Suggestions & Complaints

We try to provide an efficient and caring service to our Patients. If you feel you have a complaint about the service we give or about a member of our Staff please speak to the Practice Manager, as soon as possible. You may address your concerns to the Practice Manager in writing or make an appointment to discuss them in person. All complaints will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 10 working days. We will endeavour to offer you an explanation and apology, if appropriate, or a meeting with those involved. We aim to investigate what happened and why to ensure it does not happen again.

If you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us you have the right to approach the Health Board directly. If you are not happy with the response to a complaint you can seek advice from the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (telephone 08700 115 378).

Your Personal Health Information

To provide you with the care you need, we hold the details of your consultations, illness, tests, prescriptions and other treatments that have been recorded by everyone involved in your care and treatment e.g. GP, Health Visitor and Practice Nurse. This information may be stored on paper or electronically on computer files by Practice staff.

We sometimes disclose some of your personal health information with other organisations involved in your care. For example, when your GP refers you to a Specialist at the Hospital we will send relevant details about you in the referral letter and receive information about you from them. Our Practice also participates in regional and national programmes such as the cervical cytology screening service and your name, address, date of birth and health number will be given to them in order to send an invitation to you.

We need to use some of your personal health information for administrative purposes. In order to receive payment for services provided to you we have to disclose basic details about you to the NHS Board responsible for this area and to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service. These organisations have a role in protecting public funds and are authorised to check that payments are being properly made. We are required to co-operate with these checks and the disclosure of your data is a necessary part of our provision of health care services.

Sometimes we may participate in studies that are designed to improve the way services are provided to you or to check that our performances meet required standards and benchmarks. Whenever we take part in activities such as these we will ensure that, as far as possible, any details that may identify you are not disclosed.

We are sometimes involved in health research and the teaching of Student Nurses, Doctors and other health professionals. We will not use or disclose your personal health information for these purposes unless you have been informed beforehand and given your consent for us to do so.

Where you need a service jointly provided with a local authority we will seek your permission before giving them your details.

Sometimes we are required, by law, to pass on information e.g. the notification of births, deaths, certain diseases or crimes to the Government.

Our use of your personal health information is covered by a duty of confidentiality and is regulated by the Date Protection Act. The Data Protection Act gives you a number of rights in relation to how your personal information is used, including a right to access the information we hold about you.

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential and adheres to a Code of Practice on protecting patient confidentiality. Further information can be found on this at: www.nhsforthvalley.com/home/Pubs/HealthRights/confidentiality.html

Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. If you have any queries or concerns on how we use your personal health information or would like access to your information please contact our Practice Manager.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Patients are expected to treat doctors and staff with courtesy and respect. Unacceptable behaviour includes personal, abusive, racist or aggressive remarks, swearing, physical contact, threatening gestures or the condoning of such. Damage to property, stealing and deception will not be tolerated in any shape or form.

Patients Rights and Responsibilities

• Patients have the right to confidentiality at all times.
• Patients may choose to consult with any Doctor within the Practice subject to availability of appointments and home visit workload. Urgent cases are usually seen by the on-call Doctor for that day, nominated in rotation.
• Patients may bring a friend or relative to any appointment and have the right to request a chaperone for any examination. An interpreter can be present if necessary by prior arrangement
• Patients should make every effort to attend booked appointments. Non attendance without cancellation of 3 or more appointments may result in a written warning and removal from our Practice List
• Patients should participate in their own health care and treatment
• Patients can access their medical records, in keeping with the Data Protection Act 1998, via the Practice Manager
• The Practice operates a non-discrimination policy and is committed to equal opportunities regardless of gender, creed, sexual orientation, age, colour or race
• Patients who breach the zero tolerance policy may be removed from the Practice List and reported to the Police
• Patients can access the Practice Complaints Procedure via the Receptionist if they wish to make a complaint.