BROOKFIELD SURGERY PRACTICE CHARTER
Caring for your health is a partnership between yourself and the medical team and we outline mutual responsibilities below:
Our Responsibilities
- You will be treated as a partner in the care you receive
- We will endeavor to answer the phone promptly and courteously
- We will provide ten minute appointments (less time will be allocated for emergency appointments)
- You will be able to see the doctor of your choice (where possible) within 48 hours of your requested
- We will try to ensure that you are seen on time and will offer an explanation if a prolonged delay occurs of over 20 minutes
- If your problem is urgent you will be seen as soon as possible on the same day. This may not be with your usual doctor
- If surgeries have to be cancelled for any reason we will try to notify you as soon as possible
- At the discretion of the doctor, we will visit you at home if you are too ill or infirm to attend the surgery
- We will explain the likely effects of any drugs and review your long term medical needs as agreed intervals. All treatment will be by mutual consent
- Repeat prescriptions will normally be ready within 48 hours of the request (medication requiring review my take longer)
- We will advise you about how and when to obtain the results of any tests or x-rays you have undergone. You will be contacted directly in the event of an abnormal result
- We will arrange any specialist treatment and if we believe you require a second opinion we will try to help you access this. Decisions regarding your treatment, including the options open to you, will be explained and discussed before any referral is made
- We will maintain accurate medical records
- We will keep you informed and up to date about practice information with our health and practice information booklets, notice boards and literature in the waiting room and the practice newsletter and website
- You have the right to have access to your health records, subject to limitations and know that all information will be kept confidentiality
- We will inform you about how to make comments about the services we offer and will respond quickly to any written complaints
- You are entitled to a copy of our practice leaflet
- We will offer a wide range of advice and information about how you can promote good health and avoid illnesses
- We reserve the right to remove patients from our list We are totally committed to the provision of high quality care. However,
Your Responsibilities
- Help us to help you. Being a partner means that we have responsibilities to each other
- Please try to ring outside peak times i.e. after 11am for routine enquiries
- Please inform us if you are unable to attend an appointment.
- Please remember that an appointment is for one person only. Where another family member needs to be seen – even if the symptoms are identical to yours – another appointment should be made. If we are running late please be patient as the delay is invariably caused by the severity of another patient's illness. If you require a longer appointment, please request at the time of booking
- Please remember that the doctor of your choice may not always be available due to other commitments
- Please endeavor to ring before 10.00am for an urgent appointment unless a genuine emergency arises later
- Please do not ask for a home visit unless the patient is too ill or infirm to visit the surgery. Most children can be quite safely brought to the surgery by car. Please remember that the doctor has the right to decide whether a home visit is necessary
- Please follow medical advice offered and take medications as advised
- Please remember to order prescriptions within plenty of time. Late requests place unnecessary strain on the system
- Please remember to check your cupboards before ordering prescriptions
- Please allow sufficient time for results from tests to return to the surgery. Please ring outside peak surgery times, ideally after 2pm
- You have the right to be referred to a consultant and ask for a second opinion if you and your GP think it necessary. If you change your mind please inform both the hospital and surgery
- You have the right to receive a copy of the surgery leaflet – please read it carefully to get the most from the services offered
- You have a responsibility to inform us of any change of name, address or phone number
- We welcome constructive comments and our leaflet explains the procedure for receiving patient views
- We can make your records available but there may be a charge
- If you are unhappy with the surgery you have the right to leave our list and register with another practice