Practice Charter

Patients' Charter

These are guidelines to inform patients of their rights and of the facilities available at the Allum Medical Centre. It does not affect their statutory rights or other charter rights in any way. Patients have a right to:

1. See a doctor by consultation for non-urgent problems.
2. In cases of genuine emergencies see the doctor the same day.
3. See any of the doctors of their choice in the practice for routine consultations.
4. See the practice nurse.
5. Be referred for further tests/treatment if the doctor thinks this is appropriate.
6. Be offered a health check once every three years if you have not seen the doctor during this time.
7. Have a health check on a yearly basis if you are over 75.
8. Be offered a range of facilities expected of a good general practice including child surveillance, health promotion, well woman clinic, asthma and diabetic clinic and a whole host of other services.

Patients are, however, in return for the service, expected to follow the guidelines listed on the "Help Us To Help You" section below. A more detailed Patients’ Charter is available at the surgery.

Help Us To Help You

It is our aim to offer you a good service and you will be seen within a reasonable time of development of a medical problem. However, to give you this service we require your assistance where possible in the following ways:

1. Always book an appointment for non-urgent problems.
2. Always attend the surgery whenever possible; visits are only for those patients who are too ill or too frail to attend.
3. Always ring the surgery before 10.00am for visits/emergencies if at all possible. Emergency appointments can be given each day where it is considered a medical emergency.
4. Always treat the receptionists and staff members with courtesy and respect and they will do likewise.
5. Keep us informed of your correct address and telephone number so our records are correct, especially when moving home.
6. Only ring the emergency number if your problem cannot wait until morning surgery.
7. Keep a range of medicines in your cabinet at home.
8. Follow our listed advice for minor illnesses.
9. Remember to cancel appointments that are no longer required so they can be offered to other patients.

Confidentiality

All patients’ records on file or in the computer are strictly confidential and can only be released to a third party (eg insurance company) with the patient’s written consent. All information is covered under the Data Protection Act. Results of laboratory tests and x-rays will only be given to patients themselves or to the parents of minors, if appropriate.

Patients' Feedback

If you have had a particularly good experience at the practice, please feel free to let the practice manager know. Our staff value positive feedback, which does much to bolster morale.

Complaints

The practice runs an in-house complaints system. If you have any complaints about anything relating to the service provided by the practice, please write or telephone Sybil Seshie, the practice manager. We can confirm that all complaints are investigated and a reply will be forthcoming.

Zero Tolerance

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone who attends the surgery and 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.

Freedom of Information - Publication Scheme

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. It will be available on the Waltham Forest PCT (www.walthamforest.nhs.uk)

Primary Care Trust (PCT)

The practice is part of the Waltham Forest Primary Care Trust (PCT). The PCT is the health body which can invest in primary care and commission health services for the local population. It will continue to evolve and the practice would welcome any comments to pass on to the PCT, on how we can improve both the health of the population and health services locally. The practice participates in practice-based commissioning. The PCT is based at 3rd/4th Floor, Kirkdale House, 7 Kirkdale Road, Leytonstone E11 1HP, Tel: 020 8430 8000.