View / Download our Patient and Service User Privacy Notice.

Practice Leaflet

All new patients will receive a copy of our practice leaflet and copies will be displayed at the reception desk.

Surgery Premises

Our surgery building will be welcoming, easy for patients to find their way around and appropriate to the needs of users, including the disabled.

Patients’ rights to General Medical Services

Patients have the rights to:

• be registered with a General Practitioner
• change doctor if desired
• be offered a health check on joining the practice
• receive emergency care at any time from the practice
• receive appropriate drugs and medicines
• be referred for specialist or second opinion if they and the GP agrees
• have the right to view their medical records, subject to the Acts and to know that those working for the NHS are under legal obligation to keep the contents confidential.

Changes to Procedures

When changes are introduced to practice procedures that affect patients, we will ensure that these are clearly explained, by means of its brochure; waiting room noticeboard or individual leaflets, giving as much notice as practicable.

Repeat Prescriptions

To ensure the best possible knowledge of your personal health, these will be signed by your usual GP wherever possible.

Referrals

• Urgent referrals to other health and social care agencies will be made within one working day of the patient consultation. Where requested, our GPs will refer you to a private health provider.
• We will normally process non-urgent referrals within three working days of the patient consultation or the doctor’s decision to refer.

Test Results

When a doctor or nurse arranges for a test to be taken the patient will be informed how to obtain the result.

Transfer of Medical Records

The Practice will endeavour to dispatch any medical record required by the Health Authority within seven working days and same day if the request is urgent.

Privacy and Confidentiality

We will respect our patients’ privacy, dignity and confidentiality at all times.

Appointments

• With a Doctor:
  For routine consultations we will endeavour to offer patients an appointment within two working days of the request. For medically urgent requests, we will offer an appointment on the same day.
• With a Practice Nurse:
  For routine appointments we will offer an appointment within five working days.

If there is a delay in the appointment wait (when you arrive) of more than 20 minutes we will let you know.

We are happy to update you on any delay situation if you feel that you have been waiting too long.

Home Visits

We are unable to guarantee a specific doctor will visit you as this depends on availability and other factors. The decision to home visit will be at the doctors’ discretion.

Out of Hours Emergencies

We will do everything possible to ensure that our system for contacting the duty doctor is easy to follow, reliable and effective.

Waiting Times

• surgeries will normally start on time.
• we expect patients to be seen within twenty minutes of their appointment time, and in the event of a delay we will offer an explanation.
• when a doctor is called away on an emergency we will inform the patients and give them an opportunity to book an alternative appointment.
• With these rights come responsibilities and for the patients this means:
• Courtesy to the staff at all times – remember they are working under doctors’ orders.
• Responding in a positive way to questions asked by the reception staff.
• To attend appointments on time or give the practice adequate notice that they wish to cancel. Someone else could use your appointment!
• An appointment is for one person only – where another member of the family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made and the Medical Record be made available.
• Patients should make every effort when consulting the surgery to make best use of nursing and medical time – home visits should be medically justifiable and not requested for social convenience.
• When patients are asked to give 72 hours notice for repeat prescriptions, please give us this time as it is to allow for accurate prescribing.
• Out-of-hours calls (e.g. evenings; nights & weekends) should only be requested if they are felt to be truly necessary.

Bromley By Bow works with partners across North-East London, taking part in research and quality improvement.  This allows our patients to access new and innovative treatments and diagnostics. While also aiming to improve the future medical treatment of both our patients and the wider population.  We work in partnership with the local NIHR funded Clinical Research Network (NOCLOR), the Clinical effectiveness group at Queen Mary University London (QMUL), and North East London Integrated care board, among others.  Below are some examples of the studies we are or have been involved with:

• LOVE study – a study run by Bart’s and QMUL to asymptomatically screen patient’s over-65 years to allow for the Early detection of heart failure.
• BELONG study – a study run by King’s College London to encourage health screening using local hair salons.  To allow for early detection and prevention of ill health.
• AD-HOC study – a study run by QMUL to help patients with asthma access and engage with peer communities online to support them with their asthma management.

We teach medical students from Barts and London, University College and Guy’s, Kings and St Thomas’s Medical Schools across the 3 surgeries. We also take part in clinical research projects. Examples of the studies we are involved in include Hepfree (early identification of hepatitis), CANDID study (cancer diagnosis tool study), and studies that look for genetics of chronic diseases including diabetes.

Please ask at reception of any one of our surgeries if you would like to take part in our clinical research projects.

Teaching & Training @ BBBHP

Learning and development (L&D) is about creating the right culture and environment for individuals, communities and organisations to learn and grow.

Our ambition as a health care organisation is to deliver world-class, high-quality health care to our communities, in a way that pays attention to the principle that 70% of health outcomes are driven by non-medical factors. In order to do this, we also need to pay attention to the training and opportunities that can support with continuous development for both staff and people in the community. BBBH are doing this through:

Medical School placements

BBBH work with various schools and universities to deliver a variety of medical placements to support individuals to achieve qualifications.

• Students, please get in touch if you and your university are seeking medical placements and we can look into your request(s).
• Patients/Local community, please get in touch if you would like to be a part of student learning and take part as a ‘dummy patient’ and/or to be interviewed and hear about your story.

BBBH are dedicated to develop the next generation of healthcare professionals to Create Healthy, Connected Communities Together.

• Please get in to find out more and/or if you have any queries.

Young People’s Work Experience

There are two types of placements on offer to Young People. These are

• Half term One week Work Experience Placements
• Summer Placements in half term
• Please visit the Young Peoples Work Experience page

Training opportunities and programmes

There are various offers of training for staff and the community.

• We work closely with the Bromley by Bow Centre (and other local partners including Community Education Provider Network – CEPN) to offer a wide programme of training
• ·                     We are keen to hear your thoughts and to have you be a part of this work. If you would like to have your voice heard, please consider joining your practice Patient Participation Group (PPG)