Our Responsibility to You
We are committed to giving you the best possible care.
Names: People involved in your care will give you their names and ensure that you know how to contact them. The surgery should be well signposted.
Waiting Time: We run an appointment system in this practice. You will be given a time at which the doctor or nurse hopes to be able to see you. You should not have to wait more than 30 minutes in the waiting room without receiving an explanation for the delay.
Access: You will have access to a doctor on the same day in cases of emergency. We will arrange a home visit as appropriate for those who are too ill or infirm to be brought to the surgery.
Telephone: We will try to answer the phone promptly and ensure that there are sufficient staff to do this. You should be able to speak to a doctor by telephone but it is very likely that the doctor will be asked to call you back.
Respect: Patients will be treated as individuals and partners in their healthcare, irrespective of their ethnic origin or religious and cultural beliefs. We do not discriminate on any basis.
Information: We will give you full information about the services we offer. Every effort will be made to ensure that you receive the information which directly affects your health and the care being offered.
Health Promotion: The practice will offer patients advice and information on:
steps they can take to promote good health and avoid illness;
self-help which can be undertaken without reference to a doctor in the case of minor ailments.
Health Records: You have the right to see your health records, subject to limitations in the law. These will be kept confidential at all times.
Your Responsibility to Us
Help us to help you.
- Please let us know if you change your name, address or telephone number.
- Please do everything you can to keep appointments. Tell us as soon as possible if you cannot. Otherwise, other patients may have to wait longer.
We need help too.
- Please ask for home visits by the doctor only when the patient is too ill to visit the surgery.
- Please keep your phone call brief and avoid calling during the peak morning time for non-urgent matters.
- Test results take time to reach us, so please do not ring before you have been asked to do so.
- We ask that you treat the doctors and the practice staff with courtesy and respect at all times.
- Please ask us questions if you are unsure of anything.
- Remember, you are responsible for your own health and the health of your children. We will give you our professional help and advice. Please act upon it.