Practice Policies & Patient Information
Access to Records
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.
Complaints
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.
Confidentiality & Medical Records
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 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.
“For details as to how we use your data to manage your care in line with the GDPR and the Data Protection Act of 2018, please click here”
(Full link: https://www.eastlondonhcp.nhs.uk/about-us/fair-processing-and-gdpr )
CQC Rating
CQC REPORT SUMMARY FOR QUEENS ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE
DATE OF INSPECTION: 5TH JANUARY 2016
Safe | Effective | Caring | Responsive | Well-led | Overall population group | ||
Older people | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
People with long term conditions | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
Families, children and young people | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
Working age people and the recently retired | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
People in vulnerable circumstances | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
People experiencing poor mental health | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | |
Overall Key Question | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | ||
Overall location | Good |
Freedom of Information
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.
GPES Data for Pandemic Planning and Research (COVID-19)
We are legally required to share data with NHS Digital for purpose under section 259(1)(a) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to support vital planning and research for COVID-19 purposes. For further details, please refer to: https://digital.nhs.uk/binaries/content/assets/website-assets/corporate-information/directions-and-data-provision-notices/data-provision-notices/gpesdatapandemicplanningresearchdpnv1.0.pdf
National Data Opt-out
Queens Road Medical Centre is one of many organisations working in the health and care system to improve health care for patients.
Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Surgery for a consultation, Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.
The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:
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- improving the quality and standards of care provided
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- research into the development of new treatments
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- preventing illness and disease
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- monitoring safety
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- planning services
This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.
Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.
You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.
To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters. On this web page you will:
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- See what is meant by confidential patient information
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- Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
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- Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
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- Understand more about who uses the data
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- Find out how your data is protected
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- Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
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- Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
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- See the situations where the opt-out will not apply
You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:
https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and
https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made)
You can select your opt-out by going here: https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/
You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.
Health and care organisations have until 2020 to put systems and processes in place so they can be compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care. Our organisation is currently’ compliant with the national data opt-out policy. “
Privacy Policy
Minuteful Kidney service for patients with diabetes (and/or other conditions)
The data is being processed for the purpose of delivery of a programme to monitor urine for indications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is recommended to be undertaken annually for patients at risk of chronic kidney disease e.g., patients living with diabetes. The programme enables patients to test their kidney function from home.
We will share your contact details with Healthy.io to enable them to contact you and send you a test kit. This will help identify patients, e.g. patients living with diabetes and help us agree any early interventions that can be put in place for the benefit of your care.
Healthy.io will only use your data for the purposes of delivering their service to you. If you do not wish to receive a home test kit from Healthy.io we will continue to manage your care within the Practice.
Healthy.io are required to hold data we send them in line with retention periods outlined in the Records Management code of Practice for Health and Social Care. Further information about this is available at: http://minuteful.com/.
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who can see it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How do I know if I have one?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP
Do I have to have one?
No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website
Violence Policy
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.