HOW TO ACCESS YOUR HEALTH RECORD

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) patients may request to access their medical records.  Requests are to be made in writing to the Practice Manager.  No information will be released without consent unless we are obliged to do so. 

This information sets out your legal right to see your health records, and any medical reports made about you for an insurance company or an employer.

However, it does not give a full explanation of the law. If it does not answer all your questions, you can get more detailed guidance from The Patient Client Council about your rights as a patient in general

GP Practice staff will keep personal information about your health strictly confidential.

Our Data Protection Officer is Mr Alex Larmour, Practice Manager

The Practice is compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation.  The Practice adheres to the GDPR regarding patient confidentiality, sharing of information and access to information.  It may be necessary for us to share identifiable information about you with other healthcare professionals in certain circumstances, for further information speak to the Practice Manager.  

For further information on data protection please see our privacy policy below.

Practice Privacy Policy

Health records

A health record is any record, whether on computer or paper, which includes information about your physical or mental health or condition, and is made by, or for, a health professional involved in your care. So it includes your clinical notes, letters to and from other health professionals, x-rays, results of laboratory tests and MRI scans.

A health professional includes

• GPs
• Health visitors
• dieticians
• podiatrists
• Clinical Psychologists
• midwives
• hospital doctors
• nurses
• physiotherapists
• dentists
• occupational therapists 

The GPs and staff in Ashley Medical Centre are responsible for the care and security of this information.

Who can apply for Access to Health Records?

Any person registered with Ashley Medical Centre for whom Ashley Medical Centre holds current records.. Someone else may apply for you if:

• you have agreed to this (signed witnessed consent required);
• you are under 16, and the other person has parental responsibility, or
• you are an adult, and are not able to look after your own affairs and you have given that person a power of attorney, or if he or she has been appointed by the courts.

What can I see?

You are entitled to see your record with the supervision of a GP and get a copy. The GP will tell you where the information has come from, and who has access to it. You may receive the information as a computer printout, in a letter, or on a form. It should be easy to understand, and any abbreviations, codes or jargon should be explained.

Some information on your record may be withheld from you. This includes information that:

• could cause serious harm to your, or someone else's, physical or mental health;
• could identify someone else, unless that person gives their permission; or
• is legally sensitive, for example, a pre-adoption report, or a report to a children’s panel.

The GP does not have to tell you if information has been withheld. If you suspect that information has been withheld without a good reason, you should contact the Patient & Client Council, 1^st Floor, Lesley House, 25-27 Wellington Place Belfast.

Corrections

If any information about you is incorrect or misleading, you are entitled to have it corrected or removed. If the GP agrees with you, it must be corrected. If the GP refuses your request to amend your record, you can ask the Information Commissioner (see the end of this leaflet) to consider whether inaccurate information can be corrected or removed.

Freedom of Information

Information about the General Practitioners and the Practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public.  All requests for such information should be made to the Practice Manager

Definition of a Complaint 

“An Expression of Dissatisfaction that Requires a Response”

Practice Complaints Policy

If you have a complaint or are concerned about the Care, Treatment or manner in which these or any other services have been delivered by, Doctors or staff within the Medical Centre please let us know. The views of our patients can provide a valuable source of learning for the Practice.

Our Complaints Procedure meets the criteria specified by Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety.  It does not cover services provided under a private arrangement between the Practice and a patient (e.g. Travel Vaccines Non NHS)

Procedure - How to complain

Our aim is to resolve any problems quickly on a one to one basis. Normally this is  with our Practice Manager, Mr. Alex Larmour who is responsible for Complaints and Patients Views and the recording of all complaints including those of a clinical nature. His contact details are:

Mrs Margaret Hutchinson (Practice Manager)
Ashley Medical Centre,
140 Groomsport Road,
Bangor
BT20 5PE
Telephone : 02891477150
Email: Reception.Z00256@gp.hscni.net

You may complain in writing; email, via telephone or face-to-face.  Please try to provide details of how to contact you; who or what you are complaining about; where and when the event that caused your complaint happened.

Complaints should be made immediately or as soon as possible after the event. However, under new guidance we can consider complaints made within 6 months of the date of discovering the problem.  This should normally be within 12 months of the incident happening. 

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We adhere strictly to the principles of Data Protection and confidentiality.  If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must ensure you have his or her permission.  A note signed by the person concerned, and witnessed by the patient, will be required.  If this is not possible, the complaint should be brought by the next of kin. 

The Process

Under the NHS Constitution, you can expect the following:

• To have any complaint about NHS services dealt with efficiently and to have it properly investigated;
• To know the outcome of any investigation into your complaint;
• To be able to take your complaint to the Ombudsman if you are not satisfied with the way it has been handled;

We hope that you will make use of our Practice Complaints Procedure if you encounter a problem.  We believe this to be the best way to put right whatever has gone wrong and provide an opportunity to improve our Practice. 

Upon receipt of your complaint, we will :

• acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days;
• instigate an investigation as soon as possible;
• upon completion of the investigation we will write to you informing you of the outcome of the investigation and any action taken to correct either policy or procedures. 
• may invite you to attend a meeting at the surgery to discuss the matter in more detail.

Although complaints are dealt with confidentially, current regulations require the Practice to forward copies of all complaints to the Health and Social Care Board within 3 working days from receipt of the complaint This requires your permission to release details of your complaint to HSCB. We have available pro forma letters to ensure that this is expedited quickly.

Further help

If you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us, or if you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation, you can approach the NI Commissioner for Complaints (the Ombudsman), or your Health & Social Care Board,

You may also contact the Patient and Client Council, an independent non-departmental public body, for assistance.

Complaints made by GPs and or Medical Centre Staff

GPs are also entitled to complain about a patient if they feel that the patient is being unreasonable or their conduct is causing particular difficulties for the Practice.  If you are the subject of a complaint, we hope, however, that any concern or misunderstanding can be resolved by discussion with the GP or member of staff concerned.

Complaints about Patients can be:

• abuse (verbal or physical) of GPs or Staff or other Patients;
• abuse of prescribing;
• theft or fraud;
• Patients failing to keep appointments;
• Patients refusal to abide by Practice procedures in obtaining treatment / care;
• Damage to Surgery premises including graffiti and inappropriate use of toilet areas;

This list is not exhaustive.

Further help in Complaining

If Patients feel that their complaint has not been  heard or dealt with satisfactorily they may approach any of the following;

The Ombudsman
Mr Tom Frawley
Northern Ireland Ombudsman
Freepost BEL 1478
BELFAST
BT1 6BR
Freephone: 0800 34 34 24
www.ni-ombudsman.org.uk

Health and Social Care Board
Complaints Office
HSC Board Headquarters
12-22 Linenhall Street
BELFAST
BT2 2BS
Tel: 9032 1313
www.hscboard.hscni.net

Belfast HSC Trust
Complaints Office
Glendinning House
6 Murray Street
BELFAST
BT1 6DP
Tel:  9032 7156
www.belfasttrust.hscni.net

Patient and Client Council
Ist Floor
Lesley House
25-27 Wellington Place
BELFAST
BT1 6GQ
Freephone: 0800 917 0222
www.patientclientcouncil.hscni.net

Ashley Medical Centre has consulting rooms on both the ground floor and first floor. Disabled access to ground floor consulting rooms for both Doctors and Nurses is provided including toilet areas.. Disabled Access into the surgery is from the Ashley Park entrance only.

Mothers with babies may use the consulting room on the 1^st floor for baby changing, or the Treatment room if available. We can provide accommodation for breast feeding mothers if required.

The Health Centre endeavours to provide a suitable accessible environment for all patients to receive treatment and care. We courteously request that Patients :-

• Keep the waiting areas clean, use bins provided for rubbish;
• DO NOT let children play or stand on the seats;
• DO NOT let children place food or drinks on the seating;
• Supervise children when using the stairs and DO NOT let children play on the stairs.
• Use the sanitising gels provided appropriately and supervise children in doing so;
• DO NOT REMOVE sanitising gels;. Toilet rolls; tissues or bins. These products are provided for all patients;
• Inform Reception Staff of any spills / breakages  etc., so that these can be cleaned/ fixed  quickly;
• Please use the toilet facilities appropriately and ensure they are left in a suitable condition for others. This includes  flushing the toilet and the binning of hand towels;
• Please do not place bags; umbrellas; equipment on the desk (especially the Prescribing Desk). These can scratch the surface and or leave water on the desk;
• Please place leaflets in neat bundles on the shelf;
• Prams and Buggies should where possible be left outside in the Porch. Space in the waiting are is limited and priority will be given to those patients who require wheelchairs or walking aids.
• Patients using walking aids; wheelchairs; Prams or Buggies – the main waiting area has been designed to ensure adequate access. However, we ask Patients using these items to take care when passing other Patients and the Reception Counter, to prevent injury or damage;

The following charges, relate to services, information and work requested by patients of Doctors in the Health Centre that is not funded under NHS.

The Doctors in Ashley Medical Centre have kept these charges to the minimum in all cases, and payment from patients is expected promptly and may be requested prior to issue of letters and reports.  Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Other fees for services not listed will be applied at the time of request

Charges_Poster_Jan_2012.doc

FAQcharging_patients_april08_tcm27-174150.pdf

whygpchargefees_tcm41-175120.pdf

Ashley Medical Centre aims to support Carers and those who are cared for.

If you are a Carer or someone cares for you, please let our Staff know. Packs are available in the Surgery which provides advice and information for Carers on their entitlements including benefits and assessment of needs.

You can also obtain this informaiton at : www.setrust.hscni.net

For young Carers contact :  www.crossroadscare.co.uk