Practice Policies & Patient Information
Accessing someone else’s information
Accessing someone else’s information
As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.
To requests proxy access:
- collect a proxy access form from reception from 10am to 6pm
Linked profiles in your NHS account
Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.
The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.
Chaperones
The Surgery prides itself in maintaining professional standards. For certain examinations during consultations an impartial observer (a “Chaperone”) will be required.
This impartial observer will be a practice Nurse, Health Care Assistant or a member of our reception team who is familiar with the procedure and be available to reassure and raise any concerns on your behalf. If a nurse in unavailable at the time of your consultation then your examination may be rescheduled for another time.
You are free to decline any examination or chose an alternative examiner or chaperone. You may also request a chaperone for any examination or consultation if one is not offered to you. The GP may not undertake an examination if a chaperone is declined.
The role of a Chaperone:
• Maintains professional boundaries during intimate examinations.
• Acknowledges a patient’s vulnerability.
• Provides emotional comfort and reassurance.
• Assists in the examination.
• Assists with undressing patients, if required.
Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
In the majority of cases the best way to resolve your concerns as quickly as possible is with the front line staff or the service or organisation that you are complaining about.
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.
If you wish to make a formal complaint, they should be made preferably in writing and addressed to Mrs V Reed, Practice Manager. They can be contacted via our Contact Us page, by email to [email protected] or by completing a complaints form available in surgery or the link below. They will set all the necessary wheels in motion. Alternatively please fill out our feedback form if you have any suggestions.
We are continually striving to improve our service. Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated and a suggestion box is located in the waiting area.
Please view Complaints Policy and Procedure 2024
Confidentiality
What do we record?
Information about you, your medical treatment, and family background may be recorded, either on paper or in computer files, as part of providing you with health services. This information is vital to the proper operation of the NHS, and is needed to give you and others the best possible healthcare.
What you can do?
Please read the rest of this notice in order to better understand how we use medical information about you. For further details please see information leaflet entitled “Your Information” displayed in the Practice or ask receptionist for details.
Other Agencies
The NHS is not the only government service to provide you with care, and it will be necessary for us to provide other agencies with appropriate information, but only with your consent (or that of your relatives if you are too ill).
How do we protect your information?
The sensitivity of patient information is well understood within the NHS. All staff and contractors are trained to respect their duty of confidentiality to you. We keep paper and electronic records securely to prevent unauthorised access or misuse. Wherever practicable, we also remove references to personal details such as your name and address, and often restrict it further to reduce the chances of anyone identifying a record as relating to you.
Other Questions?
You can have a say in how the NHS uses information about you. If you want to find out more or have any concerns you can phone NHS Direct on 0845 4647 and request a booklet giving more details; go online at www.nhs.uk\confidentiality; or you can contact the Patient Liaison Team at the following address: Bromley PCT, Bassetts House, Broadwater Gardens, Orpington, Kent BR6 7UA. Tel. No. 01689 853339
Freedom of Information
The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt by 1st January 2009.
Model Publication Scheme – further information
How information about you helps us to provide better care
Confidential information from your medical records can be used by the NHS to improve the services offered so we can provide the best possible care for everyone. This information along with your postcode and NHS number but not your name, are sent to a secure system where it can be linked with other health information.
This allows those planning NHS services or carrying out medical research to use information from different parts of the NHS in a way which does not identify you. You have a choice. If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything. If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, please see the leaflet “How information about you helps us to provide better care” in the waiting Room.
Useful Websites
Enhanced Access
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan, with all general practices being required to be in a network. This practice is part of the Bromley Connect Primary Care Network.
Bromley Connect PCN is made up of Dysart Surgery, London Lane Clinic and South View Partnership to work collaboratively to ensure the health care system within our area works effectively by sharing knowledge and resources.
In developing the Bromley Connect PCN Enhanced Access Service the following key principles have been considered and addressed:
- Monday appointments will be offered between 18:30-20:00. Each surgery within the PCN will hold one in three Mondays.
- Tuesday appointments will be offered between 18.30-20:00 and will be run by London Lane Clinic practice.
- Wednesday appointments will be offered between 18.30-20:00 and will be run by Dysart Surgery.
- Thursday appointments will be offered between 18.30-20:00 and will be run by South View practice.
- Fridays will provide 3 hours of digital triage and digital appointments.
- On Saturday mornings, where all three member practices are offering appointments patients may prefer to attend the clinic at their own site but will have the option to attend at other sites if more convenient or appropriate.
- Saturday afternoon, one hour of digital appointments and triage and 3 hours of hub appointments will be available. Each surgery to host one in three hubs.
To enable us to provide our Enhanced Access Service to you, GPs from other local practices will at times have access to your full GP record but only when providing direct care to you.
Clinicians will have the ability to view your GP record at your registered practice and add in your consultation/appointment notes back into your record at your registered practice. This is to support your provision of care.
People who have access to your information will only normally have access to that which they need to fulfil their roles, for instance admin staff will normally only see your name, address, contact details, appointment history and registration details in order to book appointments, the practice nurses will normally have access to your immunisation, treatment, significant active and important past histories, your allergies and relevant recent contacts whilst the GP you see or speak to will normally have access to everything in your record.
1) Controller contact details | London Lane Clinic: 37-39 London Lane, Bromley BR1 4HB
Practice Manager: Victoria Reed |
2) Data Protection Officer contact details | Danielle Gibbons
NHS South East London South East London Integrated Care System |
3) Purpose of the processing | To provide our patients with direct care. |
4) The Lawfulness Conditions and Special Categories | The processing of personal data in the delivery of direct care and for providers’ administrative purposes in this surgery and in support of direct care elsewhere is supported under the following Article 6 and 9 conditions of the GDPR:Article 6(1)(e) ‘…necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority…’.
Article 9(2)(h) ‘necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services…” We will also recognise your rights established under UK case law collectively known as the “Common Law Duty of Confidentiality”* |
5) Recipient or categories of recipients of the shared data | The data will be shared with the Bromley Connect PCN Workforce providing the Enhanced Access Service.
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6) Rights to object | You have the right under Article 21 of the GDPR to object to your personal information being processed. Please contact the Practice if you wish to object to the processing of your data. You should be aware that this is a right to raise an objection which is not the same as having an absolute right to have your wishes granted in every circumstance.GP Practices process personal data under Article 6(1)(c) on a lawful and legitimate basis where the organisation is obliged under law to comply with
By complying with these laws, the Practice has compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms in the right to object. |
7) Right to access and correct | Under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to see or be given a copy of any personal data we hold about you. To gain access to a copy of your information, you will need to make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to the Practice you are normally registered with.You also have the right to have incorrect data held about you corrected. |
8) Retention period | The data will be retained for the period as specified in the national NHS records retention schedule. |
9) Right to Complain | You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, you can use this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or by calling their helpline Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate)There are National Offices for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, (see ICO website) |
Firearms Licensing
Please note that the GPs at London Lane Clinic will NOT provide medical information in support of the assessment of suitability for the issue of a firearms/shotgun licence.
The GPs at London Lane Clinic have a conscientious objection to the holding of firearms.
We are not obliged contractually or otherwise to undertake this work. The BMA (British Medical Association) indicates that we do not need to arrange for the alternative provision of a report.
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act creates a right of access to recorded information and obliges a public authority to:
• Have a publication scheme in place
• Allow public access to information held by public authorities.
The Act covers any recorded organisational information such as reports, policies or strategies, that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland, however it does not cover personal information such as patient records which are covered by the Data Protection Act.
Public authorities include government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces.
The Act is enforced by the Information Commissioner who regulates both the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.
The Surgery Publication Scheme
A publication scheme requires an authority to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities.
The scheme lists information under seven broad classes, which are:
• who we are and what we do
• what we spend and how we spend it
• what our priorities are and how we are doing it
• how we make decisions
• our policies and procedures
• lists and registers
• the services we offer
You can request our publication scheme leaflet at the surgery.
Who can Request Information?
Under the Act, any individual, anywhere in the world, is able to make a request to a practice for information. An applicant is entitled to be informed in writing, by the practice, whether the practice holds information of the description specified in the request and if that is the case, have the information communicated to him. An individual can request information, regardless of whether he/she is the subject of the information or affected by its use.
How Should Requests be Made?
Requests must:
• be made in writing (this can be electronically e.g. email/fax)
• state the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence
• describe the information requested.
What Cannot be Requested?
Personal data about staff and patients covered under Data Protection Act.
For more information see these websites:
GP Earnings
All GP Practices are required to declare the mean earnings (eg average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working at the London Lane Clinic in the last financial year was £73,376 before tax and national insurance.
This is for 3 full time GPs, 3 part time GPs and 4 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
How We Use Your Information
To Provide You with Treatment
Doctors need to make notes about any diagnosis, test results, treatments including drugs prescriptions, and other information that you may provide, that seems relevant to the treatment of your condition. We need to keep this information in order to provide proper care for you (for later treatment, or if you should be seen by another doctor) and to allow others to check the treatment that you have received.
Nurses and other health professionals also need access to these records, and will add their own notes, as part of the overall healthcare provision. Secretaries, receptionists, and other clerical staff need access to some of your records in order to do administrative tasks, such as: booking appointments and communicating with you and other parts of the NHS.
Your doctor may also need to provide information under certain Acts of Parliament (e.g. the Communicable Diseases Act 1978, which is necessary to prevent the outbreak of certain highly contagious diseases) to protect you and others.
The Health Service
In order to manage the NHS, some restricted information concerning treatments, drugs prescribed, numbers of patients seen etc. is needed, and hospitals and general practices must provide this information in returns to various central bodies. This information has personal details such as your name and address removed wherever possible.
It is necessary from time to time to check these returns to prevent fraud as part of the NHS’s statutory obligations. This may result in your being contacted by an NHS Fraud Office to see if you will consent to your records being checked. Only if you provide your consent will the auditors be allowed to access your records.
Teaching Clinicians
Some medical files are needed to teach student clinicians. Without such materials, new doctors and nurses would be not be properly prepared to treat you.
Planning
We need to be able to plan ahead about treatments, patient numbers, etc., but this uses summary information, not personal information.
Medical Research
Some medical research will require your direct involvement (especially if taking part in clinical trials) in which case the circumstances will be fully explained to you, and your express consent required. If you do not consent, then you will not be included in the trial.
Other researchers only require access to medical statistics, and can greatly improve our understanding of health, and how to treat patients more effectively. Generally, researchers only need information about groups of people, so that no individual information is apparent. In some cases, they need individual records, but wherever we can we will provide these in an anonymous form (so individuals cannot be identified). Sometimes, researchers need access to individual medical files.
We will contact you first for your consent (and before this the researchers must present their case before an Ethics Committee to check that their research is appropriate and worthwhile). Rarely, it may not be practicable (or even possible) to contact individuals for their consent, in which case the researchers must make their case before a Confidentiality Committee to show that there is enough benefit to the public at large to justify this.
How do we manage your information?
We need to be able to move electronic information from system to system, extracting the data and modifying it for the next system. Occasionally, tests will need to be made on the data to check that it has been transferred correctly.
This will only be done under carefully controlled conditions and all employees and contractors will be under strict contractual obligations to protect your confidentiality.
Incident Reporting
Practice staff should use the new GP e-form to report all patient safety incidents and near misses whether they result in harm or not.
These reports are used to spot any emerging patterns of similar incidents or anything of particular concern.
This will help protect patients by raising awareness of the risks through shared learning with general practices and other health providers across the country.
Infection Control Statement
We aim to keep our surgery clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff. We are proud of our modern, purpose built Practice and endeavour to keep it clean and well maintained at all times.
If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please report these to our Reception staff.
Our GPs and nursing staff follow our Infection Control Policy to ensure the care we deliver and the equipment we use is safe.
We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:
- Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We can discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems.
- Carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working.
- Provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control.
- Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
- Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available financial resources and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk.
- Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings, towels etc., and ensure that these are laundered, cleaned or changed frequently to minimise risk of infection.
- Make Alcohol Hand Rub Gel available throughout the building.
London Care Record
This practice uses a shared record system called the London Care Record. The London Care Record is a secure view of your health and care information and lets health and care professionals involved in your care see important details about your health when and where they need them. Having a single, secure view of your information helps speed up communication between care professionals across London, improves the safety of care and can save lives.
London Care Record can only be lawfully looked at by staff who are directly involved in your care. Your information isn’t available to anyone who doesn’t need it to provide treatment, care and support to you. Your details are kept safe and won’t be made public, passed on to a third party who is not directly involved in your care, used for advertising or sold. For more information please read the London Care Record privacy notice for South East London here: The London Care Record – South East London ICS (selondonics.org)
Opting out of the London Care Record
You have the right to object to your information being available through London Care Record. Although patients have the right to object and request restrictions on sharing their records, there may be instances where this request will not be upheld due to a clinical need as determined by the direct care giver. Please discuss this with your GP/ health and social care worker and you can find further information in this London Care Record leaflet.
For further information and advice about data protection or your right to object to sharing your data you can contact the team at Lewisham and Greenwich Trust who manage the London Care Record for South East London www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/london-care-record or you can call 020 3192 6011 and leave your name and number for someone to contact you.
If you have already requested to stop sharing on ConnectCare/Local Care Record in South East London, then you will not have to request this again for London Care Record.
Military Veterans
Veteran Friendly
We at London Lane Clinic are proud to be accredited as Veteran Friendly by the RCGP.
As a practice we have pledged to support our ex-military as best we can. We would like to encourage all our veterans to come forward and identify yourselves, so we can offer you enhanced support.
Knowing that a patient is a veteran will help us to better meet the health commitments of the Armed Forces Covenant, whereby the armed forces community, including veterans, should face no disadvantage in accessing health services and should receive priority care for military attributable conditions, subject to the clinical need of others.
The NHS is able to offer a personalised care approach for those veterans who have a long term physical, mental or neurological health condition or disability.
personalised-care-for-veterans-information-for-veterans-and-families-easy-read.pdf (england.nhs.uk)
Support Contacts
SSAFA – the Armed Forces charity, formerly known as Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, is a UK charity that provides lifelong support to serving men and women and veterans from the British Armed Forces and their families or dependents. They give individual help, support and guidance either personally or over the phone.
The Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison (TIL) Service (formerly known as London Veterans’ Service (LVS) is a free NHS mental health service for all ex-serving members of the UK Armed Forces and service personnel who are making the transition to civilian life including reservists. They work with any veterans’ and those transitioning from military to civilian who live in London, Greater London, East and West Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Medway or are registered with a GP in these areas. They work with veterans’ who are experiencing mental health, addiction and general wellbeing issues, based at St. Pancras Hospital.
Veterans Aid support ex-servicemen and women in crisis. They also help with financial issues and enable interventions to support sustainable and independent living. First interventions include the provision of food, new clothing and shelter. Further support involves education, assistance with employment, and help in moving into a new home.
The country’s largest Armed Forces charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities; helping them give support wherever and whenever it’s needed.
Life can be tough when a military career comes to an end, especially if it has been cut short by illness or injury. Overnight, people lose not only their job, but also a support network that is like family.
There are many ways they help veterans, their relatives, serving personnel, and people who worked alongside the UK military.
Opcare is a leading provider of prosthetic, orthotic, and posture and mobility services in the UK, in partnership with the NHS.
Their mission is to provide the best possible care to every patient via their services and care, harnessing innovation and clinical expertise to optimise each individual’s quality of life.
Named GP
We have allocated a Named Accountable GP for all of our registered patients. If you do not know who your named GP is, please ask a member of our reception team.
Unfortunately, we are unable to notify patients in writing of any change of GP due to the costs involved.
New Patient Policy
Where it is clinically appropriate and practical to register, we now accept new registration from patients who work in the local area but reside outside of our registration area.
Patients registered this way would not be entitled to home visit from the practice, however they will be able to contact NHS 111 in order to be seen by a practice closer to where they live.
For further information about this type of registration, please contact us on 0208 460 2661 or feel free to come into the practice.
NHS Constitution
The NHS Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. For more information see these websites:
Non-NHS Work
What is non-NHS work and why is there a fee?
The National Health Service provides most health care to most people free of charge, but there are exceptions: prescription charges have existed since 1951 and there are a number of other services for which fees are charged.
Sometimes the charge is because the service is not covered by the NHS, for example, producing medical reports for insurance companies, to whom it may concern letters. The Government’s contract with GPs covers medical services to NHS patients but not non-NHS work. It is important to understand that many GPs are not employed by the NHS; they are self-employed and they have to cover their costs – staff, buildings, heating, lightning, etc. – in the same way as any small business.
In recent years, however, more and more organisations have been involving doctors in a whole range of non-medical work. Sometimes the only reason that GPs are asked is because they are in a position of trust in the community, or because an insurance company or employer wants to ensure that information provided to them is true and accurate.
Click here to see the fees: Private Services List and Fees
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their own NHS patients are:
- accident/sickness certificates for insurance purposes
- school fee and holiday insurance certificates
- reports for health clubs to certify that patients are fit to exercise
- private prescriptions for travel purposes
Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:
- life assurance and income protection reports for insurance companies
- reports for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in connection with
- disability living allowance and attendance allowance
- medical reports for local authorities in connection with adoption and fostering
- copies of records for solicitors
Do GPs have to do non-NHS work for their patients?
With certain limited exceptions, for example a GP confirming that one of their patients is not fit for jury service, GPs do not have to carry out non-NHS work on behalf of their patients. Whilst GPs will always attempt to assist their patients with the completion of forms, they are not required to do such non-NHS work.
Is it true that the BMA sets fees for non-NHS work?
The British Medical Association (BMA) suggest fees that GPs may charge their patients for non-NHS work (i.e. work not covered under their contract with the NHS) in order to help GPs set their own professional fees. However, the fees suggested by them are intended for guidance only; they are not recommendations and a doctor is not obliged to charge the rates they suggest.
Why does it sometimes take my GP a long time to complete my form?
Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his or her patients. Most GPs have a very heavy workload and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time. Our GPs do non-NHS work out of NHS time at evenings or weekends so that NHS patient care does not suffer.
I only need the doctor’s signature – what is the problem?
When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. In order to complete even the simplest of forms, therefore, the doctor might have to check the patient’s ENTIRE medical record.
Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor with the General Medical Council (the doctors’ regulatory body) or even the Police.
If you are a new patient we may not have your medical records so the doctor must wait for these before completing the form.
What will I be charged?
It is recommended that GPs tell patients in advance if they will be charged, and what the fee will be. It is up to individual doctors to decide how much they will charge. The surgery has a list of fees based on these suggested fees which is available on request.
What can I do to help?
- Not all documents need a signature by a doctor, for example passport applications. You can ask another person in a position of trust to sign such documents free of charge. Read the information that comes with these types of forms carefully before requesting your GP to complete them.
- If you have several forms requiring completion, present them all at once and ask your GP if he or she is prepared to complete them at the same time to speed up the process.
- Do not expect your GP to process forms overnight: urgent requests may mean that a doctor has to make special arrangements to process the form quickly, and this may cost more. Usually non-NHS work will take 2 weeks.
Privacy Policy
Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are a key part of the NHS Long Term Plan, with all general practices being required to be in a network. This practice is part of the Bromley Connect Primary Care Network.Bromley Connect PCN is made up of a number GP Practices created to work collaboratively to ensure the health care system within our area works effectively by sharing knowledge and resources.
To enable us to provide our Enhanced Access Service to you, GPs from other local practices will at times have access to your full GP record but only when providing direct care to you.
Clinicians will have the ability to view your GP record at your registered practice and add in your consultation/appointment notes back into your record at your registered practice. This is to support your provision of care.
People who have access to your information will only normally have access to that which they need to fulfil their roles, for instance admin staff will normally only see your name, address, contact details, appointment history and registration details in order to book appointments, the practice nurses will normally have access to your immunisation, treatment, significant active and important past histories, your allergies and relevant recent contacts whilst the GP you see or speak to will normally have access to everything in your record.
Purpose of the processing | To provide our patients with direct care. |
The Lawfulness Conditions and Special Categories | The processing of personal data in the delivery of direct care and for providers’ administrative purposes in this surgery and in support of direct care elsewhere is supported under the following Article 6 and 9 conditions of the GDPR:
Article 6(1)(e) ‘…necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority…’. Article 9(2)(h) ‘necessary for the purposes of preventative or occupational medicine for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems and services…” We will also recognise your rights established under UK case law collectively known as the “Common Law Duty of Confidentiality”*
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Recipient or categories of recipients of the shared data | The data will be shared with the Bromley Connect PCN Workforce providing the Extended Access Service.
· Dysart Surgery: – https://dysartsurgery.co.uk/ · London Lane Clinic: – https://thelondonlaneclinic.nhs.uk/ · South view Partnership: – https://southviewpartnership.nhs.uk/
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Rights to object | You have the right under Article 21 of the GDPR to object to your personal information being processed. Please contact the Practice if you wish to object to the processing of your data. You should be aware that this is a right to raise an objection which is not the same as having an absolute right to have your wishes granted in every circumstance.
GP Practices process personal data under Article 6(1)(c) on a lawful and legitimate basis where the organisation is obliged under law to comply with
By complying with these laws, the Practice has compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override the interests, rights and freedoms in the right to object. |
Right to access and correct | Under GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to see or be given a copy of any personal data we hold about you. To gain access to a copy of your information, you will need to make a Subject Access Request (SAR) to the Practice you are normally registered with.
You also have the right to have incorrect data held about you corrected. |
Retention period | The data will be retained for the period as specified in the national NHS records retention schedule. |
Right to Complain. | You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, you can use this link https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/
or calling their helpline Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 (national rate) There are National Offices for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, (see ICO website) |
Safe Surgeries
London Lane Clinic is proud to be a safe surgery for everyone in our community, and
pledge to ensure that everyone in our community receives the quality
healthcare they are entitled to.
In partnership with Doctors of the World UK, we will ensure that our practice
offers a welcoming space for everyone who seeks to use our services. We will
ensure that a lack of identification, proof of address, or immigration
status do not prevent patient registration.
As a member of the Safe Surgeries community, we will endeavour to support
other Safe Surgeries and the development of the network.
Don’t have documents? Don’t worry, view the Safe Surgeries Documents for more information.
For more information on what it means to be a Safe Surgery, please view
the Safe Surgeries Welcome poster.
If you wish to register, please speak to a member of staff who can help and
support you with the process of registration
Statement of Intent
New contractual requirements came into force from 1 April 2014 requiring that GP Practices should make available a statement of intent in relation to the following IT developments:
- Summary Care Record (SCR)
- GP to GP Record Transfers
- Patient Online Access to Their GP Record
- Data for commissioning and other secondary care purposes
The same contractual obligations require that we have a statement of intent regarding these developments in place and published by 30 September 2014.
Please find below details of the practices stance with regards to these points.
Summary Care Record (SCR)
NHS England require practices to enable successful automated uploads of any changes to patient’s summary information, at least on a daily basis, to the summary care record (SCR) or have published plans in place to achieve this by 31st of March 2015.
Having your Summary Care Record (SCR) available will help anyone treating you without your full medical record. They will have access to information about any medication you may be taking and any drugs that you have a recorded allergy or sensitivity to.
Of course, if you do not want your medical records to be available in this way then you will need to let us know so that we can update your record. You can do this via the opt out form.
The practice confirms that your SCR is automatically updated on at least a daily basis to ensure that your information is as up to date as it can possibly be.
GP to GP Record Transfers
NHS England require practices to utilise the GP2GP facility for the transfer of patient records between practices, when a patient registers or de-registers (not for temporary registration).
It is very important that you are registered with a doctor at all times. If you leave your GP and register with a new GP, your medical records will be removed from your previous doctor and forwarded on to your new GP via NHS England. It can take your paper records up to two weeks to reach your new surgery.
With GP to GP record transfers your electronic record is transferred to your new practice much sooner.
The practice confirms that GP to GP transfers are already active and we send and receive patient records via this system.
Patient Online Access to Their GP Record
NHS England require practices to promote and offer the facility to enable patients online access to appointments, prescriptions, allergies and adverse reactions or have published plans in place to achieve this by 31st of March 2015.
We currently offer the facility for booking and cancelling appointments and also for ordering your repeat prescriptions and viewing a summary of your medical records online. If you do not already have a username and password for this system – please register your interest with our reception staff.
Data for commissioning and other secondary care purposes
It is already a requirement of the Health and Social Care Act that practices must meet the reasonable data requirements of commissioners and other health and social care organisations through appropriate and safe data sharing for secondary uses, as specified in the technical specification for care data.
At our practice we have specific arrangements in place to allow patients to “opt out” of care.data which allows for the removal of data from the practice. Please see the page about care data on our website
The Practice confirm these arrangements are in place and that we undertake annual training and audits to ensure that all our data is handled correctly and safely via the Information Governance Toolkit.
Summary Care Records
About your Summary Care Record
Your Summary Care Record contains important information about any medicines you are taking, any allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have previously experienced.
Allowing authorised healthcare staff to have access to this information will improve decision making by doctors and other healthcare professionals and has prevented mistakes being made when patients are being cared for in an emergency or when their GP practice is closed.
Your Summary Care Record also includes your name, address, date of birth and your unique NHS Number to help identify you correctly.
You may want to add other details about your care to your Summary Care Record. This will only happen if both you and your GP agree to do this. You should discuss your wishes with your GP practice.
Healthcare staff will have access to this information, so that they can provide safer care, whenever or wherever you need it, anywhere in England.
FAQs
Who can see my Summary Care Record?
Healthcare staff who have access to your Summary Care Record:
• need to be directly involved in caring for you
• need to have an NHS Smartcard with a chip and passcode
• will only see the information they need to do their job and
• will have their details recorded every time they look at your record
Healthcare staff will ask for your permission every time they need to look at your Summary Care Record. If they cannot ask you (for example if you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate), healthcare staff may look at your record without asking you, because they consider that this is in your best interest.
If they have to do this, this decision will be recorded and checked to ensure that the access was appropriate.
What are my choices?
You can choose to have a Summary Care Record or you can choose to opt out.
If you choose to have a Summary Care Record and are registered with a GP practice, you do not need to do anything as a Summary Care Record is created for you.
If you choose to opt out of having a Summary Care Record and do not want a SCR, you need to let your GP practice know by filling in and returning an opt-out form which can be obtained from your GP practice.
If you are unsure if you have already opted out, you should talk to the staff at your GP practice.
You can change your mind at any time by simply informing your GP and they can create a Summary Care Record for you.
Children and the Summary Care Record
If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16, you should make this information available to them and support the child to come to a decision as to whether to have a Summary Care Record or not.
If you believe that your child should opt-out of having a Summary Care Record, we strongly recommend that you discuss this with your child’s GP. This will allow your child’s GP to highlight the consequences of opting-out, prior to you finalising your decision.
Where can I get more information?
For more information about Summary Care Records you can:
• talk to the staff at your GP practice
• phone the Health and Social Care Information Centre on 0300 303 5678
• Read the Summary Care Record patient information
Zero Tolerance
The practice fully supports the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy. The aim of this policy is to tackle the increasing problem of violence against staff working in the NHS and ensures that doctors and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused.
We 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. We ask you to treat your doctors and their staff courteously and act reasonably.
All incidents will be followed up and you will be sent a formal warning after a second incident or removed from the practice list after a third incident if your behaviour has been unreasonable.
However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or verbal abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police will be contacted if an incident is taking place and the patient is posing a threat to staff or other patients.
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 Surgery, 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.