Patient Charter - Rights and Responsibilities

As a patient of the practice you have a right to:
• Be treated as an individual, with courtesy, respect and dignity at all times.
• Be given the names of people involved in your care.
• Be given, under normal circumstances, a routine appointment within one to two weeks. If you require an urgent appointment you will be offered the next available appointment with the most suitably qualified member of the Practice team. Children under 16 who are acutely unwell, will be seen the same day.
• Express a preference to receive services from a particular clinician either generally, or in relation to any particular service/condition. We would always try our best to comply with any reasonable request. Where we are unable to comply with your request, you will receive an explanation as to why and will be given alternative options.
• Be given the reason for any delay in your appointment and have the right to make another appointment.
• Receive advice or action you can take to promote good health.
• Be given the most appropriate care by suitably qualified people.
• Be referred to a consultant, when a clinician feels such a course of action is necessary.
• Choose whether or not to take part in medical research.
• Have access to your health records subject to any limitations in the law.
• Expect a concern or formal complaint to be treated in accordance with NHS guidelines and Practice policy.
• Receive a copy of the practice leaflet on request, or access information from the practice website, which will give you details of all practice services that are available to you.
What we expect from you:
• To treat the staff with respect, courtesy and understanding. The Practice operates a zero tolerance policy to any violence or aggression towards our staff.
• To attend the surgery instead of requesting a house visit, when at all possible, to gain benefit from facilities available.
• To be on time for an appointment or let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend.
• To use the Out of Hours and Emergency Services appropriately.
• To provide the Practice with any feedback you have directly and give us the opportunity to respond accordingly.

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. 

No form of aggression (whether verbal or physical in nature) will be tolerated - any instances of such behaviour on the practice premises may result in the perpetrator being reported to the Police and removed from the practice’s List of Registered Patients.

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.