Consent
We need to obtain your consent before we can carry out examinations or procedures. This may be verbal or written and forms will be provided if required. For further information see www.patient.co.uk
Change of Address
Please advise us in writing of a change of address so we can update your medical records.
Complaints
We have a Complaints Policy within the practice that conforms with current NHS Legislation. In the first instance, complaints should be addressed to the Practice Manager Elaine Skepper.
Dr H Thomas is the partner with specific responsibility for handling complaints.
Please note that complaints may take longer to process during this time as we concentrate on the responsiveness to COVID-19 as well as supporting the vaccination rollout.
Demand in General Practice
Over the last 10 years in General Practice in England
- The number of GP contacts has increased by 63%
- The number of test results dealt with GP practices has increased by 217%
- The number of administration tasks has increased by 115%
- The number of practice Nurse appointments has increased by 65%
- 90% of patient contact in the NHS is in general practice.
- This is covered by 7% of the NHS budget
The General Practice budget has actually decreased by 7% between 2010 and 2013
Please bear with us
We are doing our best to provide a good service with diminishing resources
Interpreters
If you feel that you will require a foreign language or sign language interpreter to allow you to understand your consultation then please telephone reception a few days in advance of your appointment to discuss this.
Medical Records
Confidential patient data will be shared within the practice health care team and with other health care professionals to whom you are referred for care. Your data may be used by those clinical teams providing your care for the essential purpose of the clinical audit.
Confidential patient data may also be required for the broader purposes of public health and audit, research, for the provision of health care services, teaching and training. Data disclosed will be kept to the minimum required to serve the purpose and if possible will be anonymised before disclosure.
Confidential and identifiable patient information will not be disclosed otherwise without explicit consent, unless;
- It is a matter of life and death or serious harm to you or another individual.
- It is overwhelmingly in the public interest to do so.
- There is a legal obligation to do so.
In all of these circumstances, the minimum identifiable information that is essential to serve the purpose may be revealed to someone with a legal entitlement to access the data for that purpose.
All individuals with access to your data have a professional and/or contractual duty of confidentiality.
PALS (Patient Advice & Liaison Service)
- The number for Macclesfield District General Hospital is 01625 661111
- The number for University Hospital South Manchester is 01612915600
- The number for Stockport NHS foundation trust is 0161 419 5678
Violent/Abusive Patients
The NHS operates 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.
In this situation, we are obliged to 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. The PCT is then responsible for providing further medical care for such patients.
Why do you sometimes need to wait to be seen?
Appointment demand is highest on a Monday or Friday. We try to make additional appointments available at this time but we cannot always predict the exact demand especially during holiday times and periods of bad weather which influence illness. Thus occasionally you may have to wait a few days for a non-urgent problem.
Some clinical problems must take priority and be seen urgently. We have identified a group of ‘High Risk’ patients. This is a group of patients who have specific problems which may require urgent intervention. This may mean that people with non-urgent problems may have to wait to be seen for a few days.
This means that
When we have pressure on appointments we do sometimes have to triage appointments.
- You will be asked to give some details why you are requesting an appointment so that we can direct you appropriately.
- We will ask for your contact details.
- Your clinical problems will be assessed on the telephone by a Doctor. We aim to achieve this within three hours and you will be seen if it is clinically required that day.
Please bear with us as we are trying to provide the best care possible with the resources we have.
Appointments are for 10 minutes including any paperwork and data entry. Sometimes patients may need more time so we may run late. We appreciate your patience.