Patients Rights and Responsibilities

At the practice your health is our utmost priority and in partnership with you we will do our best to look after your health.

The practice is available to all irrespective of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity or marital or civil partnership status. The service is designed to improve, prevent, diagnose and treat both physical and mental health problems with equal regard. It has a duty to each and every individual that it serves and respects their human rights.

Patients have a right to:

• Be registered and allocated an named General Practitioner
• Change doctor if desired
• Be offered a health check on joining the Practice
• Receive appropriate drugs and medicines
• Be referred to a specialist or second opinion if they and the GP agrees
• Be treated courteously by all staff at the practice
• Be given sufficient information about their condition to make an informed choice about investigation and treatment.
• Be referred to the hospital/professional of their choice
• Have a health check appointment if not been seen at the surgery for three years if over 16 (or one year if over 75)
• Have a home visit appointment for a heath check if 75 or over, if not been seen for three years and not well enough to attend surgery.
• Have the right to review their medical records; subject to the relevant Acts.
• Confidentiality—You can withhold consent for your records to be seen by others. Please ask for ‘How we use your information Leaflet for more information.
• Be treated without discrimination.

Patients responsibilities are:

• To keep booked appointments or cancel in good time
• To know that appointments are for one person only.
• Normal appointment duration is ten minutes
• To give a brief reason for your appointment so we can book you with the most appropriate clinician.
• To purchase over the counter medication from your local chemist or supermarket.
• To use NHS services appropriately – Minor ailments can be treated at the Pharmacy. If this has not worked we can book you an appointment at the practice. The Accident & Emergency Department should only be used in medical emergencies
• To treat staff with the same respect that you expect to receive from the practice. We operate a Zero Tolerance Policy against abusive behavior and you will be removed from the practice list if you act inappropriately.
• Letting us know when you change your address or telephone number
• Only requesting a home visit when it is truly necessary for medical reasons– when a patient is too ill or immobile to come to surgery.
• Use the out of hours service responsibly i.e. in a genuine emergency.
• Observing the no smoking policy