Confidentiality & Medical Records
All the members of the practice staff are bound to maintain patient confidentiality. We will investigate any breech of confidentiality and take appropriate action in such cases.
Confidentiality also extends to patients family members, therefore medical information relating to you, will not be divulged without your consent.
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information
We are dealing with public funds, our procedures, policies along with income and prescribing expenditure is available for inspection at the practice. You may make written request for inspection.
Access to Records
The Data Protection 1998 and Access to Health Records Act 1990, allows you to find out what information is held about you on computer and written records made after November 1991.
If you want to see your records you should make a written request. You are entitled to receive a copy, but a charge for administration is usually made.
In certain circumstances access to your records may be limited, for example, if it is felt to be in your best interest, or for the protection of others.
No information will be released without your consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
For further information you may contact Data Protection Officer of Middlesbrough PCT or further guidance can be obtained from http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
How to Make a Complaint or Comment Regarding The Service
Comments, complaints, compliments and suggestions are always welcome and may be addressed to the Practice Manager. Complaints will be considered seriously and dealt with within the 14 days with an appropriate response. You can help us by recognising that problems can usually be rectified within the practice.
If you remain dissatisfied with the response to your complaint you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case. This should be done within two months of receiving the Practice response. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is an independent body established to promote improvements in healthcare through the assessment of the performance of those who provide services. You can contact them at on 0345 015 4033 or write to them at
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, Millbank tower, Millbank, London. SW1P 4QP Email: phs.enquiries@ombudaman.org.uk.
If you have an issue, concern or query about the service at this practice you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 08000131255.
If you would like to see a copy of the practice Complaints procedure, please contact the surgery.
Violence Policy
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. 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.