All patients in Scotland will soon have an emergency care summary which is copied from your GP’s computer system and stored electronically.

NHS staff can then access this quickly if they need to see it when your GP surgery is closed.

NHS staff must obtain your permission to look at this information, which includes your name, date of birth, name of GP surgery, and identifying number called a CHI number, information about any medicines you have been prescribed, and also about any bad reactions you have had to medicines that your GP knows about.

If you are unconscious NHS staff may look at your Emergency Care Summary without your agreement, this is so they can give you the best possible care.

In an effort to ensure patient appointments are used efficiently ie not wasted, the Practice has a policy for patients who fail to attend their appointment as follows:

1. On the first occasion a patient fails to attend he/she will receive a letter or text about this.
2. If there is a second failure to attend, a second letter or text will be sent, issuing a notification that they are at at risk of being removed from our patient list.

Whilst we appreciate that there are sometimes unavoidable reasons for a patient missing their appointment, you should contact the surgery to cancel at least 1 hour before your appointment

Please support us in trying to save wasted appointments by using the above guidelines.

The practice is involved in the training of medical students. This is to further develop their communication and medical skills. There may be medical students in with the doctor during your consultation, but you will be asked beforehand if you agree to this.

The Practice NHS Business information is available on request in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

GP Training

The practice is a GP training practice. This means a doctor who has at least 3 years hospital training spends a total of 18 months with us learning about General Practice. This means the partners have responsibility for assisting a doctor working with them to gain experience in General Practice.

The practice also has GP Registrar(s) who are with us usually for 6 months to a year. This is a fully trained Doctors who are training to become a GPs

From time to time consultations are video recorded for training purposes, but only with the written consent of patients. This is only for use within the practice. If, however, you do not feel comfortable participating in this video taping, please feel free to decline.

Undergraduate Training

From time to time medical students visit the practice to sit with the doctor during consultations and are occasionally given the opportunity to interview patients with patient consent.

Information Sharing

The practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation.

Identifiable Information

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.
• When we have external reviews for financial and clinical governance.

Please inform the practice if you do not wish any information to be shared.

Non-Identifiable Information

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.

Obtaining Test Results

The practice has a strict policy regarding confidentiality and data protection. We will only release test results to the person to whom they relate until that person has given prior permission for the release of the results or they are not capable of understanding the results.

The Practice NHS Business information is available on request in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

Please note that you can phone after 10:30 AM to obtain test results.

You will be treated with respect and as a partner in your care. Being a partner means you have responsibilities too.

We will:

• Ensure our patients have 24-hour access to medical advice.
• Aim for you to have access to a suitably qualified medical professional within 48 hours of your initial contact during surgery hours, or in an urgent case, the same day.
• Work in partnership with you to achieve the best medical care possible.
• Involve you and listen to your opinions and views in all aspects of your medical care.
• The prevention of disease, illness and injury is a primary concern. The medical staff will advise and inform you of the steps you can take to promote good health and a healthy lifestyle.

We would respectfully ask that you:

• Let us know if you intend to cancel an appointment or are running late.
• Treat staff with courtesy and respect. Reception staff may have to ask some personal questions to assist us in providing you with the best service.
• Inform the practice staff of any alterations in your circumstances, such as change of surname, address or telephone number. Please ensure that we have your correct telephone number, even if it’s ex-directory.
• This important as we require up-to-date contact details, for example if we need to get in touch with you.

As patients, you are responsible for your own health and that of any dependants. It is important that you adhere to information and advice given to you by health professionals, and co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep you healthy.

It is the practice’s aim to provide the highest level of medical care and personal attention. If you have any suggestions to help us achieve this, please inform a receptionist, nurse or doctor in person or in writing.

If you have a complaint about any aspect of the practice or care you have received from any member of the practice please contact the complaints officer at the surgery, Mrs. B. Arthur, either in person or in writing. Further written information is available on the complaints procedure from reception.

You can also use this form to contact us.

Click here to view The Charter of Patients Rights and Responsibilities | NHS inform

It may be necessary to disclose your personal Health information for the following purposes:

For care and treatment

• Routine record keeping, consultation of records etc, in the course of the provision of care and treatment.
• Processing of records in the event of a medical emergency;
• Disclosure made by one health professional or organisation to another, eg where a GP refers a patient to a specialist
• Clinical audit eg the monitoring of a patient care pathway against existing standards and benchmarks.

For administration

• Processing for administrative purposes, eg disclosure by GP made in order to receive payment for treatment provided and post payment verification of payments.
• Administrative audit, which may include studies designed to improve the efficiency of the NHS as an organisation

For research

• Statutory disclosures to disease registries and for epidemiological research;
• Non statutory disclosures to disease registries and for epidemiological research
• Clinical trials

Legal and National Requirements

Staff are sometimes required by law to obtain or pass on information, for example to notify a birth or death or report certain infectious diseases for public health reasons or report information in relation to the Mental Health Act.

The Scottish Executive Health Department also requires information from the NHS to help monitor health services and plan for the future.

Staff may send basic personal details of all patients being cared for, along with information about their hospital or clinic attendance, to the NHS Information and Statistics Division, Scottish Centre for Infection and environmental Health, National Services Division and Practitioner Services Division.

The practice considers aggressive behaviour to be any personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, cursing and/or swearing, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures, and racism in any form.

The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property.

All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.