Practice Policies & Patient Information
Chaperones
All patients (and clinicians) are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. This chaperone may be a family member or friend. On occasions you may prefer a formal chaperone to be present, i.e. a trained member of staff. Wherever possible we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking your appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way. Where this is not possible we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However occasionally it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment.
Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our chaperone policy. If you have any questions or comments regarding this please contact the practice.
Complaints
We always try to give you the best service possible but there may be times, when you feel this has not happened
If you have any complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or staff working for this surgery you are entitled to ask for an explanation. We operate an in-house complaints procedure to deal with your complaints. This procedure does not deal with matters of legal liability or compensation. In some cases the in-house procedure is not an appropriate form of investigation, in which case you will be referred to the appropriate authority.
How to Complain
We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible, ideally within a couple of days, or at most a few weeks, because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:
- within six months of the incident that caused the problem
- within six months of discovering that you have a problem
- within twelve months of the incident.
Your complaint should be addressed to the Helen Patient Operations Manager who is our complaints investigator; she will ensure that your concern is investigated thoroughly and as speedily as possible. Alternatively you can address your complaint to the GP or Business Manager. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaint.
What We Will Do
We will acknowledge you complaint within three working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 14 workings days of the date when you raised with us. We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved. When we look into your complaint we shall aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong
- Make it possible for you to discuss the problem 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
A copy of our complaints form is available; you may use it to complain on behalf of someone else. You do not have to use the form if you prefer you can set out your complaint in your own way. We can help you write down your complaint, if you need help contact either of our practice managers.
Complete the complaint form as soon as you can and return it to the practice ensuring it has been marked for the attention of the Complaints Manager. You can download this leaflet and the forms from below.
Someone within the surgery will then investigate your complaint. It is likely that, as a first step, the investigator will contact you directly to ensure that he/she fully understands your complaint. The investigator will then interview appropriate members of the practice staff and may inspect relevant documents.
Complaining on Behalf of Somebody Else
Please note that the practice must ensure strict adherence to the rule of medical confidentiality. We cannot provide confidential information without appropriate authority, if you are not the patient in question
Getting Further Help with Your Complaint
We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to learn and improve our practice.
If you feel that we haven’t dealt with your complaint properly, you have the right to take your complaint to the ombudsman.
Second stage of the complaints process
If you are not happy with the outcome of our process, the next step is to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) to review your complaint and how it has been handled.
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Telephone: 0345 015 4033 Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
What happens if I prefer to complain directly to the commissioning organisation?
If your complaint is about primary care services such as GPs, dentists, opticians or pharmacy services, you should contact NHS Cheshire and Merseyside.
Telephone: 0800 132 996
E-mail: enquiries@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk
Patient Experience Team, No 1 Lakeside, 920 Centre Park Square, Warrington, WA11QY.
DNA Policy
Figures have suggested that more than twelve million GP appointments are missed each year in the UK, costing in excess of £162 million per year. A further 6.9 million outpatient hospital appointments are missed each year in the UK, costing approximately of £160 per appointment.
By making the appointment system fit into patient’s lives more easily, the NHS hopes to cut the numbers of missed appointments, saving precious NHS resources.
Missed appointments, known as Did Not Attends (DNAs) can cause serious delays in treatment for other patients. (NHS England).
Please ensure that you keep your appointment or inform us if you are unable to attend as soon as possible. Patients failing to attend without notifying us or those without a genuine reason for missing the appointment will be reminded of our DNA policy. Repeated non-attendance may result in removal from the practice list.
Duty of Candour
Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 intends to make sure that providers are open and transparent in relation to care and treatment with people who use their services.
It also sets out some specific requirements that providers must follow when things go wrong with care or treatment, including informing people about the incident, providing reasonable support, giving truthful information and apologising when things go wrong. The CQC can prosecute for a breach of parts 20(2)a and 20(3) of this regulation.
At Oaks Place Surgery, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of transparency and honesty in all aspects of patient care. In line with the duty of candour, we ensure that we are open and honest with our patients when things go wrong. If a safety incident occurs, we will inform you promptly, provide a clear and truthful account of what happened, and explain any investigations or actions we will undertake. We will also offer a sincere apology and provide any necessary support to those affected. Our goal is to foster a culture of openness and trust, ensuring that our patients feel confident in the care they receive.
Any patient safety incidents are logged on a national website and investigated by the practice/parties involved.
Equality and Diversity
Oaks Place Surgery is committed to providing diversity and equality to all employees whether full time, part time or temporary. We therefore wholeheartedly accept our legal obligations under the legislation, identified below, which makes it generally unlawful to discriminate directly or, indirectly in recruitment, employment or after employment on the grounds of:
• Age,
• Disability,
• Gender Reassignment
• Marriage & Civil Partnership
• Pregnancy and Maternity,
• Race (this includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins )
• Sexual orientation
• Sex
• Religion or belief
We also undertake not to discriminate unfairly on the grounds of trade union membership and activity, political or religious belief and unrelated criminal convictions.
We operate a full policy around equality and diversity.
GP/Patient responsibilities
What you can expect from us….
- We will treat you with honesty, respect, dignity and understanding.
- We will treat you as an individual
- We will respect your privacy and right to confidentiality
- We will provide health promotion and screening as our commitment to patient care.
- All information we may hold will be treated with total confidentiality in accordance with the law.
- Information about you will only be released to a third party with your written consent.
- You will be provided with full information about the practice and the services we offer.
- We will support you in caring for yourself to improve and maintain your health
- We will ensure that all staff undertake relevant and appropriate training
What we expect from you….
- You should recognise that you can make a significant contribution to your own and your family’s good health and well-being and take some personal responsibility for it
- You should treat NHS staff and other patients with honesty, dignity, respect and understanding
- You should recognise that causing a nuisance or disturbance on NHS premises could result in a prosecution
- You should provide accurate information about your health, condition and status
- You should use NHS services responsibly.
- You should keep appointments at the surgery or any other NHS service or cancel within reasonable time. Receiving treatment within a maximum waiting time may be compromised unless you do.
- You should follow the course of treatment which you have agreed and talk to your clinician if you find this difficult
- You should participate in important public health programmes such as vaccination and screening
- You should ensure that those closest to you are aware of your wishes about organ donation
- You should give feedback – both positive and negative – about the treatment and care you have received including any adverse reactions you may have had
- You should keep you contact details up to date
- You should accommodate practice systems and initiatives such as care navigation
Named GP
As you may be aware it is now a contractual requirement for all patients to be allocated a named accountable General Practitioner.
Patients registered with Oaks Place Surgery have Dr Latha Meda as their named accountable GP.
What does ‘accountable’ mean?
The contract requires the named accountable GP to take responsibility for the co-ordination of all appropriate services required under the contract and ensure they are delivered to each of their patients where required (based on the clinical judgement of the named accountable GP).
The contract remains ‘practice based’, so overall responsibility for patient care has not changed. This is largely a role of oversight, with the requirements being introduced to reassure patients that they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.
The role of the named GP will not:
- take on vicarious 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:
- imply personal availability for GPs throughout the working week;
- be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient.
The contract remains ‘practice based’, so overall responsibility for patient care has not changed.
The named GP is largely a role of oversight, with the requirements being introduced to reassure patients they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.
There is no condition within the requirement for patients to see the named GP when they book an appointment with the practice.
Patients are entitled to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice in line with current arrangements.
Privacy Notice
Please click here to view.
Safeguarding Adults and Children
Please use the link below to access safeguarding information
Social Media Policy
Social Media Policy
There are many social media platforms that are widely used by both staff and patients; these include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Oaks Place Surgery has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us achieve this by adhering to the code of conduct outlined in this policy.
Patients at the Practice are expected to adhere to the following code of conduct at all times:
- The organisation requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, respecting their fellow patients. Portable devices are not to be used during consultations, except when agreed with your clinician.
- Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients, unless they have the express consent of that patient.
- Whilst not encouraged, patients may record their consultation but this should be agreed with your clinician before the consultation starts. This recording will solely be for your own purpose.
- Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory or unlawful. Any such posts on the organisation social media accounts will be deleted and the post reported.
- Patients are not permitted to take photographs in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor are photographs of staff permitted to be taken.
- Patients must not post comments on social media that identify any staff.
- Patients are able to leave a review about Oaks Place Surgery on the NHS website . The following link can enable the practice manager to respond appropriately. https://www.nhs.uk/services/gp-surgery/oaks-place-surgery/PN81619
- Defamatory comments about our team are not to be shared on any social media platform. Legal advice will be sought and the appropriate action taken against any patient who posts defamatory comments.
Patient complaints via social media
We recognise the growing role of social media in communication and community engagement. While we encourage open dialogue and value feedback from our patients, we ask that all interactions on social media platforms remain respectful and constructive.
To protect patient confidentiality and privacy, we advise against sharing personal health information or specific medical queries on social media.
For any medical concerns or questions, please contact us directly through our secure communication channels. We are committed to addressing your needs promptly and professionally. Our social media presence is intended to provide general information, updates, and health tips, and we welcome your participation in fostering a positive and supportive online community.
We have a separate complaints policy which patients are to use should they wish to make a complaint. We will only respond to complaints made to the organisation in accordance with the organisation’s policy.
If a complaint is made on the organisation’s social media accounts, it will be deleted
Whistleblowing
Whistle-blowing is defined as:
The disclosure by an employee of confidential information, which relates to some danger, fraud or other illegal or unethical conduct connected with the workplace, be it of the employer or of a fellow employee(s).
A whistle blower is not a “sneak” or a “trouble maker” but someone who comes to a decision to express a concern after a great deal of thought. The law only requires that there be a genuine doubt – the individual is not expected to produce unquestionable evidence to support the concern.
At Oaks Place Surgery, we are committed to maintaining a culture of openness, integrity, and accountability. We recognise the importance of whistleblowing as a vital tool for safeguarding patient safety and ensuring high standards of care. We encourage all staff members to speak up if they have concerns about any aspect of our services, whether it relates to patient care, safety, or any other issue. We have clear policies and procedures in place to support and protect those who raise concerns, ensuring that they can do so without fear of reprisal. By fostering an environment where staff feel safe to report issues, we can work together to address problems promptly and effectively, ultimately enhancing the quality of care we provide..
Zero Tolerence
The Practice takes it very seriously if a member of staff or one of the doctors or nursing team is treated in an abusive or violent way.
The Practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for Health Service Staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused.
Staff working at the practice 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.
NHS Employers state:
NHS staff should be able to come to work without fear of violence, abuse or harassment from patients or their relatives.
In most cases, patients and their relatives will be appreciative towards those who treat them but a minority of people are abusive or violent towards staff.
The NHS is committed to dealing with this problem. The NHS has had a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude towards violence since 1999 and there has been a significant increase in the numbers of offenders being prosecuted since 2003, when the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service (CFSMS) was set up.
The NHS CFSMS split its responsibilities early in 2009 and the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) now deals with the security of people and property across the NHS in England. It is clear that some staff groups are more at risk than others. This may depend on the part of the NHS in which they work and whether they are frontline staff or not.