The relationship between the clinician and patient is based on trust and chaperones are a safeguard for the both parties at Dr Virmani & Dr Bedi. The role of a chaperone is vital in maintaining a good standard of practice during consultations and examinations.

A full copy of our practice policy regarding chaperones can be found here.

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

If you wish to offer a compliment or just have some feedback for us, please feel free to write to the Practice Manager and we will deal with your feedback promptly, or you can email us at virmaniandbedi.noreply@nhs.net

To pursue a complaint please contact the Complaints Manager, in writing, who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information regarding the complaints procedure is available here in our leaflet or from reception.

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

For more information please read:

1. Privacy Notice CQC
2. Privacy Notice for Staff
3. Privacy Notice Emergencies
4. Privacy Notice Direct Care
5. Privacy Notice Risk Stratification
6. Privacy Notice Safeguarding
7. Privacy Notice for Staff Vaccination
8. Privacy Notice for Children
9. Easy Read Privacy Policy
10. Overarching Privacy Policy
11. Privacy Notice NHS Digital
12. Privacy Notice Public Health

The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff or one of the doctors or nursing team is treated in an abusive or violent way. Our staff come to work to care for others, and it is important for all our staff to be treated with respect.

The Practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services a mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time. The staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.

In order for the practice to maintain good relations with their patients the practice would like to ask all its patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:

Using bad language or swearing at practice staff

Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving

Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff

Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated within this practice

Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted.

Causing damage/stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff or patients

Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently

We ask you to treat your GPs and their staff courteously at all times.

The practice is committed to both eliminating discrimination and encouraging diversity amongst our workforce and in relation to our patients and service users.

The practice and its staff will not discriminate on grounds of gender, marital status, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.

All employees, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability. All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential to meet practice and personal needs.

The practice will:

• create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of staff are recognised and valued.
• ensure that every employee has a working environment that promotes dignity and respect
• ensure that no form of intimidation, bullying or harassment is tolerated
• provide training, development and progression opportunities to all staff
• promote equality in the workplace as good management practice
• review all employment practices and procedures to ensure fairness
• regard breaches of the equality policy misconduct and could lead to disciplinary proceedings
• review the policy annually.

The practice will consider monitoring of job applicants to ensure that equality policies are in place and working.

This may include the collection of information relating to:

• Gender
• race
• disability
• age

Where this is carried out the information will be requested on a separate page in the application papers which can be detached. Completion by candidates will be optional. The information sheet will be removed from the selection process and held separately and for monitoring only. The application papers will make this clear.

Information about the General Practitioners 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.

Access to Records

Introduction

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation, patients (data subjects) have the right to access their data and any supplementary information held by Dr Virmani & Dr Bedi; this is commonly known as a data subject access request (DSAR). Data subjects have a right to receive:

• Confirmation that their data is being processed
• Access to their personal data
• Access to any other supplementary information held about them

Options for access

As of April 2016, practices have been obliged to allow patients access to their health record online. This service will enable the patient to view coded information held in their health record. Prior to accessing this information, you will have to visit the practice and undertake an identity check before being granted access to your records.

In addition, you can make a request to be provided with copies of your health record. To do so, you must submit a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) form; this can be submitted electronically and the DSAR form is available here. Alternatively, a paper copy of the DSAR is available from reception. You will need to submit the form online or return the completed paper copy of the DSAR to the practice. You will also have to verify your identity at the time of submission. This includes electronic submissions. Patients do not have to pay a fee for copies of their records.

Time frame

Once the DSAR form is submitted, Dr Virmani & Dr Bedi will aim to process the request within 21 days; however, this may not always be possible. The maximum time permitted to process DSARs is one calendar month.

Exemptions

There may be occasions when the data controller will withhold information kept in the health record, particularly if the disclosure of such information is likely to cause undue stress or harm to you or any other person.

Data controller

At Dr Virmani & Dr Bedi the data controller is DR VIRMANI and should you have any questions relating to accessing your medical records, please ask to discuss this with the named data controller.

All GP Practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GP’s working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice. The average pay for GP’s working in Dr Hepplewhite and Virmani’s Surgery in the last financial year was –

Awaiting Update

This is for 1 Full Time GP and 1 Part Time GP who worked in the practice for 6 months or more

National Data Opt Out

The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.

 
How your data is used?
Your health and care information is used to improve your individual care. It is also used to help us research new treatments, decide where to put GP clinics and plan for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information

What is confidential patient information?
Confidential patient information identifies you and says something about your health, care or treatment. You would expect this information to be kept private. Information that only identifies you, like your name and address, is not considered confidential patient information and may still be used: for example, to contact you if your GP practice is merging with another.

Who can use your confidential patient information?
It is used by the NHS, local authorities, university and hospital researchers, medical colleges and pharmaceutical companies researching new treatments.

Making your data opt-out choice

You can choose to opt out of sharing your confidential patient information for research and planning. There may still be times when your confidential patient information is used: for example, during an epidemic where there might be a risk to you or to other people’s health. You can also still consent to take part in a specific research project.

Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?
No, your confidential patient information will still be used for your individual care.

Choosing to opt out will not affect your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.

What should you do next?
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your confidential patient 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 choice at any time by visiting:

NHS Your Data Matters- manage your choice  (this link will open in a new window – popups must be allowed) or telephone 0300 303 567

These are the standards we set within the practice for the benefit of our patients. The charter can be read here.

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.

UPGRADE to an ENHANCED 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

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.