These are the local standards set within this practice for the benefit of our patients. It is our job to give you treatment and advice. Following discussion with you, you will receive the most appropriate care, given by suitably qualified people. No care or treatment will be given without your informed consent. In the interest of your health it is important for you to understand all the information given to you. Please ask us a question(s) if you are unsure of anything.
Ramsey Health Centre - Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide excellence in health care to our patients, with a personalised service involving respect, confidentiality and compassion.
Our Responsibility To You
Access:
You will have access to a doctor rapidly in the event of an emergency. We offer both face-to-face and telephone consultations with a doctor. Patients can usually see a health professional on the day of choice, however there may be occasions when this is not possible, but we will ensure patients are seen within 48 hours of request. Where possible, you will be offered a doctor of your choice, but if all the appointments for the day have been taken you will either be asked to phone back the following morning, or you will be contacted by someone from the on-call duty team who will decide whether or not you need to be seen that day. As always, you will have access to a doctor rapidly in the event of an emergency.
Your Responsibility To Us
Help us to help you.
Please let us know as soon as possible of any changes in your personal information – address, phone number (including mobile), email etc. You may use the Change of Address Form. Fill out the details and press the send button. Alternatively, please drop into the practice and complete a paper form.
Please do everything you can to keep appointments. Tell us as soon as possible if you cannot. Otherwise, other patients may have to wait longer.
We need help too. Please ask for home visits by the doctor only when the person is too ill to visit the surgery.
Please keep your phone call brief and avoid calling during the peak morning time for non-urgent matters.
Test results take time to reach us, so please do not ring before you have been asked to do so. Enquiries about tests ordered by the hospital should be directed to the hospital, not the practice.
We ask that you treat the doctors and practice staff with courtesy and respect.
Please read our practice booklet. This will help you to get the best out of the services we offer.
It is important that you understand the information given to you. Please ask us questions if you are unsure of anything.
Remember, you are responsible for your own health and health of your children. We will give you our professional help and advice. Please act upon it.
Accessible Information Standard (NHS England)
The Accessible Information Standard is an NHS England initiative. It informs organisations about how they should ensure that disabled patients and their carers receive information in understandable formats, as well as receiving appropriate support to assist them with communication - such formats could include large print, braille or easy-read documents.
Disabled people are defined as persons with disabilities including those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which, in interaction, may set up barriers and hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
All organisations that provide NHS services, or publicly funded adult social care, must have fully implemented and conformed to the Accessible Information Standard (1605) by 31st July 2016. This means we would like to record your preferred method of contact so that you can receive your health information in a format you can understand. The practice will ask patients if they have any information or communication needs, and discover how best to help them. This information will be documented clearly. The practice will “flag” individuals’ files or notes to highlight that they have information/communication needs, stating how these needs can be met.
It is good practice to take existing data held by the practice that indicates which patients are more likely to have information/communication needs and this will help to proactively target individuals to identify and document their needs in line with the Accessible Information Standard.
If you or someone you are caring for wishes us to contact you in another way, please do let us know by informing either reception or the Patient Services team. We will then record your needs by highlighting it on your medical records.
Subject Access Requests
Our Subject Access Request policy can be found here (PDF, 161KB)
Information Processing
This practice may supply personal health data to comply with its legal obligations from time to time, as directed by the Secretary of State for Health or other recognised Statutory Authority.
For further information please see the following links
www.hscic.gov.uk/article/4963/what-we-collect
www.hscic.gov.uk/yourinfo
www.hscic.gov.uk/article/3388/How-we-look-after-information
ico.org.uk/for-the-public
Confidentiality
We respect your right to privacy and keep all your health information confidential and secure. It is important that the NHS keeps accurate and up-to-date records about your health and treatment so that those treating you can give you the best possible advice and care. This information is only available to those involved in your care. The Department of Health have issued a Code of Practice: 'Confidentiality and Disclosure of Information'. A copy is available via the Practice Manager who will be happy to discuss with you any concerns you may have regarding your medical records and who has access to them.
Caldicott Guardian
A Caldicott Guardian is a senior person responsible for protecting the confidentiality of patient and service-user information and enabling appropriate information-sharing. Each NHS organisation is required to have a Caldicott Guardian. The Caldicott Guardian for Ramsey Health Centre is Dr Laura Savage. For email enquiries relating to relevant issues, you can contact the Caldicott Guardian by email at: ramey.health-centre@nhs.net
Online Services
Ramsey Health Centre's Statement of Intent for the upgrading of online services can be found here (PDF, 18KB).
Anonymous Call Barring
Do you have call barring at home? If so, the practice may have trouble contacting you. You may wish to consider adding the surgery numbers to your preferred list.
The information provided on this website is intended solely for patients of the practice and should not be used as a substitute for personal advice direct from a GP. For more information please click here.
Freedom Of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2008 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to routinely make available. This scheme is available from reception and can be downloaded from here.
Zero Tolerance - Violent & Abusive Behaviour
A zero tolerance policy towards violent, threatening and abusive behaviour is now in place throughout the NHS. The doctors, nurses and staff in this practice have the right to do their work in an environment free from violent, threatening or abusive behaviour and everything will be done to protect that right.
At no time will any such behaviour be tolerated in this practice.
If you do not respect the rights of our staff we may choose to inform the police and make arrangements for you to be removed from our medical list.
Ramsey Health Centre also reserves the right to remove any patient seen to be making abusive or defamatory remarks on any social networking site (Facebook/Twitter etc). Please be aware that by posting online anything that can be construed as slanderous will be treated as abuse and appropriate action will be taken by the Practice.
Health Centre Library
We have a small library of books and audio and video tapes for patients. A full catalogue is available; please ask the Patient Services staff for information. We are happy to lend any item free of charge (maximum one month, PLEASE). We also have a large supply of patient information leaflets which we can copy for you.
Facilities for the Disabled
Ramsey Health Centre is a single storey building with good access for wheelchair/mobility scooter users. Entrance is via a wide automatic door for easy access to the reception and waiting areas.
A hearing loop system is provided at reception for patients who are hard of hearing; Please ask at reception.
We are able to provide most written patient information in large print format for patients with a visual disability. A large print version of the practice booklet is available. Please ask at reception.
Infection Control Information
The Infection Control Code of Practice can be viewed here (PDF, 15KB)
Our 2016 annual statement by the Infection Prevention and Control lead can be viewed here (PDF, 5KB)
Care Quality Commission
Our practice is inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to ensure we are meeting essential standards of quality and safety. A summary of the results of the latest checks carried out by the CQC in 2016 is available by clicking here.