Practice Policies & Patient Information
Bolton Care Record
What is the Bolton Care Record?
Things are changing in Bolton. As part of planned improvements, local health and social care organisations will be working more closely together to make patient care even better.
To do this, we need to make some changes so that everyone directly involved in your care can see your medical records. This means that your GP, a specialist at the hospital, a district nurse or your social care professional, will have access to the information they need.
The Bolton Care Record is a new confidential computer record that will provide health and social care professionals, directly involved in your care, access to the most up-to-date information about you. It does this by securely sharing appropriate information from your medical and care records between health and social care services in Bolton.
What kind of information will be shared?
The Bolton Care Record will hold certain information about each patient, which will ensure that when you are being treated, or cared for, by the NHS or Social Care services, the professionals looking after you will have the most up-to-date information:
- Address and telephone number – so we have one set of contact details.
- Diagnosis list – to make sure your health or social care professional has an accurate and complete record of your care.
- Medications – so everyone treating you can see what medicines you’ve currently been prescribed.
- Allergies – to make sure you aren’t prescribed or given any medicines you could have an adverse reaction to.
- Test Results – to speed up your treatment and care.
- Referrals, clinic letters and discharge information – to make sure the people caring for you have all the information they need about other treatment you’re having elsewhere.
The benefits for you……
- Joined up care is safer care.
- More time spent on you and your care, instead of going over the same information.
- Less paperwork.
- Fewer unnecessary clinical tests.
- Better self management for patients.
- More accurate prescriptions.
For further information go to:-
http://www.boltoncarerecord.org to get involved with the conversation and have your opinion heard.
If you have any queries, please telephone: 0800 588 4400 (Freephone) or e-mail bolccg.sharingiscaring@nhs.net
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 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 who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception. Click here to download our Complaint form and Complaint Leaflet.
Confidentiality & Medical Records
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 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.
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.
Data Choices
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How your data is used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You have a choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?
No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What do you need to do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
Equality and Diversity
The practice and its staff are committed to the fair treatment of all patients and service users, regardless of age, colour, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment, nationality, race, religion or belief, responsibility for dependents, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristics. All policies and procedures for service delivery are subject to an equality impact assessment.
Feedback and Complaints
Compliments, Comments, Concerns and Complaints
We aim to provide patients with the best care we can, but will sometimes fall short of the mark. If you have any compliments, comments, concerns or complaints about our service, we want to hear about it.
We would encourage you to speak to whoever you feel most comfortable with – your doctor, a nurse, a receptionist or manager – but if you would prefer to give feedback in writing, please send it to the below address.
If you have a complaint to make, please don’t be afraid to say how you feel. We welcome feedback to help us improve our standards and you will not be treated any differently because you have complained.
Send your written complaint to our Practice Manager Brian Smith:
Olive Family Practice
Pikes Lane HC
Deane Road
Bolton
BL3 5HP
We are able to provide you with our complaint leaflet (Click here for Complaints Leaflet) and complaints form (Click here for Complaints Form)to register your complaint and this includes a third-party authority form to enable a complaint to be made by someone else. Signing of third party consent will need to be witnessed by a staff member and photo ID shown. Forms are also available from reception at any of our sites. You can make a complaint in your own format providing this covers all the necessary aspects. Please make your complaint as specific and precise as possible
If you do not wish to complain to us directly you can make a complaint to:
GMICB
https://gmintegratedcare.org.uk/have-your-say/contact-us/
Bolton PALS
You may also approach PALS for help or advice;
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is based at NHS Bolton and provides confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns you may have about the care we provide. PALS also provides information on the different services available from the NHS
Telephone 01204 390193 during office hours
E-mail PALS@bolton.nhs.uk
Ombudsman
If you are not happy with the response from this practice, you can refer your complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who investigates complaints about the NHS in England.
Complaints Helpine: 0345 015 4033
Textphone (Minicom): 0300 061 4298
Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
Address: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP
Contacting the Care Quality Commission
If you have a genuine concern about a staff member or regulated activity carried on by this Practice then please contact the Care Quality Commission directly;
Telephone: 03000 616161
Website: http://www.cqc.org.uk
GP Net Earnings
NHS England require that the net earnings of GPs engaged in the practice is publicised and the required disclosure is shown below. However, it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time GPs spend working in the practice and it should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings nor to make any comparison with any other practice.
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (i.e. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working in the surgery in the last financial year was £73,903 before tax and national insurance. This is for 1 full time GP, 1 part time GP and 2 locum GP’s who worked in the practice for at least six months.
Mission Statement
We firmly believe in providing high quality primary care health based on the needs of our practice population and the resources available.
We believe the key themes to deliver successful care in the current socioeconomic state must include the following:-
- A focus on patient centre care.
- Have an outcomes based focus.
- Work together with our partners and colleagues.
- Be innovative.
- Have a clear vision for the future of primary care.
Privacy and Data
NHS Digital will collect data to support a wide variety of research and analysis to help run health and care services. In addition, the service will also help to support the planning and commissioning and health and care services, the development of health and care policy, public health monitoring and interventions and enable many different areas of research.
If you are happy for your information to be used in this way, you do not need to do anything. If you wish to opt-out of this service, you will need to fill a form in and submit this online, or print this off, fill in the details and bring this to the Surgery. Children under 13 cannot opt-out online, and therefore will need to fill in a paper form. Opt-out forms can be obtained by visiting https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/opt-out-of-sharing-your-health-records/.
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who can see it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How do I know if I have one?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP
Do I have to have one?
No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website.
Violence Policy
The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff or one of the doctors or nursing team is treated in an abusive or violent way.
The Practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations simultaneously. The staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.
However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.
For the practice to maintain good relations with its patients the practice would like to ask all its patients to read and take note of the occasional types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:
- Using bad language or swearing at practice staff
- Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving
- Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff
- Racial abuse and sexual harassment will not be tolerated within this practice
- Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot
- Causing damage/stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff or patients
- Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently
Removal from the practice list
A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is on immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.
Removing other members of the household
In rare cases, however, because of the possible need to visit patients at home, it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household. The prospect of visiting patients where a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice by virtue of their unacceptable behaviour resides, or being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it too difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is particularly likely where the patient has been removed because of violence or threatening behaviour and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.