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.

From the 1st April 2015 the NHS requires that every patient is allocated a named accountable GP. All patients registered patients have been allocated a named GP and any newly registered patients will be allocated a named GP within 21 days of registering. This is for administrative purposes only and you retain the right to see any of our GPs. You will still be able to book an appointment with the GP of your choice.

What does ‘accountable’ mean?

The named accountable GP takes responsibility for the co-ordination of all medical services and ensures they are delivered to each of their patients where required.
This new arrangement has been introduced to reassure patients that they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that work is carried out on their behalf.

Does the requirement mean 24-hour responsibility for patients?
No. The named GP will not:

• take on responsibility for the work of other doctors or health professionals
• take on 24-hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours.
• be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient

Can patients choose their own named GP?

Patients have been allocated a named GP by the practice. However, if a patient requests a particular GP, reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate their preference.

Do patients have to see the named GP when they book an appointment with the practice?

No. Patients are free to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice.

If you would like to know who your named accountable GP is, or you have a preference as to which GP you are allocated please contact the Surgery for more information.

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 anonymous 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.

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.

Cleckheaton Group Practice is dedicated to providing compassionate, caring services to the community we serve. Working in a professional manner with every patient, passionate about providing excellent, accessible and responsive care for all and committed to empowering our community of patients to live healthier lives.

The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag Information Standard is a legal requirement and defines the process by which health and care organisations and their IT system providers must identify, record, flag, share, meet and review the reasonable adjustment needs of disabled people.

The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag is a visible marker on a patient’s record which identifies the changes that need to be made by health and care services to make services as accessible for disabled people as they are for everyone else.

Benefits

• The Flag is immediately visible (to reception staff, as permitted by local role-based access controls) when the patient is referred or presents for care, often when no other information is available.
• It will ensure that details of impairments and other key information (such as communication requirements) are shared consistently across the NHS – with patient consent.
• Supports carers to feel less stressed by informing them of adjustments to services.
• It can help to reduce stress both for the patient and those treating them.
• Specialist teams will be able to set the Flag – driving up the number of patients recorded on registers, who are identified for and can benefit from adjustments. This will help screening services to adapt services to ensure patients receive screening.
• It satisfies legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and NHS contracts and as defined in the NHS Long Term Plan.

These changes need to be made before someone receives care or treatment and are called reasonable adjustments.

This will really make a difference to patients, carers and staff for patient experience and for health and care outcomes.

Reasonable adjustments are the changes services and public settings must make to ensure people with any disability can access them.

People with disabilities should be able to access services just as easily as people without a disability, as far as possible.

The legal duty for reasonable adjustments is anticipatory (which means changes must be made in advance or in expectation of a future event or outcome). To achieve this, we should know about any reasonable adjustments needed prior to the person attending for care, or as soon as possible at the time they present for care.

This information needs to be visible at every stage of the patient journey.

Impairment types

• Vision – for example blindness or partial sight
• Hearing – for example deafness or partial hearing
• Mobility – for example walking short distances or climbing stairs
• Dexterity – for example lifting and carrying objects, using a keyboard
• Learning or understanding or concentrating
• Memory
• Mental health
• Stamina or breathing or fatigue
• Social or behavioural – for example associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) which includes Asperger’s, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Other (please specify)
• Prefer not to say

The Reasonable Adjustment Flag considers a range of adjustments and requirements for patients, including:

• a deaf patient who requires a communication device or BSL speaker
• a patient who is anxious in clinical settings and therefore may need additional considerations to keep them calm
• a patient who is sensitive to loud noises and would be more comfortable in a low noise environment
• alterations to buildings by providing lifts, wide doors, ramps for those who need an accessible way to access a service
• changes to policies, procedures and staff training to ensure that services work for people with physical or sensory disabilities, learning disabilities or long-term conditions such as dementia

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the 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.

This guide tells you what to expect from your general practice (GP) and how you can help them, so you get the best from the National Health Service (NHS). More details can be found through the links below.

When and how can you contact your general practice?

Your general practice is open from 8.00am to 18.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Throughout these hours you, or your carer on your behalf, can:

• Visit the practice
• Call them
• Go online using the practice’s website or the NHS App.

You can choose the way you contact your practice based on what is best for you. Some practices may have longer hours or may ask that you contact them via phone or in person for urgent queries.

What if the practice is closed?

If you need urgent help for your physical or mental health when the general practice is closed, and you cannot wait until they open, go online to 111.nhs.uk or call 111. They will tell you what to do next.

What if it’s an emergency?

If it’s a serious or life-threatening emergency, go straight to A&E (Accident and Emergency) or call 999.

What happens when you contact your practice to request an appointment?

Whether you make your request by phone, on-line or visiting your practice, you may be asked to give your practice some details so that they can assess what is best for you based on your clinical need. The practice team will consider your request for an appointment or medical advice and tell you within one working day what will happen next.

This could be:

• An appointment that day or a subsequent day
• A phone call that day or a subsequent day
• A text message responding to your query
• Advice to go to a pharmacy or another NHS service.

Your practice will decide what is best for you based on your clinical need.

Your practice cannot tell you to just call back the next day.

Who might help you?

You might be offered a face-to-face appointment or a phone call with a GP or other member of the practice staff, like a nurse or pharmacist.

If you have a carer, they can speak for you with your consent.

You can ask to see a preferred healthcare professional, and the practice will try to meet your request, although you might have to wait longer for that person to be available.

It can be helpful to see the same healthcare professional, particularly if you have a long-term health condition.

From what age can you see a GP on your own?

If you are 16 or older, you can make and go to appointments by yourself.

If you are under 16, you can still ask to see a GP without your parent or guardian. The GP will decide if that’s appropriate for you.

What if you need extra help?

If you do not speak English, you can ask for interpretation services in your preferred language when you make an appointment.

If you need extra help like longer appointments, a quiet space, wheelchair access, or information in a different format, tell your practice and they will try to help.

How do you choose a general practice?

You can:

• Call or visit a local practice
• Use Find a GP online.

If you want to change to a new general practice you can do so at any point. Most people have a few choices nearby.

Do you need ID or proof of address?

No, you do not need ID, an NHS number or proof of address. It can help the practice if you do, but it is not needed to register or see a GP.   You can also register with a practice if you are homeless.

Can a practice say no to registering you?

They must write to you within 14 days if they say no and explain why. A practice can only say no for a good reason, like if you live too far away or their patient list is closed. For example, they cannot say no for reasons such as immigration status, not having a permanent address, or for reasons connected with other characteristics protected under equalities legislation.

Can you choose which hospital or clinic you are referred to?

If your GP needs to refer you for a physical or mental health condition, in most cases you have the right to choose the hospital or service you’d like to go to. You can get further information on your right to choose on the nhs.uk website.

If you are new to the UK

You can still register with a GP. It’s free to use and your immigration status does not affect your right to register with a GP.

If you are away from home but still in the UK

If you are away from home for more than 24 hours (but less than 3 months), you can register as a temporary patient near where you’re staying.

You can also change your nominated pharmacy so you can get your medicine nearby. You can do this by contacting your practice or via the NHS App.

Do general practices charge for anything?

NHS GP services are free.  Sometimes, if you ask the GP to do private work (like writing a letter for insurance), they may charge a fee.

How should everyone be treated?

The practice should treat everyone fairly, kindly and respectfully.  Likewise, you should also treat staff with respect.  The practice can remove patients from their list if they are violent or abusive to staff.

To learn more about your rights, you can read the NHS Constitution.

How can you help your general practice?

1. Be prepared: Before an appointment, think about writing down your symptoms, what you are worried about and what you want to talk about.
2. Be on time: Being late for an appointment or being unavailable for a timed call-back can affect other patients.
3. Cancel if needed: If you can’t go to your appointment, tell the practice as soon as you can, so that they can offer it to someone else.
4. Use the NHS App or website: If you’re confident using smart phones or computers, you can book or cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and see your test results online.
5. Turn on notifications: If you use the NHS App, turn on notifications so the practice can contact you more easily.  Please keep an eye out for messages.
6. Order repeat medicines on time: Make sure you ask for repeat prescriptions on time, so you don’t run out, and only order what you need.
7. Join the Patient Participation Group: You practice will have a group of patients who can offer feedback on the services it delivers. Your practice website should explain how you can join.

How can you give feedback or raise concerns?

If you wish to provide feedback or express a concern, your GP practice is the first point of contact. However, if you are not comfortable sharing your feedback directly with your practice, you can get in touch with NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB). The ICB is responsible for overseeing GP services in West Yorkshire, and you can find a feedback form by clicking this link:

• https://www.westyorkshire.icb.nhs.uk/you-and-your-general-practice

You can also give feedback about your practice to your local Healthwatch. Their job is to make sure NHS leaders and other decision-makers hear your voice and use your feedback to improve care. Healthwatch is independent and impartial, and any information you share with them is confidential. To find your local Healthwatch visit the Healthwatch website.

Publication reference: PRN01907