General Feedback

If you would like to provide the practice with general feedback or ideas please feel free to use our online form

Complaints

All your complaints should firstly be sent to our Practice Manager Karen Smith.  Please complete this form and she will come back to you.

• Complaints Procedure

All information you supply to us is kept strictly confidential. Any information about you, your medical issues or treatment is only ever shared with other healthcare professionals on a ‘need to know’ basis.  Please click on above to see our Policy

Information is sometimes shared with NHS management for data audit and planning, and all those who work for the NHS have a duty of confidentiality towards patients.

• Confidentiality & Consent Policy 

If you have any special needs please let our staff know so that we can help and ensure you get the same support in the future.

Loop System

We have a loop induction system at the reception desk to assist the hearing impaired.

• British Deaf Association
• The Deaf Health Charity – SignHealth
• Action Hearing Loss
• Royal Association for Deaf People
• National Deaf Children’s Society

Blind / Partially Sighted

If you or family members are blind or partially sighted we can give you a large print of our practice leaflet upon request. Please ask Reception for further information.

For more advice and support for blind people please see the following websites:

• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RIND)
• British Wireless for the Blind Fund
• British Blind Sport

Guide Dogs

Guide dogs are welcome at the surgery but we ask that you be aware of other patients and staff who may have an allergy or fear of dogs.

Further Information:

• Guide Dogs

Other Disability Websites

• BID Services
• Disability Go
• Disabled People, your Rights, Benefits, Carers and the Equality Act
• Disability Rights UK
• Living with a Disability NHS Choices
• Disability Action
• Mencap

Privacy Policy

Please click here for our privacy policy

Patient Access Request

If you would like access to your records you will need to complete the form below. We have 28 days to provide you with access.

• Patient Access Data Request

We use a processor, iGPR Technologies Limited (“iGPR”), to assist us with responding to report requests relating to your patient data, such as subject access requests that you submit to us (or that someone acting on your behalf submits to us) and report requests that insurers submit to us under the Access to Medical Records Act 1988 in relation to a life insurance policy that you hold or that you are applying for.
iGPR manages the reporting process for us by reviewing and responding to requests in accordance with our instructions and all applicable
laws, including UK data protection laws. The instructions we issue to iGPR include general instructions on responding to requests and specific instructions on issues that will require further consultation with the GP responsible for your care.

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in Lockwood Avenue Surgery in the last financial year was £139,260 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 3 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.

Patient responsibilities

To help us provide a prompt, courteous and efficient service to all, we ask you to:

• Use our appointment and repeat prescription systems appropriately and responsibly
• Supply information requested by staff
• Treat staff with courtesy and respect

Comments, compliments, concerns and complaints

Please do let us know if you have any comments, concerns, suggestions or complaints about the service you have received. We operate a practice complaints procedure that meets national criteria and ensures your views are recorded and, where appropriate, acted upon.

If you would like to make a complaint it is better to put it in writing so the practice has an audit trail, please contact Clare Mulhall (practice manager) as soon as possible, or ask for a complaints form at reception.

All other comments, views or suggestions are always welcome and help us to continue providing a high-quality service to all our patients. Please contact any member of staff with any comments you have to make.

How we use your data

All data you supply to us is kept confidential. Any information about you, your medical issues or treatment is only ever shared with other healthcare professionals on a ‘need to know’ basis. Information is sometimes shared with NHS management for data audit and planning, and all those who work for the NHS have a duty of confidentiality towards patients.

Zero Tolerance (Violent Behaviour)

As an employer, the practice has a duty to care for the health and safety of its staff. The practice also has a legal responsibility to provide a safe and secure working environment for staff. All patients are expected to behave in an acceptable manner and violent or abusive behaviour towards staff or patients may result in removal from our practice list or even criminal proceedings. The practice follows the NHS guidance concerning Zero Tolerance.

The Practice has a policy of “zero tolerance” of verbal and physical violence towards GP’s, staff or other patients.

The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property.

All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.

We expect all patients to be responsible and avoid attending the surgery under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs. Any alteration of prescriptions is illegal and will not be tolerated.

If you are seriously unhappy with the quality of service you have the right to register with another practice without notifying us. Similarly, on the very rare occasions when a patient repeatedly ignores their responsibilities to the Practice, we have the right to remove the patient from our Practice list.

Examples of Unacceptable Standards of Behaviour

• Violence.
• Excessive noise e.g. recurrent loud or intrusive conversation or shouting.
• Threatening or abusive language involving swearing or offence remarks.
• Derogatory racial or sexual remarks.
• Malicious allegations relating to members of staff, other patients or visitors.
• Offensive sexual gestures or behaviours.
• Abusing alcohol or drugs on practice premises.
• Drug dealing on practice premises.
• Wilful damage to practice property.
• Threats or threatening behaviour.
• Theft

Our Staff have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times.

They should be able to do their jobs without being PHYSICALLY or VERBALLY ABUSED.

The vast majority of our lovely patients respect this.

Anyone found abusing the staff in person or on the telephone will be asked to leave the practice.

This behaviour will NOT be tolerated.

This will enable health and care professionals to have better medical information about you when they are treating you at the point of care. This change will apply for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic only. Unless alternative arrangements have been put in place before the end of the emergency period, this change will be reversed.

All patients registered with a GP have a Summary Care Record, unless they have chosen not to have one. The information held in your Summary Care Record gives health and care professionals, away from your usual GP practice, access to information to provide you with safer care, reduce the risk of prescribing errors and improve your patient experience.

Your Summary Care Record contains basic information about allergies and medications and any reactions that you have had to medication in the past.

Some patients, including many with long term health conditions, have previously agreed to have additional information shared as part of their Summary Care Record. This additional information includes information about significant medical history (past and present), reasons for medications, care plan information and immunisations.

During the coronavirus pandemic period, your Summary Care Record will automatically have additional information included from your GP record unless you have previously told the NHS that you did not want this information to be shared.

There will also be a temporary change to include COVID-19 specific codes in relation to suspected, confirmed, Shielded Patient List and other COVID-19 related information within the additional information.

By including this additional information in your SCR, health and care staff can give you better care if you need health care away from your usual GP practice:

• in an emergency
• when you’re on holiday
• when your surgery is closed
• at outpatient clinics
• when you visit a pharmacy

Additional information is included on your SCR

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic we are temporarily removing the requirement to have explicit consent to share the SCR additional information. This change of requirement will be reviewed when the pandemic is over.

You can be reassured that if you have previously opted-out of having a Summary Care Record or have expressly declined to share the additional information in your Summary Care Record, your preference will continue to be respected and applied.

Additional information will include extra information from your GP record, including:

• health problems like dementia or diabetes
• details of your carer
• your treatment preferences
• communication needs, for example if you have hearing difficulties or need an interpreter

This will help medical staff care for you properly, and respect your choices, when you need care away from your GP practice. This is because having more information on your SCR means they will have a better understanding of your needs and preferences.

When you are treated away from your usual doctor’s surgery, the health care staff there can’t see your GP medical records. Looking at your SCR can speed up your care and make sure you are given the right medicines and treatment.

The only people who might see your Summary Care Record are registered and regulated healthcare professionals, for example doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacists and staff working under their direct supervision. Your Summary Care record will only be accessed so a healthcare professional can give you individual care. Staff working for organisations that do not provide direct care are not able to view your Summary Care Record.

Before accessing a Summary Care Record healthcare staff will always ask your permission to view it, unless it is a medical emergency and you are unable to give permission.

Protecting your SCR Information

Staff will ask your permission to view your SCR (except in an emergency where you are unconscious, for example) and only staff with the right levels of security clearance can access the system, so your information is secure. You can ask an organisation to show you a record of who has looked at your SCR – this is called a Subject Access Request.

• Find out how to make a subject access request.

Opting out

The purpose of SCR is to improve the care that you receive, however, if you don’t want to have an SCR you have the option to opt out. If this is your preference please inform your GP or fill in an SCR opt-out form and return it to your GP practice.

Regardless of your past decisions about your Summary Care Record consent preferences, you can change your mind at any time. You can choose any of the following options:

1. To have a Summary Care Record with additional information shared. This means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see a enriched Summary Care Record if they need to provide you with direct care.
2. To have a Summary Care Record with core information only. This means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see information about allergies and medications only in your Summary Care Record if they need to provide you with direct care.
3. To opt-out of having a Summary Care Record altogether. This means that you do not want any information shared with other authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals involved in your direct care, including in an emergency.

To make these changes, you should inform your GP practice or complete the SCR patient consent preferences form and return it to your GP practice.

More information on your health records

• Read more about your medical records.

The NHS is there for us from the moment we are born. It takes care of us and our family members when we need it most.

The NHS Constitution was created to protect the NHS and ensure it will always do the things it was set up to do when launched in 1948: provide high quality healthcare that is free and for everyone.

No government is able to change this constitution – essentially a promise that the NHS will always be there for you – without the full involvement of staff, patients and the public

The NHS Constitution sets out what you can expect from the NHS, your rights as a patient, the quality of care you’ll receive, the treatments available to you and your right to comment and complain.

• Download a copy here

Patient Responsibilities

To help all healthcare services provide a prompt, courteous and efficient service to all, we ask you to:

• Use appointment and prescription systems appropriately and responsibly
• Supply information requested by staff
• Treat staff with courtesy and respect

How health records are used

Some of the information on your health record is held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where this is the case, strict measures ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.

Where we need to use identifiable information for essential purposes, we will only ever use this information with your consent, unless the law requires us to pass on the information. We will ensure that appropriate information is available if you see another health professional or are referred to a specialist or another part of the NHS.

Who information is shared with

We may share information with the following main partners:

• NHS hospital trusts and other care providers
• Ambulance services
• Clinical commissioning groups
• NHS England
• NHS commissioning support units
• External suppliers providing healthcare services to the NHS

We may also share your information with:

• Social services
• Education services
• Local authorities
• Voluntary sector providers
• Private sector providers
• Police and judicial services

Ensuring confidentiality

Under the Data Protection Act (1998) all staff working for the NHS have a legal duty to keep personal information confidential. We never disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (such as when the health and safety of others is at risk or it is required by law). Anyone who receives information from us is legally bound to keep it confidential.

Access to your health records

If you want to view your health records, you may not need to make a formal application. Healthcare professionals can informally show you your own records, and you can make an informal request during a consultation or by phoning the surgery.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you have a legal right to apply for access to health information held about you, and you don’t have to give a reason.

You should submit your request in writing or by email to your GP, and we will then decide whether your request can be approved. A request can be refused if, for example, it is believed that releasing the information may cause serious harm to your physical or mental health or that of another person.

Under the Data Protection Act, requests for access to records should be met within 40 days. However, government guidance for healthcare organisations says they should aim to respond within 21 days.

Medical Records

Lancashire and South Cumbria has been chosen by NHS England to be a national pilot for the digitisation of Medical Records.  Scanning these paper based records and making them digital will enable better utilisation of space, creating more clinical space, staff areas, multi team space and video hubs, removing the need for some practices to build extensions. In addition it will also make your record more easily and speedily accessible to clinical staff within your practice.

Your complete GP medical record will be digital and stored in a secure cloud based clinical system (only accessible by your GP practice) with the paper based records being securely destroyed following BS EN 15713:2009 Secure destruction of confidential material.  Your GP will still be able to access your records easily within this system. The scanning and destruction of the paper records will follow strict data protection guidelines adhered to by the NHS.  As with paper based records, digital records are stored for the durations specified in the Records Management Codes of Practice for Health and Social Care. For GP patient records, this states that they may be destroyed 10 years after the patient’s death if they are no longer needed.
If you wish to discuss the scheme, please inform the Practice direct either by letter or via our secure online form.

Everyone who is cared for by the NHS in England has formal rights to make choices about the service they receive.  These include the right to choose a GP surgery, to state which GP you’d like to see, to choose which hospital you’re treated at, and to receive information to support your choices.

These rights form part of The NHS Constitution

NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) has published a guide to help patients make choices about their NHS care.

This follows a survey earlier in the year which showed that nine out of 10 local people would like to be able to choose their GP practice.

A similar number would like to choose the hospital they are referred to, as well as the time and date of any appointments, according to the poll of 1,004 people living in Fylde and Wyre.

The online guide includes patients’ rights to making choices about their GP practice, hospital and which healthcare professionals they see. It also includes choice with regard to maternity and community services, as well as end-of-life care.