Practice Charter Standards
These are the local standards set within these practices for the benefit of patients. It is our job to give you treatment and advice. Following discussion with you, you will receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people. No care or treatment will be given without your informed consent. In the interest of your health it is important for you to understand all the information given to you.
Please do not hesitate to ask the surgery any questions.
The Health Centre Charter
What We Will Do For You
- Treat you with courtesy and respect at all times and ensure you will not be discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, colour or creed.
- Give you full information on the services we offer.
- Give you the most appropriate care by suitably qualified staff.
- Provide you with emergency care when you need it.
- Refer you for a second opinion when you and your GP agree it is needed.
- Give you access to your health records, subject to any limitations in the law.
- Keep the contents of your health record confidential.
- Give you a full and prompt reply to any complaints you make about our services.
What You Can Do For Us
- Treat us with courtesy and respect at all times. If any member of staff is subjected to verbal or physical threats or abuse this will result in the immediate removal of the patient from the doctors' list.
- Tell us if you are unsure about the treatment we are offering you.
- Use the emergency service only in a genuine medical emergency.
- Ask out-of-hours for a night visit only when medically urgent.
- Ask for a home visit only when the patient is unable to attend the surgery through illness or infirmity.
- Keep your appointments and let us know as early as possible if you are unable to. Use one appointment for one problem please.
- Let us know when you change your name, address or telephone number.
- Tell us about any complaints or misunderstandings as soon as possible to allow us to deal with them.
- Let us know when we have done well.
Your Comments and Complaints
We are proud of the service we provide and strive to make the best use of the available resources, but are nonetheless pleased to receive your comments.
If you have any complaint about any aspect of the service we provide at the surgery please ask for our complaints practice leaflet or write to the practice manager, who is responsible for dealing with these matters. Our complaints procedure is in line with the national criteria.
Healthwatch
Healthwatch Southend are an independent complaints advocates who will offer help and advise with the process should you require.
Website: healthwatchsouthend.co.uk
Telephone: 01702 220102
Email: info@healthwatchsouthend.co.uk
Our Computer System
We are registered under the Data Protection Act. Your medical information is kept completely confidential and it is not possible for outside agencies to access our computer data. If you would like a copy of all your computer records please enquire at reception. There is a standard fee payable.
This practice, from time to time, supplies anonymous medical information for research purposes. Individual patients cannot be identified in this process. You may occasionally be invited to join a clinical study. There is no obligation for you to take part and no study would take place without your fully informed consent and written agreement. Withdrawing from a study would not prejudice your future care.