Practice Policies & Patient Information
Candidate privacy Notice
Please click here to view.
Chaperones
Should you wish to have a chaperone present when being examined, please let a member of our team know and we will be happy to provide one.
Children’s Privacy Notice
Please click here to view
Confidentiality
The practice complies with Data Protection and Access to Medical Records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information
The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt by 1st January 2009.
Consent
The purpose of this protocol is to set out the Practice’s approach to consent and the way in which the principles of consent will be put into practise. It is not a detailed legal or procedural resource due to the complexity and nature of the issues surrounding consent.
Where possible, a clinician must be satisfied that a patient understands and consents to a proposed treatment, immunisation or investigation. This will include the nature, purpose, and risks of the procedure, if necessary by the use of drawings, interpreters, videos or other means to ensure that the patient understands, and has enough information to give ‘Informed Consent’.
Implied Consent
Implied consent will be assumed for many routine physical contacts with patients. Where implied consent is to be assumed by the clinician, in all cases, the following will apply:
- An explanation will be given to the patient what he / she is about to do, and why.
- The explanation will be sufficient for the patient to understand the procedure.
- In all cases where the patient is under 18 years of age a verbal confirmation of consent will be obtained and briefly entered into the medical record.
- Where there is a significant risk to the patient an “Expressed Consent” will be obtained in all cases (see below).
Expressed Consent
Expressed consent (written or verbal) will be obtained for any procedure which carries a risk that the patient is likely to consider as being substantial. A note will be made in the medical record detailing the discussion about the consent and the risks. A Consent Form [*] may be used for the patient to express consent (see below).
Obtaining Consent
- Consent (Implied or Expressed) will be obtained prior to the procedure, and prior to any form of sedation.
- The clinician will ensure that the patient is competent to provide a consent (16 years or over) or has “Gillick Competence” if under 16 years. Further information about Gillick Competence and obtaining consent for children is set out below.
- Consent will include the provision of all information relevant to the treatment.
- Questions posed by the patient will be answered honestly, and information necessary for the informed decision will not be withheld unless there is a specific reason to withhold. In all cases where information is withheld then the decision will be recorded in the clinical record.
- The person who obtains the consent will be the person who carries out the procedure (i.e. a nurse carrying out a procedure will not rely on a consent obtained by a doctor unless the nurse was present at the time of the consent).
- The person obtaining consent will be fully qualified and will be knowledgeable about the procedure and the associated risks.
- The scope of the authority provided by the patient will not be exceeded unless in an emergency.
- The Practice acknowledges the right of the patient to refuse consent, delay the consent, seek further information, limit the consent, or ask for a chaperone.
- Clinicians will use a Consent Form [*] where procedures carry a degree of risk or where, for other reasons, they consider it appropriate to do so (e.g. malicious patients).
- No alterations will be made to a Consent Form once it has been signed by a patient.
- Clinicians will ensure that consents are freely given and not under duress (e.g. under pressure from other present family members etc.).
- If a patient is mentally competent to give consent but is physically unable to sign the Consent Form [*], the clinician should complete the Form as usual, and ask an independent witness to confirm that the patient has given consent orally or non-verbally.
Other aspects which may be explained by the clinician include:
- Details of the diagnosis, prognosis, and implications if the condition is left untreated
- Options for treatment, including the option not to treat.
- Details of any subsidiary treatments (e.g. pain relief)
- Patient experiences during and after the treatment, including common or potential side effects and the recovery process.
- Probability of success and the possibility of further treatments.
- The option of a second opinion
Immunisations
Informed consent must be obtained prior to giving an immunisation. There is no legal requirement for consent to immunisation to be in writing and a signature on a consent form is not conclusive proof that consent has been given, but serves to record the decision and discussions that have taken place with the patient, or the person giving consent on a child’s behalf.
Consent for Children
Everyone aged 16 or more is presumed to be competent to give consent for themselves, unless the opposite is demonstrated. If a child under the age of 16 has “sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable him/her to understand fully what is proposed” (known as Gillick Competence), then he/she will be competent to give consent for him/herself. Young people aged 16 and 17, and legally ‘competent’ younger children, may therefore sign a Consent Form [*] for themselves, but may like a parent to countersign as well.
For children under 16 (except for those who have Gillick Competence as noted above), someone with parental responsibility should give consent on the child’s behalf by signing accordingly on the Consent Form [*].
More information about Gillick Competence is at http://www.firstpracticemanagement.co.uk/misc_info/Fraser.htm
Data Security and protection toolkit
GDPR
- Privacy Notice September 2023
- COVID19 Privacy Notice v6
- How we use your Information
- General Practice Data for Planning and Research
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatment.
In May 2018, the strict rules about how this data can and cannot be used were strengthened. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
You can choose whether your confidential patient information is used for research and planning.
To find out more visit: nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
GP Net Earnings
GP Publication of Earnings 2022/23
Practice: Clifton Medical Practice
Accounts Year End: 30 June 2022
NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised, and the required disclosure is shown below.
However it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.
All GP Practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working in Clifton Medical Practice during the year ended 30 June 2022 was £55,446 before tax and national insurance. This is for 0 full time GPs, 6 part time GPs and 3 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
Information Sharing
Named GP
All patients have a named GP attached to their record. If you would like to know your named GP, please ask at Reception. Please be aware this is for admin purposes only and you can see any GP of your choice, when available.
Patient Advice
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How your data is Used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnosis is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You Have a Choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?
No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What do you need to do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.
Privacy Notice
Suggestions & Complaints
Complaints
In order to give you the best service possible, we would welcome any suggestions. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, or treatment, please tell us by contacting the Practice Manager.
Full details of our complaints procedure are available from our reception.
Suggestions
In order to give you the best service possible, we would welcome any suggestions. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, or treatment, please contact our Practice Manager.
Full details of primary medical services in this area can be obtained from the NHS website: www.nhs.uk
Received good service?
If you are happy with the service, please ask for a form from reception so that your comments can be recorded or add a comment to NHS choices: www.nhs.uk
Complaints leaflet
Zero Tolerance Policy
OUR PRACTICE STAFF ARE HERE TO HELP YOU. OUR AIM IS TO BE AS POLITE AND HELPFUL AS POSSIBLE TO ALL PATIENTS. IF YOU CONSIDER THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED UNFAIRLY OR INAPPROPRIATELY, PLEASE ASK THE RECEPTION STAFF TO CONTACT THE PRACTICE MANAGER, WHO WILL BE HAPPY TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS.
HOWEVER, WE AIM TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STAFF AND PATIENTS. WE THEREFORE EXPECT ALL PATIENTS TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF PRACTICE STAFF AND OF OTHER PATIENTS.
Violence
The use or threat of force against practice staff or other patients, or any attempt to do so, is unacceptable. This includes any forceful or unlawful touching of any other person, spitting at another person, raising fists or feet or verbally threatening to strike or otherwise applying force to any person.
Aggressive or Abusive Behaviour
Aggressive or abusive behaviour against practice staff or other patients is unacceptable. This includes swearing, threatening or abusive language or gestures, sexual gestures or behaviour, derogatory sexual or racial remarks, shouting loudly or in an intimidating manner or at any person, and applying force to any Practice property or the personal property of any practice staff or other patients, such as banging on or kicking desks or counters.
Privacy
Infringing the privacy of practice staff or other patients, or any attempt to do so, is unacceptable. This includes any attempt to obtain personal details of practice staff or other patients (including their medical history or treatment) without their consent and the taking of photographs or recordings without the consent of those persons included in the photograph or recording.
Harassment
Harassment of practice staff or other patients, or any attempt to do so, is unacceptable. This includes any attempt to contact practice staff without their consent when away from the practice.These requirements apply throughout the practice premises, including any car park and grounds. It also applies to any employee or partner away from the Practice.
MANY OF THE ACTIONS LISTED ABOVE ARE NOT ONLY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR BUT ALSO CRIMINAL OFFENCES.
PATIENTS WHO BEHAVE IN SUCH AS WAY MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE PATIENT LIST.
PLEASE HELP US TO HELP YOU.
THANK YOU.