Practice policies
Confidentiality & Medical Records
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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:
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To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
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To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
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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.
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Freedom of Information
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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.
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Access to Records
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In accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
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Complaints
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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.
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Violence Policy
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We do not tolerate violence, aggressive behaviour or abuse of our staff in any circumstances!
The practice has the right to remove violent patients from the premises and from the patient 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.
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Gifts and Hospitality
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Our policy is in line with that of in force for members of the House of Commons:
Our Policy
Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources
THRESHOLD FOR REGISTRATION Staff members, clinical staff and partners must register any gifts, benefits or hospitality with a value of over £300 which they receive from a UK source. They must also register multiple benefits from the same source if these have a value of more than £300 in a calendar year.
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House of Commons Policy
Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources
THRESHOLD FOR REGISTRATION. Members must register any gifts, benefits or hospitality with a value of over £300 which they receive from a UK source. They must also register multiple benefits from the same source if these have a value of more than £300 in a calendar year.
Statement of GP earnings
Unlike other professions, GPs are required to publish average earnings in each practice. Highly qualified, experienced doctors who care for patients on a daily basis are held to higher standards than Members of Parliament.
Partners take drawings and employed doctors earn a salary. Taken together, the average earnings of a GP at Court Street Medical Practice in 2022/23 was £83,000 – the same as the previous year so a cut in real terms.
It is somewhat surprising that, given MP’s obsession with GPs disclosing their earnings, Members of Parliament and the current government are not held to the same standard and continue to earn vast sums in outside earnings.
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