides further information about the data flowing within the NHS to support commissioning.

Please visit the NHS Digital website for further information about their work. Information about their responsibility for collecting data from across the health and social care system can be found.

The Information Commissioner’s Office is the Regulator for the Data Protection Act 1998 and offer independent advice and guidance on the law and personal data, including your rights and how to access your personal information. For further information please visit the www.ico.gov.uk

This GP Practice, as the data controller may collect personal information from visitors to this site. This will not include any information that can be used to identify any individual. This information is used only to respond to enquiries, monitor site usage and to enhance the use of certain technologies – such as activity based information. Cookies and logging of IP addresses are used to enable the GP Practice to monitor site traffic and repeat visitor statistics. The GP Practice will at all times comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Website Privacy Policy

This GP Practice, as the data controller may collect personal information from visitors to this site. This information is used only to respond to enquiries, monitor site usage and to enhance the use of certain technologies – such as activity based information. Cookies and logging of IP addresses are used to enable the GP Practice to monitor site traffic and repeat visitor statistics. Statistics will not include information that can be used to identify any individual.

The GP Practice will at all times comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Use of Personal Information Provided by the User

Where personal information (e.g. name, address, telephone number etc) is provided to the GP Practice via its website for whatever purpose (e.g. registration, survey, feedback), it is made clear to the individual what the information collected will be used for and who it will be provided to. The GP Practice will only use the information collected for the stated purpose.

At this current time, any personal information provided, is only used by the GP Practice. It will not sell, trade, provide or rent personal information to third parties. Specific personal information will be released where the NHS is required to do so by law, e.g. court order. Transfer of data will be done so on the express permission of the supplying individual.

When you submit personal information, you consent to our use of the information as set out in this privacy policy.

Scope of this Privacy Policy

This privacy policy only covers sites belonging to and operated by the GP Practice. Links within this site to other websites are not covered by this policy.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

The GP Practice may amend this policy from time to time. If substantial changes are made to the way in which the Council obtains and uses your personal information the website will show prominently any announcement to this effect.

There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record that contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.

Why do I Need a Summary Care Record?

Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.

This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example, which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.

Who Can See it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

How do I Know if I Have One?

Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP.

Do I Have to Have One?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt-out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.

More Information

For further information, visit the NHS Care records website.

National data opt-out – NHS Digital

Our practice has signed up to the NHS Zero Tolerance Campaign which makes verbal abuse, threat and physical violence to all NHS staff unacceptable. Any such behaviour from any patients may result in their removal from our practice list.