Practice Policies & Patient Information
With patients’ needs at the heart of everything we do, our website has been designed to make it easy for you to gain instant access to the information you need. As well as specific practice details such as opening hours and how to register, you’ll find a wealth of useful pages covering a wide range of health issues along with links to other relevant medical organisations.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
Accessible Information Standard Policy
The Accessible Information Standard directs and defines a specific, consistent approach to identifying, recording, flagging, sharing and meeting the information and communication support needs of patients, service users, carers and parents, where those needs relate to a disability, impairment or sensory loss.
It is of particular relevance to individuals who are blind, d/Deaf, deaf blind and / or who have a learning disability, although it will support anyone with information or communication needs relating to a disability, impairment or sensory loss, for example people who have aphasia or a mental health condition which affects their ability to communicate.
The Standard applies to service providers across the NHS and adult social care system, and it specifically aims to improve the quality and safety of care received by individuals with information and communication needs, and their ability to be involved in autonomous decision-making about their health, care and wellbeing.
Registered patients will have an alert added to the home page of their medical notes and a pop-up will prompt anyone who opens their record to ask about their needs.
New patients registering with the practice, will be asked about their information or communication needs at the point of registration.
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
Click below to view our CQC Report
CQC Report
CCTV Information
Complaint Procedure
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
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 [PRACTICE TO ADD SPECIFIC CONTACT DETAILS]. 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 NHS England
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 NHS England 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.
Confidentiality & Medical Records
All matters relating to individual patients are treated as strictly confidential. We will only give details about appointments, test results etc. to you personally and not to a relative or representative. All staff at the practice have access to patient records at appropriate and relevant levels. Patient information will only be passed onto 3rd parties (eg solicitors) only with the patient’s specific written consent.
The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act & works within Caldicott Guidance.
GP Practice – PinPoint Test Evaluation Privacy Notice
FAQs GDPR and My GP patient Record
Data Choices
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How your data is used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You have a choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?
No, choosing to opt-out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What do you need to do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
Equality & Diversity
Examples of non-NHS services for which GP’s can charge other institutions are?
- Medical reports for an insurance company
- Some reports for the DSS/Benefits agency
- Examinations of local authority employees
Examples of non-NHS services for which GP’s can charge their patients
- Certain travel vaccinations
- Private medical insurance reports
- Holiday cancellation forms
- Referral for private care forms
- Letters requested by or on behalf of, the patient
- In certain instances fitness to work forms
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
General Data Protection Regulation
IMPORTANT UPDATE: THE GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS
We want to make patients aware that from the 25th May 2018 the ‘General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) will come in to force in the UK – the information on this page is currently being updated to ensure that our patients have the information they need about how their Personal Health Data is processed, stored and shared. The Practice is currently working through the new legislation requirements, reviewing and updating our policies and procedures, training our Practice Team members and preparing updated information ready for publication for our patients.
Personal data issues are experiencing a high degree of media exposure presently and we want to assure patients that ‘Personal Health Data’ under various current legislation and under the new GDPR has special protections that must be followed and adhered to. In the coming months there will be a lot of publicity which we hope will be factual rather than media sensationalised and if as a patient you have any concerns we are here to help you and answer your queries. We know from experience that media coverage can cause a great deal of anxiety for patients – please always feel that you can speak to us so we can answer your questions and this will enable us to provide you with the correct information you need to base your decisions upon.
How your information is shared
Childrens Privacy Information Leaflet
GP Net Earnings
March 2024
All GP practices are required to declare their mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working at Blackburn Road Medical Centre in the last financial year was £56,519 before tax and National Insurance.
This is for 1 full time GP and 8 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.
GP Net Earnings March 2021
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working in Blackburn Road Medical Centre in the last financial year was £53,855 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full-time GPs and 5 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.
Hayfever Injections
The injection was historically available on the NHS but it is no longer offered due to a lack of robust evidence supporting its efficacy. The treatment can cause a potentially long list of side effects including raised blood pressure, water retention, skin rashes and muscle weakness.
Please see below for further information
https://patient.info/…/the-pros-and-cons-of-the-hay…
I only need the doctor’s signature – what is the problem?
When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. Therefore in order to complete even the simplest of forms, the doctor needs to check the patient’s entire record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor, with the General Medical Council or even the Police.
| Private Work Item | Fee |
| Taxi Medical | £190.00 |
| HGV Medical | £120.00 |
| PSV Medical | £120.00 |
| DVLA Medical | £85.00 |
| DVLA fit to drive form | £40.00 |
| GPR full report | £120.00 |
| GPR short report | £80.00 |
| GPR targeted report | £55.00 |
| GPR extra information | £35.00 |
| GPR medical information | £35.00 |
| £40.00 | |
| TWIMC letters | £15.00 |
| Completion of forms | £30.00 |
| Adoption Medicals | £73.86 |
| Ofsted booklet | £35.00 |
| Police application forms | £35.00 |
| Cremation forms | £82.00 |
| PIP forms | £33.50 |
| Atos forms | £33.50 |
| Armed Forces medical reports | £65.00 |
Practice Policies
All practice Policies are reviewed annually and all staff undergo a variety annual Statutory and Mandatory of training which includes the following:
- Equality and Diversity training
- Conflict Resolution
- Safeguarding
- Data Security
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Customer Service
General Practice Transparency Notice
General Practice Transparency Notice for GPES Data for Pandemic Planning and Research (COVID-19)
Privacy Notice
Please click here to view.
Private Fees and Charges
Why do GP’s charge fees? Your questions answered
The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge, but there are exceptions. Prescription charges have existed since 1951, and there are a number of other services for which fees are charged. Sometimes the charge is made to cover some of the cost of treatment, for example dental fees. In other cases it is because the service isn’t covered by the NHS, for example, medical reports for insurance companies, claimson private health insurance and other letters and forms which require the doctor to review the patient’s medical records.
It is important to understand that GP’s are not employed by the NHS, they are self-employed, and they have to cover their costs- staff, buildings, heating, lighting etc.- in the same wayas any small business
The NHS pays the doctor for specific NHS work, but for non NHS the fee has to cover the doctor’s costs
Suggestions
If you have any suggestions for improvements in the way the surgery operates, please put in writing and put in the prescription box in the waiting room or ask to see Mr Gwatkin, Practice Manager.
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which 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
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.
What is covered by the NHS and what is not?
The government’s contract with GP’s covers medical services to NHS patients. In recent years, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GP’s are asked is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to be sure that information provided is true and accurate
Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?
Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his/her patients. Most GP’s have a very heavy workload- the majority of GP’s work up to 60 hours a week and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time. In addition non-NHS workmust be undertaken outside of NHS contracted time.
Zero Tolerance Policy
The practice has a policy in relation to abusive and threatening behaviour – if any patient behaves in this way, as a consequence they may be removed from the practice list.