Practice Charter

Practice Rules

All of the medical and clinical staff in the practice strive to give our patients an excellent service. To achieve this we believe that the patients should understand their own responsibilities. Therefore, at the point of registration, you must understand the following:

• You may expect our staff to treat you with courtesy and respect at all times. We also expect this from you. Any abuse or threatening behaviour towards our staff, either verbal or physical will result in your immediate removal from the doctors' list and the police will be called.

• You must abide by our practice rules in respect of making appointments, repeat
prescriptions, use of mobile telephones etc.

• Inevitably, because of the unpredictability of illness and emergencies that may occur, sometimes doctors may be late in seeing their patients. If this happens we will keep you informed of the delay, but expect you to wait patiently. One day it may be you who needs the doctors' time urgently.

• Please keep your children under control at all times. Doctors' waiting rooms can be dangerous places when we are busy.

Help Us To Help You

• Mondays are our busiest day; if something can wait, try later in the week.

• The phone will be busy at peak periods, especially 8.30 to 9.00am each morning.
Please be patient, don’t blame the receptionist.

• Request home visits before 10.30am, but please try to attend the surgery whenever possible.

• Remember one appointment is for one person only. If you think that you may need longer than 10 minutes, please ask the receptionist for advice.

• Please keep your appointment and give as much notice as possible if you are unable to attend.

• Inform of any changes in your address or circumstances and make sure that we have an up-to-date telephone number.

• We welcome your views on the services we provide. If you have any queries, comments, constructive suggestions or criticisms, our practice manager would like to hear from you.

Patients' Rights

You will be treated with respect and as a partner in your care. Being a partner means you have responsibilities too. Working in partnership with you we will strive to achieve the best possible medical care and endeavour to ensure the prevention of disease, illness and injury. The medical staff will advise and inform you of the steps that you can take to promote good health and a healthy lifestyle.

Chaperone Policy

It is the policy of the practice to provide patients with a chaperone during certain examinations and procedures.
If you would like a chaperone to be present during a consultation, please speak to the attending clinicians and a chaperone will be made available to you.

Comments & Complaints

The practice has an official complaints procedure which accords with standard NHS guidelines. Any complaints received will be dealt with according to this procedure.
Details are available at reception.

The practice welcomes suggestions about how we may improve our services. We also undertake patient surveys using questionnaires annually. We would like to thank you in advance for your co-operation in giving us your suggestions, comments and compliments.

Child Protection

We are legally obliged to protect children, in co-operation with social services, where the child may be at risk. And we strictly follow the guidelines provided by Lewisham PCT.

Confidentiality

At all times patients’ privacy and confidentiality is of up most important to us and will be respected. Information to third parties (without your consent) would only be given in extreme circumstances eg: risk to public safety.

Freedom Of Information

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the ‘classes’ of information the practice intends to routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception.

Zero Tolerance

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone attending the surgery who abuses the GPs, staff or other patients be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will risk removal from the practice list. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.