Practice Policies & Patient Information
Accountable GP
As per NHS rules, all patients are assigned an accountable GP and patients can express a preference as to which GP they are assigned to. Whichever GP you are assigned to you can still see ANY available GP at the practice and all clinicians have access to patient medical records.
Patients can also express a preference of the GP they are seen by at the time of booking an appointment. The practice will always try its best to accommodate patient preferences where possible.
Confidentiality
Everyone who works for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. We will only provide information to those who are authorised to receive it and who will keep it confidential. Whenever possible any information passed on will be anonymised.
In line with the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation Act) which comes into force on 25th May 2018 you will be asked by a member of staff/clinician for your consent before sending any referral/information to other medical professionals in looking after your clinical needs.
We hold your patient records in the strictest confidence, regardless of whether they are electronic or on paper. We take all reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorised access to your records, however they are stored. Any information that may identify you is only shared with the practice team, or, if you are referred to hospital, to the clinician who will be treating you. We will only share information about you with anyone else if you give your permission in writing.
Use of your contact details
We may try to contact you using the mailing address, land line telephone number, mobile telephone number (including text messaging) or email address that you provide. This may be for, amongst other things, appointment reminders, information about special clinics or to request information from you. If you prefer not to be contacted by one or more of these means then please let us know so that we can record your preferences.
It is your responsibility to ensure that the practice has your current contact details to ensure that there is no possible delay to your treatment.
Data Protection Notice
We ask you for information about yourself so that you can receive proper care and treatment. All personal information (updated as appropriate), together with details of your care, is stored in your medical record which is held on paper and computer. All members of the practice are contractually and ethically obliged to maintain the confidentiality of your medical record at all times, even after leaving the practice. Just because we hold the data does not give every member of staff the right to look at it. Anyone viewing your medical record must have a valid reason to do so in the course of performing their job. All computer held records have an audit trail of activity by all users.
Officially, your medical record is the property of the Secretary of State for Health. However, we are considered to be the Data Controller and therefore responsible for the confidentiality of your medical record whilst you are registered as a patient with us.
We are required to share certain identifiable data about you with other parts of the NHS in relation to financial claims. This will ordinarily just be your NHS number. We also share demographic and relevant clinical details within the NHS for the purpose of operating recall systems, eg childhood immunisations, cancer screening and diabetic retinopathy programmes.
If you require care from another healthcare provider, eg a referral to see a specialist, then we will need to share relevant information about you and your care. We will obtain consent to this sharing if you are in agreement with the need for the referral.
The information we hold about you may be used for secondary purposes. This includes planning health services, clinical audit, monitoring the spread of disease (epidemiology) etc. Your personal details are never disclosed for secondary purposes, only relevant clinical data is provided, for example the total number of people registered with us who have diabetes.
We will never disclose any information about you to a third party without your consent, unless required to do so by law.
Access to Records
If you wish to request access to your medical records under the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 to be updated by the GDPR Act which comes into force 25th May 2018, then you should apply in writing to the Data Controller. You should include your name, date of birth and the address that we will have on your file. Such requests must be accompanied by a signature and you are therefore advised to write or come in person to issue your request. Please note that as of the 25th May 2018, you will no longer be required to pay a fee although depending on the request e.g. a written medical report a fee will be applied. If you request copies of your medical records on more than one occasion we are able to provide apply an administration fee. As we are no longer able to charge for our time and consumables for providing copies of your records you may be required to attend the practice to collect them for onward transmission as the postage can be quite costly dependent on the size of your records. Further information about your rights under this Act are available from the Information Commissioner’s website.
GP Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working at Parkside Medical Centre in the last financial year was £98,700 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 1 full time GP and 3 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.
Infection Control Statement
We aim to keep our surgery clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff. We endeavour to keep it clean and well maintained at all times.
If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please report these to our Reception staff.
Our GPs and nursing staff follow our Infection Control Policy to ensure the care we deliver and the equipment we use is safe.
We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:
- Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We can discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems.
- Carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working.
- Provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control
- Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
- Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available financial resources and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk.
- Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings, towels etc, and ensure that these are laundered, cleaned or changed frequently to minimise risk of infection.
- Make Alcohol Hand Rub Gel available throughout the building.
Our Mission Statement
We aim to provide quality health care services to all our patients
Our objectives are to be a practice where:
- Patients are treated as active participants in the care they receive
- Patients & colleagues are treated with dignity and respect
- Patients are prioritised on the basis of need
- Patient records are treated confidentially
- Long term medication and treatments are reviewed at appropriate intervals
- Best practice is taught and promoted
- An open and honest working environment is nurtured in which teamwork thrives
- Healthcare is provided in clean comfortable and appropriate surroundings
Privacy Notice
Parkside aims to ensure the highest standard of medical care for our patients. To do this we keep records about you, your health and the care we have provided or plan to provide to you.
This Privacy Notice does not provide exhaustive details of all aspect of the collection and use of personal information by Parkside. However, we are happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed. If you wish to request further information please contact the Practice Manager by:
Telephone: 0161 257 3338
Letter: 187 Northmoor Rd Manchester M12 5RU
Email: parkside.patients@nhs.net
How We Use Your Information
In order to provide for your care, we need to collect and keep information about you and your health on our records. Your information is used to:
- Provide a basis for all health decisions made by care professionals with and for you;
- Make sure your care is safe and effective;
- Work effectively with others providing you with care;
- Send you text notifications to you about appointment reminders, flu clinics, health promotion information, cancellation of clinics and changes in service provision. (You can opt out of the text notification service at any time by phoning the practice on 0161 257 3338).
We may also use, or share, your information for the following purposes:
- Looking after the health of the general public;
- Making sure that our services can meet patient needs in the future;
- Auditing – Using patient health information to review and improve the quality of healthcare.
Patient identifiable information is only used within the practice. (Patients have the right to request that their health information is not included in audits);
- Preparing statistics on NHS performance and activity (where steps will be taken to ensure you cannot be identified;
- Investigating concerns, complaints or legal claims;
- Helping staff to review the care they provide to make sure it is of the highest standards;
- Training and educating staff;
- Research approved by the Local Research Ethics Committee. (If anything to do with the research would involve you personally, you will be contacted to provide consent).
Disclosure of Information to Other Health and Social Professionals
We work with a number of other NHS and partner agencies to provide healthcare services to you. Below is a list of organisations that we may share your information with:
Our Partner Organisations:
- Other NHS hospitals
- Relevant GP Practices
- Dentists, Opticians and Pharmacies
- Private Sector Providers (private hospitals, care homes, hospices, contractors providing services to the NHS)
- Voluntary Sector Providers who are directly involved in your care
- Ambulance Service
- Specialist Services
- Health and Social Care Services
- Out of Hours Medical Service
- NHS England
- Primary Care Manchester (GPPO)
We may also share your information with your consent, and subject to strict sharing protocols, about how it will be used, with:
- Health and Social Care
- Police and Fire Services
Risk Prediction
Risk prediction data tools are increasingly being used in the NHS to help determine a person’s risk of suffering a particular condition, preventing an unplanned or (re)admission and identifying a need for preventive information. Information about you is collected from a number of sources in NHS England including this GP Practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your
De-identifiable information by NHS England and is only provided back to your GP’s Data Controller in an identifiable form. Risk prediction enables your GP to focus on preventing ill health and not just the treatment of illness. If necessary, your GP may be able to offer you additional services.
Summary Care Record (SCR)
Emergency care information such as your name, date of birth, the name of your GP, any medicines which your GP has prescribed, any medicines you are allergic to or react badly to, is shared with Out of Hours as this might be important if you need urgent medical care when the GP surgery is closed.
NHS staff (Doctors, Nurses, Accident and Emergency, Ambulance control and crews) can look at your SCR if they need to treat you when the surgery is closed. They will ask for your consent before they look at your records.
In an emergency and if you are unconscious, staff may look at your SCR without your agreement to let them give you the best possible care.
Whenever NHS staff looks at your SCR, a record will be kept so we can always check who has looked at your information.
Integrated Care Plan
The integrated care plan has been designed to support patients who have complex care needs or long term conditions.
ICP allows important information to be shared with health care professionals in unscheduled care in the NHS, A&E, Ambulance Service, Out of Hours, hospital and social services.
Information contained in the ICP summary includes, future care plans, medications, allergies, diagnosis, your wishes, Carer and next of kin details.
You have the right to say that you do not want Care staff to see the ICP. Please contact the practice or phone 0161 257 3338 to let us know.
Online Registration for Booking Appointments, Ordering Repeat Prescriptions & Viewing Records
This service allows you to book a routine GP appointment 24 hours a day, cancel appointments no longer needed, check your repeat medication, order repeat prescriptions, view you medical records and make changes to your email and mobile contact number where appropriate.
You will need to register to use this service and can de-register at any time.
Medicine Management
The Practice may conduct Medicines Management Reviews of medications prescribed to its patients. This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost effective treatments. This service is provided by our clinicians, our employed Pharmacist and Pharmacists provided by Manchester CCG.
Computer System
This Practice operates a Clinical Computer System on which NHS Staff record information securely. This information can then be shared with other Clinicians so that everyone caring for you is fully informed about your relevant medical history.
To provide around the clock safe care, unless you have asked us not to, we will make information available to trusted organisations. Wherever possible, their staff will ask your consent before information is viewed.
We consider patient consent as being the key factor in dealing with your health information.
Shared Care Records
To support your care, and improve the sharing of relevant information to our partner organisations when they are involved in looking after you, we will share information to other NHS systems e.g. medication details for out of hours care. The general principle is that information is passed to these systems unless you request this does not happen, but that system users should ask for your consent before viewing your record.
How We Keep Your Information Confidential and Secure
We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, the Common Law of Confidentiality, The General Data Protection Regulation and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security. Everyone working in, or for the NHS must use personal information in a secure and confidential way.
We will only ever use or pass on your information if there is a genuine need to do so. We will not disclose information about you to third parties without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as when the law requires.
To protect your confidentiality, we will not normally disclose any medical information about you over the telephone, or by fax, unless we are sure that we are talking to you. This means that we will not disclose information to your family, friends, and colleagues about any medical matters at all, unless we know that we have your consent to do so.
Anyone Who Receives Information From Us Is Also Under A Legal Duty to Keep It Confidential and Secure
All persons in the Practice sign a confidentiality agreement that explicitly makes clear, their duties in relation to personal health information and the consequences of breaching that duty.
Please be aware that your information will be accessed by non-clinical Practice staff in order to perform tasks enabling the functioning of the Practice. These are, but not limited to:
- Typing referral letters to Hospital Consultants or allied Health Professionals
- Opening letters from hospitals and Consultants
- Scanning clinical letters, radiology reports and any other documents not available in Electronic format
- Photocopying or printing documents for referral to Consultants
- Handling, printing, photocopying and postage of medico legal and life assurance reports and other associated documents
Right of Access to Your Health Information
The General Data Protection Regulation allows you to find out what information about you is held on computer and in manual records. This is known as “right of subject access” and applies to personal information held about you. If you want to see or receive information that the Practice holds about you:
- You will need to make a written request to the Practice Manager
- There may be a charge for multiple or excessive requests for information held about you
- We are required to respond to you within one month
- You will need to give us adequate information (e.g. full name, address, date of birth, NHS Number etc, two forms of identification etc.,) to enable us to identify you and provide the correct information
Who Else May Ask to Access Your Information
- The Court can insist that we disclose medical records to them;
- Solicitors often ask for medical reports. We will require your signed consent for us to disclose information. We will not normally release details about other people that are contained in your records (e.g. wife, children parents etc.) unless we also have their consent;
- Social Services – The Benefits Agency and others may require medical reports on you from time to time. We will need your signed consent to provide information to them.
- Life Assurance Companies/Employers/Occupational Health Doctors frequently ask for medical reports on individuals. These are always accompanied by your signed consent form.
We will only disclose the relevant medical information when we are fully satisfied of your consent. You have the right, should you request it, to see reports prepared for Insurance Companies, employers or Occupational Health doctors before they are sent.
Sharing Your Information without Consent
We will normally ask you for your consent, but there are times when we may be required by law to share your information without your consent, for example:
- Where there is a serious risk of harm or abuse to you or other people
- Where a serious crime, such as assault, is being investigated or where it could be prevented
- Where we encounter infectious diseases that may endanger the safety of others, such as Meningitis or measles (but not sensitive information such as HIV/AIDS)
- Where a formal Court Order has been issued
- Where there is a legal requirement, e.g. if you had committed a Road Traffic Offence
The Practice is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using our website; you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:
- Information you supply using any electronic form(s) on the practice website will only be used for the purpose(s) stated on the form.
- Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes.
Changes to This Privacy Notice
We keep our Privacy Notice under regular review. This Privacy Notice will be reviewed again in December 2024.
Concerns about Sharing Your Information
If you have any concerns about how we use or share your information, or you do not wish us to share your information, please contact the Practice Manager on 0161 257 3338.
Complaints
If you have a complaint about how your information is managed at the practice, please contact the Practice Manager. If you remain unhappy with the Practice’s response, you can complain to the Information Commissioner Office www.ico.org.uk
Change of Details
It is important that you tell us if any of your details such as your name, address or telephone number has changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are kept accurate and up to date at all times. Please provide any official document with up to date details at the desk.