We will always respect your privacy, dignity, religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable. These will only be carried out with your agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish.

A chaperone is an independent person, appropriately trained whose role is to observe the examination or procedure undertake by the clinician.

We will always try to offer a chaperone who is the same sex as the patient however on some occasions this may not be possible.

You may also request a chaperone when making an appointment, on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know), or at any time during the consultation.

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

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for concern about the care they or a loved one have received. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a concern please address your complaint to the Management Team and your complaint will be dealt with by the most appropriate Manager.   We are continually striving to improve our service.

We will ask you to provide details about yourself to make sure that you receive the best possible healthcare and treatment. This will improve healthcare services for all and ensures that your records are maintained correctly. Although you can decide how much information you wish to give or withhold, certain information is needed to treat you safely. If you are asked to email the practice, your email will be uploaded to your medical record and the original email deleted. If you are asked the email images, ie of a rash or similar, again these will be uploaded and then deleted.

Who else may see my information?

Other healthcare professionals eg hospitals, community support services, health visitors, district nurses, community midwives, also partner organisations.

All on a ‘need to know’ basis

Only properly annonymised information is used for research and statistical purposes. Except where required by law we do not give anyone information unless it is needed for your treatment or you have given permission.

Can I get access to my records?

You are entitled to access to your medical records online. Please ask at reception for the relevant form.

How do we protect this information?

We understand the personal and sensitive nature of the information and all staff are under a legal duty to keep records confidential Records are stored securely to prevent unauthorised access.

Freedom of Information

The ICO published a Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities were required to adopt by 1st January 2009.

Lancashire and South Cumbria has been chosen by NHS England to be a national pilot for the digitisation of Medical Records. Scanning these paper based records and making them digital will enable better utilisation of space, creating more clinical space, staff areas, multi team space and video hubs, removing the need for some practices to build extensions. In addition it will also make your record more easily and speedily accessible to clinical staff within your practice.

Your complete GP medical record will be digital and stored in a secure cloud based clinical system (only accessible by your GP practice) with the paper based records being securely destroyed following BS EN 15713:2009 Secure destruction of confidential material. Your GP will still be able to access your records easily within this system. The scanning and destruction of the paper records will follow strict data protection guidelines adhered to by the NHS. As with paper based records, digital records are stored for the durations specified in the Records Management Codes of Practice for Health and Social Care. For GP patient records, this states that they may be destroyed 10 years after the patient’s death if they are no longer needed.

If you wish to discuss the scheme, please inform the Practice direct either by letter or via e-mail lscicb.briarwood@nhs.net.

1. Accuracy

Briarwood Medical Centre’s website is intended primarily to provide information about our Practice and Services. We have taken every care to ensure that all information is provided is accurate, valid and up-to-date.

However, The Practice accepts no responsibility for use of the information provided and we cannot guarantee it’s correctness and completeness. The advice for patients is as comprehensive and accurate as possible, but it can only be of a general nature and should not be used as a substitute for a consultation with a medical professional. We do not accept responsibility for any loss, damage or expense resulting from use of this information on Our Website.

2. Medical Information on the Web

The Internet can be a useful resource for researching medical conditions. It also has inherent weaknesses that you should be aware of. If you use the Internet for medical research or information, please be aware of the following points:

• Always look for a balanced view – do not rely on advice from one site and seek a balanced viewpoint.
• Remember that anyone can publish anything on the Internet. Make sure that the authors’ names and their qualifications are included – anonymous information may not be sourced accurately.
• Be aware that advertising might influence the site contents – check for commercial sponsorship or for advertising which might influence the information on the site.
• Check that the website is updated regularly.
• Be cautious of online diagnoses or consultations.
• Check the Websites Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.
• Beware that Website information or advice sourced from outside the UK might describe treatments not available in the UK.

3. Suitability and Availability

We cannot guarantee uninterrupted access to our website, or the sites to which it links. We accept no responsibility for any damages arising from the loss of use of this information.

4. Online Consultations

If you decide to use our online advice or consultation features you must be aware that without a physical examination we may decline to give advice and may ask you to attend the surgery for an appointment.

5. Links to Other Websites

All links from our website to any other websites are provided for information and convenience only, and were selected using a standard links protocol. We cannot accept responsibility for sites linked to, or the information found there. A link does not imply an endorsement of a site; likewise, not linking to a particular site does not imply lack of endorsement.

We accept no responsibility for any damages arising from the loss of use of this information.

This practice is supporting vital health and care planning and research by sharing your data with NHS Digital. For more information about this see the GP Practice Privacy Notice for General Practice Data for Planning and Research.

For more information about this visit NHS Digital

As of 1st September 2021 your data is now shared with NHS Digital to help improve health, care and services.

Patient data from GP medical records kept by GP practices in England is used every day to improve health, care and services through planning and research, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care. The NHS is introducing an improved way to share this information – called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research data collection.

NHS Digital will collect, analyse, publish and share this patient data to improve health and care services for everyone. This includes:

• informing and developing health and social care policy
• planning and commissioning health and care services
• taking steps to protect public health (including managing and monitoring the coronavirus pandemic)
• in exceptional circumstances, providing you with individual care
• enabling healthcare and scientific research

Any data that NHS Digital collects will only be used for health and care purposes. It is never shared with marketing or insurance companies.

Read more on the NHS Digital website.

NHS Digital will not collect any patient data for patients who have already registered a Type 1 Opt-out in line with current policy. If this changes patients who have registered a Type 1 Opt-out will be informed.

If you do not want your patient data shared with NHS Digital, you can register a Type 1 Opt-out with us. You can register a Type 1 Opt-out at any time. You can also change your mind at any time and withdraw a Type 1 Opt-out.

If you have already registered a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice your data will not be shared with NHS Digital.

Now the deadline has elapsed, if you register a Type 1 Opt-out after your patient data has already been shared with NHS Digital, no more of your data will be shared with NHS Digital. NHS Digital will however still hold the patient data which was shared with us before you registered the Type 1 Opt-out.

If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, then you can also register a National Data Opt-out (also known as Type 2 Opt out).

What do you need to do?

If you are happy for your data to be shared as above, and haven’t previously Opt’d out – you do not need to do anything.

Type 1 Opt-Out – to stop sharing your details with NHS digital (or to opt back in, if you have previous opt’d out)

Call  01772 364999 for a form to be posted to you or come into the practice and we can give you a copy to complete.

Then, either hand the form into reception, post it back to us or email on lscicb.briarwood@nhs.net.

Type 2 Opt-Out (also known as National Data Opt-out) – If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, which has been already shared with them (or to opt back in, if you have previous opt’d out).

NOTE: You can only do this via the following ways – as a GP practice we cannot opt you out of Type 2 (National Data Opt-out).

You need to, either:
– Call NHS Digital on 0300 303 5678
– or, complete the online form via Your NHS matters

To view our GDPR Policy, please click the link below:
GDPR POLICY

To view our notice on patient information and its usage, please click the link below:
Patient Information Notice

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (eg average pay) for GP’s working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working at the surgery in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £77,118.This is for 4 part time GPs and 2 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

The GP contract asks practices to inform patients of their named and accountable GP. The named GP for patients at Briarwood is Dr P Methukunta.

Although he is your named GP, you can continue to see any Doctor of your choice and the named GP may not always be the Doctor who sees you.

If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the practice.

View our full Privacy Notice here

Rights of Patients

You are entitled to see a practitioner of your choice for a routine appointment. However this cannot be guaranteed for urgent appointments.

Responsibilities of Patients

We would expect you to cancel any appointments that you cannot attend.

We adhere to the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy and therefore do not tolerate aggression of any kind, either verbal or physical. If any incident does occur, you may be removed from the practice list and reported to the police.

The name and address of the registered provider is Dr Methukunta, Briarwood Medical Centre, 514 Blackpool Road, Ashton, Preston, PR2 1HY.  Telephone 01772 364999.

Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (The Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 Part 4), the registering body (Briarwood Medical Centre) is required to provide the Care Quality Commission a statement of purpose.

The practice is a GP surgery based in Ashton, Preston and provides a wide range of medical services for the local population for the diagnosis and prevention of disease.   There is onsite car parking including disabled bays.  There is access for wheelchairs and disabled toilet facilities.   Clinical rooms can be accessed on ground level.

We have 2^nd, 4^th and 5^th year medical students and ST2/FY2 Doctors on placement at various times.

The practice team at Briarwood are committed to delivering the highest standard of medical care whilst providing a friendly and efficient service.   We help patients manage their health and prevent illness.

Full details of all the services we offer along with the latest health information and updates can be found on our website at www.briarwoodmedicalcentre.nhs.uk.

We are part of the Greater Preston Primary Care Network (PCN). The PCN runs a collaborative outreach initiative with a local homeless charity targeting the vulnerable rough sleepers experiencing significant barriers to accessing primary care services. The PCN provides a collaborative initiative working with the local Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol and Acute provider with a range of clinics and pathways for service-users.

Our Mission Statement

• To improve the health, wellbeing and lives of those patients registered at the practice. We aim to achieve this by developing and maintaining an excellent practice which is responsive to patients’ needs and expectations
• To work in partnership with our patients and staff to provide the best Primary Care service possible working within local and national governance, regulations and guidance.

The Practice Aims and Objectives Are

• To continually strive to provide high quality primary care treatment to our patient population to include consultations, examinations and treatment of medical conditions in a friendly and supportive environment
• To focus on prevention of disease by promoting healthy living
• To understand and meet the needs of our patients and involve them in decision making about their treatments
• Seek advice from other professionals in the care of our patients where it is in the patient’s best interest, ie onward referral for specialist care and advice
• To ensure that all members of the practice team have the appropriate skills and training to carry out their duties competently and safely
• To treat all patients with dignity, respect and honesty, and to act with integrity
• To guide our employees in accordance with equality and diversity
• To create an educational environment where staff promote and share learning amongst themselves
• To review patient satisfaction surveys and adopt changes if appropriate

The Summary Care Record (SCR) 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 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.