PRACTICE CHARTER STANDARDS

YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Rowe Avenue surgery is committed to providing you and your family with quality health care.

Our practice confidentiality policy is strictly adhered to as laid down in the Data Protection Act 1998. Everyone working in the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about patients confidential. However, in some circumstances the law requires us to pass on some information: for example to notify births or serious infectious diseases that can spread.

Patients have a right to access their medical records on application to the practice manager according to the procedures laid down in the Act, subject to a fee. Patients will be asked for written consent before their personal information is used in ways that do not directly contribute to, or support delivery of, their medical care.

• You will be treated in a friendly and courteous manner by our staff.
• Please keep appointments or let us know if you are unable to attend. They are always in high demand.
• Make an appointment for each person needing to be seen.
• Please request out-of-hours home visits for emergencies only and routine home visits for those that are too ill to come to the surgery.
• Please be patient with the receptionists, they are doing their best.
• Look after your own health, exercise regularly and watch your diet. Ask your doctor or nurse for advice.
• Consider using NHS Direct if you have a routine health enquiry that could be dealt with by an experienced nurse.

SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS

We appreciate feedback from our patients that can help us improve our services in any way. Please write or arrange to speak confidentially to our practice manager or the doctor as appropriate. Complaints are normally dealt with using our in-house complaints procedure. Our intention is always to do our best for our patients. If you feel that you have any suggestions or comments to make as to how we might further improve our service please contact our practice manager.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All our staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the doctors and nurses.
The practice is computerised and patients' details are held on the computer. We are registered under the Data Protection Act 1998.