PRACTICE CHARTER STANDARDS

As A Patient You Have The Right To:

• Register and receive treatment regardless of your sex, age, disability, race or income, provided you live within the normal catchment area.
  
  
• Consult with a GP within 24 hours for urgent medical problems.
  
  
• Access the practice deputising service out of hours.
  
  
• Have your treatment explained to you.
  
  
• Confidentiality.
  
  
• Complain without discrimination, if there is a problem.

You Can Help Us By:

• Making and keeping appointments
  
  
• Letting us know if you need to cancel
  
  
• Bringing one problem to one appointment
  
  
• Calling for a home visit or urgent appointment before 10.00am
  
  
• Ordering repeat prescriptions in adequate time.
  
  
• Behaving in an acceptable manner.
  
  
• Switching off mobile phones whilst visiting the surgery.
  
  
• Informing us of change of name, address or telephone number.
  
  
• Registering with another GP if you move outside our practice boundary.
  

PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY

We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential and secure. All patient records are held electronically in the practice and all our staff, including receptionists, are fully trained on the computer, and all medical details are dealt with in strict confidence. Annandale Surgery is registered under the Data Protection Act. It is important that the NHS keeps accurate and up-to-date records about your health care and treatment so that those treating you can give the best possible advice and care. Your medical information will only ever be accessed by health professionals or those employed by, or working with, the surgery to improve your health care. If you wish information to be given to outside agencies eg insurance companies etc, then this will only be undertaken where there is signed written consent from you. All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation. Please ask at reception for contact details.

You have a right to know what information we hold about you. If you would like to see your records, please put your request in writing to your doctor and your records will be photocopied. There will be a charge for this service.

COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS

Annandale aims to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients. However, if you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know. Speak to whomever you feel most comfortable - your GP, our practice manager or our reception staff will be happy to help. In the majority of cases, concerns can be resolved quite easily.

However, if you feel we have not dealt with the issues you have raised as you wish, you can ring the Complaints Manager of our PCT. The PCT also operates a Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) which can often help resolve any problems before they become formal complaints. Please ask at reception for contact details.

We are always happy to receive suggestions from patients about how you would like to see the practice operate. Please use the suggestion box at reception for your ideas.

CARERS
We have a register of patients who are carers and who are cared for and we provide literature to this group of patients to assist them. We have regular contact with Carers in Hertfordshire and advertise new information and meetings, which may be held locally.