|
|
OUR
PATIENTS CHARTER
The
Doctors, Staff, Practice/District Nurses, Health Visitors and Midwife of this
Practice work closely together as a team to give you a personal, confidential
service which meets your needs. Our aim is reliability and efficiency offered
with friendship and courtesy.
The service provided will involve you in discussing your care and taking responsibility
for your own health - the team are here to help you achieve this. We aim to meet
the standards in this charter. We also need your help to do this, eg cancel unwanted
appointments.
We aim to treat our patients courteously at all times and expect our patients
to treat our staff in a similarly respectful way. We take seriously any threatening,
abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff or patients. If a patient
is violent or abusive, they will be warned to stop their behaviour. If they persist,
we may exercise our right to take action to have them removed, immediately if
necessary, from our list of patients.
COMPLIMENTS,
COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS
We
welcome your views and constructive suggestions which will help us improve our
service to you. There is a suggestion box located in the waiting room.
PRACTICE
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you have a complaint about the service you have received from the Doctors
or any of the staff working at this Practice, please let us know. We operate
a Practice Complaints Procedure as part of the NHS system for dealing with complaints.
Our complaints system meets national criteria.
A complaints pack, available from reception, 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 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. If it is
not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
• within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem, or
• within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem.
Complaints should be addressed to Mrs Jeannie Bee, in the first instance, or
one of the Doctors. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Jeannie
in order to discuss your concerns. Jeannie will explain the complaints procedure
to you and will ensure your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great
help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
Mechanism
For Dealing With A Complaint
We shall acknowledge your complaint within two working days and aim to have looked
into your complaint within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with
us. 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.
•
make it possible for you to discuss the problem 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 doesn't happen again.
Complaining
On Behalf Of Someone Else
Please note that we keep strictly to 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 The Primary Care Trust
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 the Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust. If you
feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the
result of our investigation you should contact the Complaints Manager at the
PCT. The Complaints Manager may be contacted on 01522 513355 or by writing to
the Complaints Manager at Lincolnshire PCT, Cross O'Cliff, Bracebridge Heath,
Lincoln, LN4 2HN. The PCT also operates a Patient Advice and Liaison Service
(PALS) which can often help resolve any problems before they become complaints.
To speak to a PALS officer, ring 01522 582901. In addition, ICAS (the Independent Complaints Complaints Advocacy Service) are available to help you through the complaints process. Their services are free of charge and they can be contacted on 01522 705131.
If you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation you can contact the Ombudsman by telephoning 0345 015 4033, or by writing to The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.
Confidentiality
All our staff are bound by strict rules of confidentiality.
We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential
and secure. 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. This information is only available to those involved
in your care and you should never be asked for personal medical information by
anyone not involved in your care. You have a right to know what information we
hold about you. If you would like to see your records, please call our Executive
Manager. We are a computerised Practice and registered under the Data Protection
Act.
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.
|
