Information for Patients

Choice of Practitioner

Patients will now register with practices rather than individual GPs. However, patients will retain the flexibility that they currently enjoy to request to be seen by the practitioner of their choice. This is particularly important for patients who value seeing a practitioner of their choice for the purposes of continuing care, care of particular conditions, gender or ethnicity. Primary legislation will provide for choice of practitioner to be set out as a legal right within regulations governing the contract between the LHB and the practice.

Where the patient wishes to exercise this right:

The patient may have to wait longer to see their preferred practitioner and, where this was accepted, it would not count against achievement by the practice of any rewards for improved access.

The practitioner would still be allowed the rights of reasonable refusal (e.g. in respect of a violent patient).

The patient may be asked to accept an alternative if for example, the service required was now being delivered by another professional member of the practice (e.g. if a service had been designated by the practice as a nurse or therapist led service rather than a doctor led service).

These rights will not undermine a practice's flexibility to organise its services in order to best meet patient needs. This means that a practice cannot force a patient to see a doctor that the patient does not wish to see. The practice will still have an obligation to offer immediately necessary treatment to non-registered patients.

Doctor/Patient - a two way relationship

As a patient you are entitled to:

• Absolute confidentiality
• Be treated with courtesy and respect
• Be seen on time if possible or be notified if there is a significant delay
• Be seen the same day should you have a medical emergency
• Be offered a health check on joining the list
• See your confidential records subject to any limitations in law
• Be given the most appropriate care or treatment by suitably qualified people after discussion with you

Your co-operation will help us to help you:

• Please arrive on time for your appointment
• Please inform us if you are unable to keep your appointment so that we can offer it to another patient
• If you have been offered an urgent appointment please restrict the consultation to the urgent problem only
• Appointments are given for the named person only. Please do not ask for another family member to be seen as well, you should make a separate appointment.
• Please ask questions if you are unsure of any explanations or instructions.
• The doctors, nurse and the practice staff will treat you with courtesy and respect at all times, we expect the same courtesy and respect from you.
• Bad manners distracts from good practice and achieves little.
• Please inform us of any change of address or telephone number as we may need to contact you urgently.

Abusive behaviour

Violent or abusive behaviour towards doctors or staff will not be tolerated and may result in exclusion from the services provided.

Suggestions and Complaints

At the Surgery we welcome any constructive suggestions.

We recognise that sometimes things can go wrong. If you have a problem with our service, please discuss it first with a doctor or general manager, or write to the practice. We undertake to handle and resolve problems as fairly as possible.

Any person given access to your records will be subject to a duty of confidentiality, you have the right to object to disclosure.