Practice Charter

Help Us To Help You

• • Help us to help you.
  • Please read our Practice booklet as this will help you get the best out of the services we offer.
  • Please treat all members of our Primary Health Care Team with the same courtesy you would expect to receive.
  • Inform the Practice of any change in your circumstances, such as name, address or telephone number.
  • Follow the medical advice offered and do take any medication as advised. Please ask if you are unsure of anything.
  • Be on time for appointments or notify us in good time if an appointment cannot be kept.
  • Remember that your appointment is for one person only.
  • Request out-of-hours visits for emergencies only.
  • Request repeat prescriptions in good time, giving us at least two working days' notice.
  • Only ask for home visits if really necessary.
  • Avoid telephoning for non-urgent matters, blood and x-ray results during the peak morning time.
  • Please try and request appointments that are appropriate to your needs and condition.

The receptionist will be able to inform you of what might be best suitable. Remember that a nurse will often be able to deal with your problem.

Please take responsibility for your own health and that of your children by taking regular exercise, eating healthily, not smoking and avoiding excessive alcohol consumption.

Confidentiality

The Practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others only in the following circumstances:
• To provide further medical treatment for you eg from District Nurses or hospital services.
• To help you access other services eg from the Social Work Department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others eg in child protection cases.

Anonymised patient information will be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services eg for diabetic care. If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Comments & Complaints

There is a statutory complaints procedure in place in the Practice, but we would advise that you address any complaints to the Practice Manager, either in person or by letter, in the first instance.

Consent to the Treatment of Children

There is a Practice policy available which complies with the Children (Scotland) Act, for the treatment of children under 16.

Zero Tolerance Policy

The Practice considers aggressive behaviour to be personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, offensive language, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures.
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 patients, or who damages property. All instances of actual physical abuse by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.

Freedom Of Information - Publications Scheme

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 came into force on 1st January 2005 and enables any person requesting information from a public body to receive that information, subject to certain exemptions. This scheme is available from reception.

The Responsibilities Of The Practice

• We are committed to working in partnership with you to provide the best possible primary health care to you and your family.
• You will be treated as an individual with respect and courtesy irrespective of your ethnic origin, religious belief, personal attributes or the nature of your health problems.
• We wish to allow you to fully participate in all decision-making relative to your health care.
• We will keep you fully informed about our services and any changes that are likely to
affect your care.
• We will make available a Practice booklet, setting out the services provided to all patients including methods of contacting the Practice and members of the Practice team and
their availability.
• We will ensure that all staff members are readily identifiable.
• We will ensure that all members of staff are appropriately trained to deal with your queries and problems.
• We will provide the full range of services commensurate with current general practice and refer you to appropriate or specialist services where necessary.
• We will ensure that systems are in place to allow you to receive any medication safely and efficiently
• You will have the right to review your medical records, subject to the provisions of the
relevant Acts, and to know that those working for the NHS are under a legal obligation to keep the contents confidential.
• We will provide a full and prompt reply to any complaints about the services provided by the Practice.
• We will ensure that you are offered a range of appropriate appointments, including telephone consultations, with the clinical staff. Home visits will be available for those too ill or infirm to attend the surgery.
• We will try to ensure that you are seen on time wherever possible but if there is a significant delay you are advised of the reasons.
• We will 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.