Practice Policies & Patient Information
Care.data
We ask you for information so that you can receive proper care.
We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again.
We may use some of this information for other reasons: for example, to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently, plans for the future, trains its staff, pays its bills and can account for its actions. Information may also be needed to help educate tomorrow’s clinical staff and carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.
Sometimes the law requires us to pass on information: for example, to notify a birth.
You have a right of access to your medical records.
EVERYONE WORKING FOR THE NHS HAS A LEGAL DUTY TO KEEP INFORMATION ABOUT YOU CONFIDENTIAL.
You may be receiving care from other people as well as the NHS. So that we can all work together for your benefit we may need to share some information about you. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it in your and everyone’s interests. Whenever we can we shall remove details that identify you.
Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential.
If you agree, your relatives, friends and carers may be kept up to date with the progress of your treatment.
THE MAIN REASONS FOR WHICH YOUR INFORMATION MAY BE NEEDED ARE:
- Giving you healthcare treatment
- Looking after the health of the general public
- Managing and planning the NHS for example:
- Making sure that our services can meet patient need in the future
- Paying your doctor, nurse, dentist or other staff, and the hospital that treats you.
- The care they provide
- Auditing accounts
- Preparing statistics on NHS performance and activity (where steps will be taken to ensure you cannot be identified)
- Investigating complaints or legal claims
- Helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standard.
- Training and educating staff (but you can choose whether or not to be involved personally)
- Research approved by the Local Research Ethics Committee. (If anything to do with the research would involve you personally, you will be contacted to see if you are willing.)
If at any time you would like to know more about how we use your information you can speak to the person in charge of your care.
Please take time to read this leaflet. You need to make a choice.
Fair Processing of Data
We may share your medical records with other services involved in your health and care. For full details, please click here to open our Help sheet on Fair Procession of Data
GP Earnings
“All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g., average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working in Grimston Medical Centre in the last financial year was £111,454 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 1 full time GP and 3 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.
However, it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.”
How information about you helps us to provide better care
Opt-out forms available from reception.
Named GP
The named GP is largely a role of oversight. It reassures patients they have one GP who is responsible for their care.
- Patients do not need to see their named GP when they book an appointment with the practice.
- Patients are entitled to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice.
- The named GP works with relevant health and social care professionals to deliver a multi-disciplinary care package that meets the needs of the patient.
- The named GP ensures that these patients have access to a health check as set out in section 7.9 of the standard GMS contract.
- The named GP will not take on 24 hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours.
Primary Care Fair Processing Notice
Privacy Policy
Provider Processors
Click here to view all Grimston Medical Centre Provider Processors.
Smoking
The entire Medical Centre is a non-smoking area
Social Media Policy
There are many social media platforms that are widely used by both staff and patients: these include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Google, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. At Grimston Medical Centre, we have a webpage, www.grimstonmedicalcentre.co.uk which provides a range of useful information for our patient population.
Grimston Medical Centre has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us achieve this by adhering to the code of conduct outlined in this policy.
Patients at Grimston Medical Centre are expected to adhere to the following code of conduct at all times:
- The practice requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, respecting their fellow patients. Portable devices are not to be used during consultations.
- Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients, unless they have the express consent of that patient.
- Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory or unlawful. Any such posts viewed on social media and notified to the Practice Manager will be reported.
- Patients are not permitted to take photographs in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor are photographs of staff permitted.
- Patients must not post comments on social media that identify staff who work at the practice.
- Patients are able to use nhs.uk and search `Grimston Medical Centre’ should they wish to leave a review about Grimston Medical Centre. This will enable the Practice Manager to respond appropriately.
- Defamatory comments about our team are not to be shared on any social media platform. Legal advice will be sought and the appropriate action taken against any patient who posts defamatory comments.
Patient complaints on social media
We have a separate complaints policy which patients are to use should they wish to make a complaint. We will only respond to complaints made to the practice in accordance with the practice policy. Complaints made on social media will not be responded to.
Zero Tolerance Statement
As a Practice we are very aware that visiting your GP can, at times, be stressful and concerning for patients. Delays in obtaining appointments and delays in surgery times, due to unforeseen emergency appointments, can also add to these concerns. We always strive to meet patient expectation and deliver the highest standards of healthcare. For the vast majority of our patients we achieve this, despite the finite resources and steadily increasing demand for services that exists today within the NHS.
Our staff come to work to care for others, and it is important for all members of the public and our staff to be treated with respect.
In line with the rest of the NHS and to ensure this is fully observed we have instigated a Dignity at Work and Zero Tolerance policy, whereby aggressive or violent behaviour towards our staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Any one patient who verbally abuses a member of practice staff will be sent a letter from the Practice confirming that this behaviour will not be tolerated. Any future violation of this policy may result in removal from the Practice patient list. The Police will be called in all cases of violence.
The Practice feels sure you will understand that proper behaviour is absolutely necessary for our staff and patients and that non observance will not be accepted.