Patient’s Charter

Waddesdon Surgery is caring and progressive – striving to provide the highest quality person-centred-care enabled by teamwork, learning and innovation.

Out of Hours Emergencies

We will do everything possible to make sure our system for contacting the out-of-hours service is easy to follow, reliable and effective.

Waiting Times

• Surgeries will normally start on time.
• We expect patients to be seen within 20 minutes of their appointment time, and in the event of a delay we will advise.
• When a doctor is called away on an emergency, we will let patients know and give them an opportunity to book an alternative appointment, or if preferred, to be seen by another doctor. With these rights come responsibilities; for patients this means:

• Showing courtesy to the staff at all times – remember they are working under doctors’ orders.
• Responding in a positive way to questions asked by reception staff.
• Attending appointments on time or giving the practice a fair amount of notice that they wish to cancel. Someone else could use your appointment.
• An appointment is for one person only – where another member of the family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made.
• Patients should make every effort to make best use of nursing and medical time – home visits should be for medical reasons only and not for ease or convenience.
• When patients are asked to give 5 days’ notice for repeat prescriptions, please give us this time, as it is to allow for accurate prescribing.
• Out-of-hours calls (eg evenings, nights and weekends) should only be requested if they are felt to be truly necessary.

Practice Leaflet

All new patients will receive a copy of our practice leaflet, and copies will be available at reception. Our website carries the same information.

Practice Premises

Our practice building will be welcoming, easy for patients to find their way around and appropriate to the needs of users, including the disabled.

Patients’ Rights to General Medical Services

Patients have the right to:

• Have a named GP (general practitioner)
• Change their GP if desired
• Be involved in deciding their care and determine what happens to them
• Receive urgent care at any time from the practice
• Receive appropriate drugs and medicines
• Be referred for specialist or second opinion if they and their GP agree
• View their medical records, subject to the Acts and associated procedure, and to know all NHS employees are legally obliged to keep the contents of their records confidential. Changes to Procedures When changes are introduced to practice procedures that affect patients, we will make sure these are clearly explained using the website, waiting room noticeboards or individual leaflets, giving as much notice as possible. Repeat Prescriptions To ensure the best possible knowledge of your personal health, these will be signed by your usual GP wherever possible.

Complaints

Patients have a right to have a complaint properly investigated. Your complaint should be acknowledged within 3 working days, and you should also be told about the outcome of the investigation.

Referrals

• Urgent referrals to other health and social care agencies will be made within one working day of the patient appointment. Where requested, our GPs can refer you to a private health provider.
• We will normally process non-urgent referrals within 5 working days of the patient appointment or the doctor’s decision to refer.

Transfer of Medical Records

The Practice aims to dispatch medical records required by the Health Authority within 7 working days or on the same day if the request is urgent.

Zero Tolerance

Our Zero Tolerance policy is available on our website

Appointments

With a Doctor: For medically urgent requests, we will offer an appointment on the same day. For routine consultations, we aim to offer an appointment within 5-10 working days of the request.

With a Practice Nurse: For routine appointments, we aim to offer an appointment within 5-10 working days. If there is a delay in the appointment wait of more than 20 minutes, we will let you know.

We are happy to update you on any situation if you feel that you have been waiting too long.

Home Visits: The decision to carry out a home visit will be at the doctors’ discretion and will be carried out by an appropriate clinician.