Courtside Surgery - Surgery policies on confidentiality, comments and suggestions, data protection etc

Patient Confidentiality

confidential_file At Courtside doctors' surgery we respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential and secure. It is important that the NHS keeps accurate and up- to-date records about your health and treatment so that those treating you can give you the best possible advice and care.

We only use or pass information about you to people who have a genuine need for it. Whenever we can we shall remove details that identify you as an individual.

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to maintain the highest level of confidentiality about patient information.

If at any time you would like to know more about how we use your information you can speak to Mr Lee Atkins, Reception Manager. For further information please refer to the leaflets held at Reception entitled “Your Medical Records, Protecting your Information.”

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt by 1st January 2009.

Model Publication Scheme - further information

Comments & Suggestions

comments Courtside Surgery aims to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients. However, if you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know. We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem can not be resolved in this way and you wish to make a complaint please do so in writing (a complaints form is available from reception) and address to Lee Atkins, Reception Manager.

Further details of our complaints procedure are provided in a separate leaflet ‘A guide to our complaints procedure’ available at reception and all complaints will be investigated in accordance with the NHS complaints procedure. The PCT also operates a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) which can often help resolve any problems before they become formal complaints. To speak to a PALS officer, ring 0800 073 0907.

The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

Getting it right
Being customer focused
Being open and accountable
Acting fairly and proportionately
Putting things right
Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.

So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. But sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

What does PALS do?

In particular, PALS will:

Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.

Find out more

If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve , follow this link.