Care Quality Commission Access to Health Records
CQC has powers under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 to access and use your health information where it is necessary to carry out their functions as a regulator.
This means that inspectors may ask to look at certain records to decide whether we are providing safe, good quality care.
More information about the CQC can be obtained on their website.
Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
How to complain
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned.
In the first instance please discuss your complaint with the staff member or department lead concerned. Where the issue cannot be resolved at this stage, please contact Mrs Sheila Curtis (Complaints Manager) on 01603 782155 who will try to resolve the issue and offer you further advice on the complaints procedure.
If your problem cannot be resolved at this stage and you wish to make a more formal complaint, please let us know as soon as possible by email to nwicb.hwmc@nhs.net or by letter.
By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
- Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
- Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.
Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing to the Practice Manager. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.
What we will do
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong.
- Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
- Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
- Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.
Complaining to NHS England
We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.
However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.
Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?
If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and NHS England and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.
To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033.
Need help making a complaint?
If you want help making a complaint, Healthwatch Norfolk can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.
Confidentiality and Record Sharing
Under no circumstances do we share your information with third parties, that are not directly related to a legitimate episode of care within the NHS, without your explicit consent. However, we do understand that it is sometimes necessary for a family member to talk to us on your behalf, if you would like to give us the permission to talk to a nominated person(s), please ask our reception team for a consent form.
GDPR/Privacy Notices
Your Information
Hoveton & Wroxham Medical Centre takes privacy seriously and we want to provide you with information about your rights, who we share your information with and how we keep it secure.
Please use the links below to find more information about the practice and data protection.
- Transparency
- CCTV
- Telephone Recording
- Case Finding (ECLIPSE)
- Information Sharing Norfolk and Waveney
GDPR Videos
What We Do With Your Information
Summary Care Record
Summary Care Record (SCR) 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.
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.
For further information visit the NHS Care records website.
Your Rights and Responsibilities
Routine access to a doctor of your choice and the availability of specialist health care at Hoveton & Wroxham Medical Practice is good, but we cannot hope to give all patients the appointment of their choice all the time.
If you require an urgent appointment, we cannot always arrange for you to see a doctor of your choice. All doctors have to respond to emergencies from time to time; so, occasionally, your consultation may be delayed. In such cases, all patients will get the best from our service if they are understanding and thoughtful of the needs of other patients.
Your Responsibilities
We would like you to treat doctors and practice staff with the same level of respect that you expect from them.
The doctors require the receptionists to gather information, please answer them as fully and clearly as possible.
If you cannot keep an appointment please cancel it in good time.
If you change your address and telephone number don’t forget to let us know.
We look forward to enjoying a good working relationship with all of our patients and are committed to achieving this, we would like you to feel the same.
Zero Tolerance
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.