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 resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager by completing a complaints form from reception or email: hamd.medicalpractice@nhs.net who will deal with your concerns appropriately.

For more information in regards to complaints please follow the link below:

http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/complaints/Pages/NHScomplaints.aspx

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

Freedom of Information

Information about the General Practioners 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.

Access to Records

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

GP earnings for Year 2014/2015

The average pay for GPs working in Hamd Medical Practice in the last financial year was £72874 before tax and national insurance deductions. This was for 2 full time and one part time GP.

How do we use your Health records

There are several patient data extraction schemes in place. The information below and an opt-out form for all these schemes are available (see extra info). You can also view a brief overview of the schemes. Please think carefully before opting out of any of these schemes and ensure you sign the form before returning it to Hamd Medical Practice. Please note that we are unable to confirm receipt of forms sent to us by email.

The Summary Care Record (SCR) (Identifiable data)

This is a national database that is intended to provide basic health information to all providers who need it. It is intended that your demographics (personal details such as name, dob, address etc.) as well as basic medical information about you, (initially just drugs taken, documented allergies and any “End of life” decisions) would be stored and made accessible to anyone needing it within the NHS (for example if you were seen in a Casualty department in another area of the country.  You can ask to “opt out” of the SCR if you wish by asking the practice to amend your records. See below for how to do this. ‘However, you need to think carefully before opting out here — the SCR allows doctors throughout the country to access your basic information if they need, which will help them look after you, particularly if you are brought in unconscious. Many GP practices would recommend to their patients that they should not block SCR data extraction to take place. Please note that you will be asked again to give your consent to share this information at the point of treatment unless in an emergency where you are unable to do so.

Summary Care Records Information: 0845 603 8510 / www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk

Local Care Records (Identifiable data)

Many areas of the country and Clinical Commissioning groups (CCG’s) are now starting to establish their own local databases of patient information, to try to improve communication between different services (such as Health Service & Social Services) & to help plan local care. They bring together information held on computers in Health care and in Social care. They are designed to give staff working in these areas faster access to relevant patient information.  Anyone accessing a patient’s records will have their details recorded so it’s possible to see who has opened each record.  In Birmingham, this local care record is called the “Central Care Record, or CCR” and covers organisations in Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell.

Key benefits of these schemes are hoped to be things such as:

•   Safeguarding Children: poor information sharing has been highlighted as a

  significant risk in recent cases.

•   Frail Elderly:  sharing information when someone is vulnerable.

•   Urgent care:  if someone is not able to give vital information in a critical situation.

Central Care Records Information: 0121 612 3840 / http://www.midlandscentralcarerecord.nhs.uk/

CCR Information leaflet

Care.data (identifiable data) – Rolling out nationally from Autumn 2014

In 2013 the government proposed to extract large sections of data from GP practices to form a national database from which they intend to analyse health needs across the country & also locally.  GP’s will not have a choice about this extraction and it will be universal, to help support NHS planning. It is important to understand that this project will extract most coded data from your record. Only “coded” data, like symptoms, diagnoses, drugs, lab results etc. is extracted. Certain “sensitive” parts of your record will automatically be excluded from extraction, if present. This includes anything related to infertility treatment, history of sexually transmitted diseases, abortions, gender identity issues & any domestic violence or abuse. The coded data will be sent, initially, to a large organisation called the HSCIC (Health & Social Care Information Centre) where it will be held securely. This data will then, it is claimed, be anonymised so that it would not be possible to work out whose data was whose.  It could then be passed on later to other agencies, including commercial organisations.

The official guide to the care.data project is available here: http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/tsd/care-data/

Although we at Hamd Medical Practice cannot block the upload of our patient data to the HSCIC, you can block your own data being uploaded, if you wish.

Care.data Information: 0300 456 3531 / www.nhs.uk/caredata

More information is available from the helpline numbers and websites above.

Please also ask for further information at the reception desk the Hamd Medical Practice are more than happy to help.

Privacy Notice

What is the NHS Constitution?

For the first time in the history of the NHS, the constitution brings together in one place details of what staff, patients and the public can expect from the National Health Service. It also explains what you can do to help support the NHS, help it work effectively, and help ensure that its resources are used responsibly.

The Constitution sets out your rights as an NHS patient. These rights cover how patients access health services, the quality of care you’ll receive, the treatments and programmes available to you, confidentiality, information and your right to complain if things go wrong.

Rights and pledges

One of the primary aims of the Constitution is to set out clearly what patients, the public and staff can expect from the NHS and what the NHS expects from them in return.

For more information on the NHS Constitution please click on the link below:

http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx