Practice Policies

Confidentiality & Medical Records

We need to hold personal information about you on our Computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs, and your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances. You can use the “update your details” button to the right.

Doctors and staff in the practice have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs effectively. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.

All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.  It is important to remember that this authorises us to disclose the whole of your medical records.

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone or email unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends, or spouses unless we have prior written consent, and we do not leave messages with others.

Confidentiality of Patient Data

Confidentiality Policy – Teenagers

You have a right to see your records if you wish. Please ask at reception if you would like further details and also read the Access to Records section below.

There is more information about existing guidelines at the following Website :-
www.dh.gov.uk/en/PolicyAndGuidance/InformationPolicy/PatientConfidentialityAndCaldicottGuardians 

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.

Freedom of Information Policy

Access to Records

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, General Data Protection Regulations and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the Patient Services Team and are not subject to an administration charge, unless deemed excessive. There are charges for requests to create Medical Reports and these can take up to 40 days to complete.

No information will be released without patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

For the full policies please click on the links below

Subject Access Request Policy and Form

Chaperone Policy

Our Practice is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. This chaperone may be a family member or friend. On occasions you may prefer a formal chaperone to be present, i.e. a trained member of staff.

Wherever possible we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking the appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way. Where this is not possible we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However, please note – there may be occasions where it is necessary to reschedule your appointment if a chaperone is not available.

Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our Chaperone Policy.

If you would like to see a copy of our Chaperone Policy please click on the link below, or if you have any questions or comments regarding this, please contact the Patient Services Team, or ask at Reception.

Chaperones Policy

Safeguarding

It is imperative that we operate a safe service for our patients and meet our duty of care in regards to the law and safeguarding of our patients.

Safeguarding Policy

Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong or may be confusing at times, resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for a complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

If you have a concern about a process or system, or anything administrative then one of our Senior Management Team should be able to assist you, they are responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the day to day operations of the Practice. There is normally at least one member of the management team in the building between 8:30am and 6pm, but sometimes absences may affect their availability. You may request to speak to them or you can send your concern in writing, or by email.

If you have a complaint relating to a clinical matter or after communicating with a member of the Senior Management Team you wish to escalate your concern to a complaint please contact the Operations Manager who acts as our Complaints Manager and will deal with your concerns appropriately. The best way to do this is in writing by email via cricketfield.admin@nhs.net – marked for the attention of the Complaints Manager.

Or you can post a letter address to the Complaints Manager, this is an important detail so that complaints can still be dealt with in the Operations Manager’s Absence.

Cricketfield Surgery
Cricketfield Road
Newton Abbot
Devon
TQ12 2AS

Alternatively you can ask to speak to the Operations Manager either by telephone or face to face but both are dependent upon their availability due to the strategic nature of their work often involving meetings both internally and externally to optimise the opportunities for the Practice and consider the wider healthcare landscape.

Please also note if you are a registered patient you can complain about your own care. You are unable to complain about someone else’s treatment without their written authority.

Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception or in the complaints leaflet shown here.

To review our full Complaints Policy click on the link below

Complaints Policy

If your complaint is about community services or secondary care (hospitals) or you wish to obtain general advice relating to NHS services, contact the Clinical Commissioning Group’s patient experience team:
FREEPOST RTEZ-YHRC-RZKZ
Pomona House
Torquay
Devon
TQ2 7FF

Violence Policy

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.

To review our full Zero Tolerance Policy click on the link below

Zero Tolerance Policy_V1.0 March19

Infection Control

Infection Control Statement

CCTV

CCTV Policy and Code of Practice

GDPR Privacy Notices

Privacy Notice 1 – How Cricketfield Surgery uses your information to provide you with healthcare

Privacy Notice 2 – How your information is used for medical research and to measure the quality of care

Privacy Notice 3 – How Cricketfield Surgery Shares your Information

Privacy Notice 4 – How Cricketfield Surgery Shares your Data with National Screening Programmes

Non NHS Work Fees Policy

Statement of Fees Policy