Mowbray Square Medical Centre Harrogate HG1 5AR. Tel: or or

Transcription

1 Mowbray Square Medical Centre Harrogate HG1 5AR Tel: or or

2 Welcome To The Spa Surgery The Spa Surgery and ST Luke's Surgery merged on 1st April 2015, retaining the name 'The Spa Surgery'. Our aim is to provide effective, high quality health care services which meet the needs of our patients in a warm and caring environment. We provide essential, additional and enhanced services under the General Medical NHS contract to patients who live within our area and who choose to register with us. The partnership holds a contract with NHS England. Look out for details on how to register and the map of the practice area later in this booklet. Dr E Lucy Maw MBBS DRCOG MRCGP DFFP Dr Maw qualified in 1995 from St George s Hospital (London). She joined the practice in 2003 and is interested in ear, nose and throat problems, family planning, teenage health and women s health matters. Dr Mary Jane Prowse MB ChB DRCOG DFFP Dr Prowse qualified in Leeds in She specialises in women s health, family planning, rheumatology and joint injections. Dr Prowse joined the surgery in MEET THE DOCTORS Dr Shane Beggan MBChB, MRCGP, MSc(Clin Pharm), BSc(Hons) Pharm. Dr Beggan graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2009 and completed his General Practice training in Bradford before moving to Harrogate. He spends half his time at Spa Surgery and the other half working as an Academic Teaching Fellow at Leeds University doing education research and teaching. He has an interest in Palliative Medicine and Pharmacology. Dr Sian Greenwood MBChB (1980 Sheffield) DRCOG MRCGP DCH Dr Greenwood has been a partner at the practice for over 20 years. Her special interests are asthma, COPD and Mental Health. She holds the GP Cancer Lead role in Harrogate & Rural District. Dr Mark Hammatt MB ChB MRCGP Dr Hammatt qualified from Leeds Medical School in He joined the practice in 1999 having spent a few years working in Australia. He is particularly interested in minor surgery and management of chronic diseases. Dr Hammatt plays a lead role in IT and managing electronic information in the practice. Dr Anna Handley MBChB MRCGP DFSRH LoC IUT LoC SDI Dr Handley has been a GP at the practice since July Her special interest is family planning. Dr Sarah Hay MBBS (1995 London) BSc Hons MRCGP DTM&H Dr Hay joined the practice in October She has a special interest in palliative care and she has a key role in information governance for the practice. Dr Hay is also a member on the board for Harrogate & Rural District Clinical Commissioning Group. Dr Jane Kirby BmedSci BMBS RCGP Dr Kirby graduated from the University of Nottingham in She joined Spa Surgery in September 2012 having previously worked in large practices in Leeds and Cross Hills. Dr Kirby also works as a clinical lecturer in Primary Care at the University of Leeds teaching both medical students and qualified doctors and is involved in health research. Her particular areas of clinical interest are musculoskeletal medicine and dementia. Dr Dariush Saeedi MB ChB BSc nmrcgp DCH Dr Saeedi qualified from Leeds Medical School in 2009, and after post-graduate training in St James' Hospital in Leeds, and Calderdale Royal Hospital in Halifax, he went on to complete GP training in the Mid-Yorkshire NHS Trust area. His areas of interest include musculoskeletal medicine, child health and medical education. Dr Ed Scott BM (1998 Southampton) BSc Hons MRCGP Dr Scott has been with the practice since June His special interest is in minor surgery and chronic disease management such as diabetes. He is practice lead GP for Prescribing. Dr Joy Shacklock MBBS MRCGP(Merit) DFFP LoCIUT LoCSDI Dr Shacklock qualified from Newcastle University in She joined the practice in April She has a particular interest in contraception, sexual health, teenage and women s health. Dr Shacklock also works for the Out-of-Hours GP Service in Harrogate. Dr Carol Wright MBBS MRCP MRCGP Dr Wright qualified from St. George s Hospital (London) in 1988 and has a particular interest in cancer services, palliative care and the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes. She joined the practice in January Supporting Education And Training The practice is an approved training practice, involved in training the GPs of the future. We will therefore have doctors who are in training working at the practice for periods of 4 12 months. GP Registrar A GP registrar is a fully-qualified and experienced doctor who has already done seven years of training. They are working with the practice to complete their training to become a registered GP. Foundation Year 2 Doctor (FY2) A Foundation Year 2 doctor is fully qualified and has completed six years of training. They work on four monthly rotations across hospitals and GP surgeries to get more experience of different specialties. Some of these doctors may choose to become GPs but others will want to specialise in a hospital setting. 2

3 The GP Registrar and the Foundation Year 2 doctors will see patients in the practice and do home visits. They will be supervised by Dr Carol Wright or Dr Jane Kirby and will always have access to one of the partners for advice when needed. If you do not wish to be seen by the GP Registrar or the FY2 doctor, please let the receptionist know. Locum Doctors From time to time locum doctors, who are approved by NHS England, are employed to cover surgeries (and occasionally visits) during doctors holidays. Where possible the doctors provide cover for each other. PRIMARY HEALTH CARE TEAM Practice Manager The practice manager can be contacted by ringing the usual surgery telephone number or by asking at reception. Reception And Administrative Support Staff The clinical staff are supported by a friendly and professional team of receptionists and administrative staff, who are available throughout the day to assist you to obtain the services you require. They do a difficult job fitting in the many requests for appointments, visits, messages, repeat prescriptions etc whilst remaining approachable and helpful. Your patience at busy times is much appreciated. Practice Nurse Team Our practice nurses are supported by the health care assistants and together they deal with a range of services including: Assisting in the management of chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes and coronary heart disease Minor illness Vaccinations and immunisations Dressing of wounds Blood pressure checks Electrocardiographs (ECGs) Blood tests Cervical cytology (Smear tests) Dietary advice and weight management Smoking cessation Travel advice and vaccinations (there may be a fee for this service) General health checks (for patients who have not consulted a doctor or nurse for 12 months (over 75 years) or 3 years (16-75 years) Drop-in teenage health advice Practice Clinical Pharmacist Our practice clinical pharmacist joined the practice in April She manages prescribing alongside GPs and assists patients with medication review sand prescription queries. She checks and adds new medication to repeat prescriptions quickly following hospital discharge which saves confusion resulting in better care for patients. The pharmacist is an independent prescriber and will OTHER STAFF We very much value the support of the following staff who are employed by other NHS organisations to provide services for our patients: District Nurses District nurses will visit and treat patients at home who are too ill to attend the surgery. Health Visiting Team The health visitors play an important role in preventative care and early detection of ill health in young children. Mental Health Link Workers The mental health link workers are specialists in mental health services, with a background in nursing. They provide a link between primary and secondary mental health services and offer short-term clinical help with depression and anxiety management, health education, monitoring of medication, provision of advice and self-help materials. Counsellors The counsellors are professionally trained and help patients to address problems which are affecting the quality of their life and relationships, such as loss and bereavement, adjustment to injury or illness, low mood/self esteem, stress and general anxieties. This is usually in the form of a short-term focused treatment of 6-12 sessions of counselling. Alcohol And Drug Misuse Specialists in addiction therapies provide clinical help to patients who have a dependency on drugs or alcohol. Services Available At Mowbray Square Medical Centre Patients now benefit from the following services which are all based in the Treatment Suite: Blood Test Clinic The clinic runs each week day from 8.00am 12noon. No appointment necessary but patients need to bring the special form supplied by the doctor who requests the blood tests. Physiotherapy two physiotherapists work from the centre on three days per week. Patients need to be referred to this service by their doctor. Podiatry patients can be referred to this service by their doctor. Community Midwife appointments can be made via the receptionist. Specialist Stop Smoking Service group and individual help to patients who wish to give up smoking, telephone the North Yorkshire Stop Smoking Service for more information on Retinal Screening patients with diabetes are recalled to this service on an annual basis. Specialist Diabetes Services consultant colleagues from Harrogate District Foundation Trust provide a joint clinic with specialist diabetes nurses for patients with diabetes complications. Patient Education Services specialist nurses and therapists provide regular group therapy sessions for patients with long term conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Diabetes. Patients are invited to attend these sessions by letter. Carers Resource two advice workers are available to help anyone who cares for a friend or relative who has a chronic illness. Patients can self refer to this service please contact reception 3 see patients with long term conditions to ensure that their medication is safe and effective. for advice or telephone Carers Resource on

4 Private Hospitals In a poll conducted by BUPA in 2004, people were asked to name what they considered to be the most important aspects of patient care. Their responses were: the quality of the medical treatment; good nursing care; clean, comfortable surroundings; being kept informed and involved in their treatment and fast treatment at a time to suit them. Most people felt that the independent sector was better able to deliver on four out of five of these measures. On the fifth the standard of medical care - they said the NHS and the independent sector were equal. In the same year some 7.6 million people in Britain were covered by private medical schemes, which paid a total of 2.64 billion in benefits. In addition, 0.35 billion was spent by individuals themselves paying for private hospital services (excluding expenditure on cosmetic surgery) - figures that reflect a sizeable contribution to public expenditure on healthcare. Private hospitals offer a prompt, accurate, flexible and patient-led service in order to meet the needs of their customers. They offer a high standard of expertise and facilities, together with a wealth of market knowledge, to help people from all walks of life and employers of all shapes and sizes to meet their healthcare needs and, in the process, relieve some of the pressure on the NHS. If you think private health care may provide a solution for you or your family, consult your doctor and consultant who will be happy to explain the process, and discuss the options available. Advertising Feature 5 To advertise your business to our patients on low cost, easy payment terms call Dance for life...inspiring to aspire Lynton Academy of Dancing Lynne Reucroft-Croome BA(Hons) PGCE LRAD Anthony Croome BPhil(Hons) MA PGCE LRAD LIDTA Ballet, Tap, Modern Theatre, Jazz, Street, Contemporary Dance, Glee, Zumba and Pilates Classes for all ages Feel fit and have fun! Lynton Academy,The Warehouse, Harcourt Road, Harrogate HG1 5NL / lynecroome@mac.com Dance YOUR way to better Health The Government recommends that everyone takes part in 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity five times a week. That s activity that gets you breathing faster, increases your heart rate and warms you up. Dancing is largely an aerobic activity that improves the condition of the heart and lungs, as well as tests your balance. To dance also requires muscular endurance, stamina and a level of fitness. So the good news is that dancing counts. Most dance styles, even a stately waltz, have an activity rating equivalent to at least a moderate (3mph) walk. Anyone dancing will increase their heart rate, warm up and breathe faster. Regular dancing can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cancer. What is more, the dips, turns and side-to-side movements in dance routines make good use of your muscles and joints, helping to delay the progression of any osteoarthritis. And added to all these benefits you will get out, meet new friends and generally have so much fun you ll forget you are exercising. Whatever your age dancing is an excellent and enjoyable form of exercise. So go along to your local Dance School and ask about the wide range of classes available. Whether you are an absolute beginner or a budding Fred or Ginger, there will be a dance class to suit YOU. Why not go along, improve the rhythm of your life and Dance YOUR way to better health! Attract more business by placing your advert here. Simply call Advertising Feature 6

5 ACCESS FOR PATIENTS WITH DISABILITIES Our new surgery offers an excellent level of access for patients with physical disabilities or sensory impairments. A receptionist is always available to assist patients with disabilities. We would be pleased to discuss any other reasonable adjustments we could consider - please contact the practice manager to discuss your needs. NEW PATIENTS We are happy to accept any new patients who live within our practice area. Please refer to the map on the back cover. Patients wishing to register with the practice should complete the appropriate section of their medical card and bring it to reception or ask at reception for a registration form. Although your registration will be with the practice rather than a particular doctor, you may indicate which doctor you prefer to see regularly. We ask that all new patients complete a health information questionnaire and make an appointment with the practice nurse for health screening and to review medical needs. This is particularly helpful whilst we await your medical records. If you have not seen a doctor for some time, it will also help us to assess your current state of health. Please note that we cannot issue repeat prescriptions for new patients until you have had an appointment with a doctor. Advertising Feature 7 What is Counselling? Counselling offers an opportunity for you to discuss in confidence anything in your life which you are finding painful, confusing or uncomfortable. It is a safe, non-judgemental space where you can explore your feelings and thoughts in order to gain clarity and understanding. Counselling is a personal process - It may be that you have a specific problem that you wish to focus on, or you might feel a certain way, yet you cannot identify the reason why. Speaking with a skilled professional may provide a new perspective which will help you to better understand yourself and your experience. People may seek counselling to help with: Anxiety Depression Low self esteem Panic attacks Relationships Anger issues Stress Confidence Family issues Life changing events Trauma (past or present) Counselling allows you to talk with a professional who will listen attentively and facilitate you to gain an insight into the difficulties you are experiencing. This process can help you to find a solution that is right for you, therefore enabling you to live a more satisfying and fulfilled life. I fully appreciate the courage it takes to talk about the difficulties you are experiencing, and I respect that taking the first step towards counselling can be a challenge. An initial phone call to discuss what's right for you may be the starting point or if you prefer please take a look at my website To advertise your business to our patients on low cost, easy payment terms call CHANGE OF PERSONAL DETAILS Please let us know promptly when you change your address, name or telephone number so that we can keep our medical records up to date. We have a form at reception to help you. Regrettably, anyone moving outside the practice area will need to re-register with another doctor in their new locality. If you have to change doctors, we will try our best to ensure that your move is as seamless as possible by giving you contact details for finding out about local doctors and by ensuring that you continue to be cared for until you are properly registered with your new practice. TEMPORARY RESIDENTS The partners will be happy to see any friend or relative visiting you who requires urgent medical treatment which cannot wait until they return home. There may be a charge for people who do not normally reside in the UK. Please contact reception for more information. APPOINTMENT SYSTEM Appointments are available throughout the day (including early morning from 7.30am and later in the evening - up to 7.00pm) and can be booked up to four weeks in advance. Please ask at reception for a copy of the current timetable of doctors availability. We have a duty doctor system available every day for patients who consider that their problem cannot wait for more than 24 hours. In these circumstances, we ask that you please contact us as early as possible in the day. The receptionist will arrange for the duty doctor to speak to you on the telephone in the first instance as your problem may be dealt with quickly and easily with advice. However, rest assured that the duty doctor will arrange for you to come to the surgery to be seen by the appropriate health care professional if that is required. In order to ensure that this policy is maintained, we cannot always guarantee that you will speak to the doctor of your choice. 8

6 9 Please accept our apologies if you are kept waiting for your consultation. All of the doctors and nurses do their best to run to time but delays are sometimes unavoidable as emergencies arise or as some patients need more time than others. The receptionists will keep you informed of occasional problems. We appreciate your tolerance in these circumstances. Appointments can be made by telephoning reception or you can choose and book your own appointment via our on-line service. Please ask one of the receptionists for a leaflet or go to our website for more information. Here are some ways in which patients can help the surgeries to run to time: We offer 10-minute appointments with the doctors and nurses. It is usually best to concentrate on one health problem during the consultation and not try to cover several problems at once, unless you think they are connected. If you want a longer appointment to discuss several problems, please tell the receptionist. An appointment is for one patient only - if more than one member of your family needs to be seen, please book extra appointments for each person. On arrival use the self check-in screens to let the doctor or nurse know you are waiting. It is important to be punctual for your appointment - one reason for surgeries running late is because patients arrive late - if you are more than 10 minutes late, you may have to wait until the end of surgery to allow other patients who have arrived on time to be seen, or you may be asked to make another appointment. Let the surgery know as soon as possible if you cannot keep your appointment, as we may be able to fit someone else in even at short notice. We can send text reminders for appointments please ensure we have your current mobile telephone number. Telephone Advice The doctors and nurses are able to give advice on minor health or administrative matters on the telephone. If you think your query can be dealt with by phone, please book a telephone appointment with reception. CHAPERONE POLICY We will always respect your privacy, dignity and your religious and cultural beliefs particularly when intimate examinations are advisable these will only be carried out with your express agreement and you will be offered a chaperone to attend the examination if you so wish. You may also request a chaperone when making the appointment or on arrival at the surgery (please let the receptionist know) or at any time during your consultation. DURING THE CONSULTATION What goes on in the consulting room is just between you and your doctor. Doctors cannot tell other people (even if they are close relatives of yours) what has been said without your express permission. REFERRAL FOR FURTHER CARE The surgery has close links with Harrogate District Hospital, but patients are offered CHOICE which is a recent service within the NHS. This enables patients to choose a hospital in which to be seen and treated. The GPs can help with this, so please don t hesitate to discuss this if you are being referred. CHOICE usually generates a shortlist of several nearby hospitals, often including at least one private hospital where NHS patients can be seen without charge. It is very important that patients keep us informed of their current contact details so that appointment details are sent to the correct address. The GPs also undertake private referrals for patients, using services at a range of private hospitals across Yorkshire. HOME VISITS Whilst the doctors and district nurses will willingly visit patients who are housebound, they would appreciate other patients making every effort to come to the surgery. Please remember that when visiting people at home, the doctors do not have the facilities and equipment which the surgery provides and the doctors can see several people at the surgery in the time it takes to drive to a patient s home. To help doctors to manage their time efficiently, we ask patients to: Please telephone your request for a home visit before 10.30am In order to help the doctor to assess the urgency of your request, please give the receptionist as much information as you can about your problem Only request a home visit if the patient is too ill to get out of bed REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS If you have a long term condition, the doctors may provide you with a repeat prescription without the need to see you each time. You will receive an updated list of current medication along with your prescription and you should use this list to order future medication (tick boxes as required). The doctor will also add messages to that list reminding you when a review is due and we ask you to ensure that you make an appointment when requested to avoid any delay with your next prescription request. Ordering your repeat prescription There are several ways to order your prescriptions which are listed below but please allow at least two working days for the practice to process these before your medication will be ready for collection. In order to make a diagnosis, the doctor relies on what you say, although a physical examination and various tests are sometimes necessary as well. Be prepared to talk about what is really wrong At your usual pharmacy NEW ELECTRONIC SERVICE AVAILABLE - only you know exactly what and how you feel. The more openly you and your doctor can talk If you regularly use the same pharmacy, they will be happy to assist you in ordering your prescription together, the better service he or she will be able to give you. It is important that you understand each month. We will then send your prescription electronically to that pharmacy saving you a what the doctor tells you and, if you are given a prescription, that you know what the medication journey to the surgery to collect your prescription. Please ask at reception or at any of the local is and why you are taking it. Always ask the doctor to explain anything that isn t clear. pharmacies for more information about electronic prescriptions. 10

7 11 On the internet If you have access to the internet, you can register for SystmOnLine this allows you to access your medical record and order your prescriptions on-line. If you nominate a pharmacy, we can also send your prescription electronically to them to save you a journey to the surgery. Ask at Reception for more information. Other ways to order your prescription We also accept written requests for your medication via Post; Fax ( ); or you may order in person at the Reception desk. PLEASE NOTE WE CANNOT ACCEPT REQUESTS FOR REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS BY TELEPHONE Help Us To Help You... Please let us have your requests for repeat prescriptions in good time and at least two working days before you run out of medication. Use the 'B' side to your prescrption to request your medication. Alternativelty if you sign upto electronic prescriptions, please ask the pharmacist to print a list of the medication provided to you so you have a record of your medication and can use this to order your next prescription. Always read the notes on the 'B' side of your prescription and ensure that you make an appointment if requested. Please note also that we do not process requests for repeat prescriptions at the weekend or on bank holidays so you need to allow extra time for processing if your request is received after 12 noon on Fridays. SAMPLES AND TEST RESULTS If you have had a test such as a blood test or a smear test, the doctor or nurse will advise you when the result is likely to be available. The doctor will leave a message with the receptionist which may be that the result is normal and no action needs to be taken or you may need to collect a prescription or make an appointment to discuss the result further. It Helps Us If You... Telephone the surgery between 2.00 and 4.00pm for test results, as the telephone lines are less busy at this time of the day and we have staff available who will be able to help you with your query. OUT-OF-HOURS SERVICE Outside normal surgery hours you should telephone the new NHS helpline 111 and you will usually be directed to the GP out-of-hours service. The out-of-hours period is from 6.00pm to 8.00am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can provide medical advice and details of the best local service that can provide care. Telephone consultations and triage (an assessment of how urgent your medical problem is) are an important part of all out-of-hours care to ensure that you are directed to the most appropriate service. ENHANCED SERVICES OFFERED BY IN-HOUSE STAFF Child health surveillance, vaccinations and immunisations Minor operations including joint injections Family planning including IUCD fitting and sexual health advice Minor injuries Near Patient Testing (blood monitoring service for side effects of some drugs) Anti-coagulation monitoring (for patients on Warfarin medication) Care of patients who have been diagnosed with depression Care of patients with learning disabilities Palliative care (care of patients with terminal illness) Specialist diabetic services TRAVEL ADVICE Our practice nurses are highly qualified in determining what travel protection you may need for whichever country you visit. You must ensure that you give us a call when you have booked or if you are thinking about booking a holiday abroad as some of the courses of immunisations need to be administered over several months. There will be charges for non-nhs vaccines. Please note that we cannot guarantee you get the immunisations you need if you leave it to the last minute. NON-NHS WORK We have many requests from patients for reports, letters and certificates eg private insurance claim forms, reports for solicitors, housing etc. This is a very time consuming exercise, much of which is completed in the doctor s own time at the weekend or evenings. This work does not come under terms of service for General Medical Services and is therefore prioritised accordingly. Charges vary according to the service provided and these are displayed in reception for your information. It Helps Us If You... Allow plenty of time for completion of forms - at least 10 days. Make payment of the appropriate fee on collection of the form. (Cheques are acceptable if accompanied by a cheque guarantee card) ARE YOU A CARER? Do you care for someone who is sick, disabled, infirm or elderly? If so, please tell your doctor or another member of staff. By knowing which patients are also carers, and having that information recorded, we can routinely ask you about the impact of your caring responsibilities. We can also help you to find support through local voluntary services or refer you for an assessment by social services if you so wish. 12

8 13 YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS We hold information about all our patients in the form of medical records and electronic computer records. The rules of the Data Protection Act are rigorously applied. If we refer you to a consultant or other agencies, confidential information may be shared with authorised people where this is necessary for your treatment or care. You are entitled to see information about yourself and we will only give information about you to other people, for example, a relative, carer, or your solicitor, with your express permission. There are certain limits and requirements for getting copies of your medical records and you will be charged a fee for this service. Please contact the practice manager for more information. As well as sharing information with other healthcare professionals, it is important that the NHS can use information to plan and improve services for patients. Information can be linked through a secure system from all the different places you receive care, such as your GP, hospital and community services to help provide a full picture and might include your age, postcode and NHS number but not your name so your identity is protected. Researchers and those planning health services can then use this information to support public health by anticipating the risks of particular diseases, finding more effective ways of preventing, managing and treating illnesses and to guide decisions about future services in our local areas. You have the right to prevent confidential information about you from being shared or used for any purpose other than providing your care. If you do not want us to share your information with others, please ask at reception for a leaflet about restricting the use of your medical records. PATIENT INVOLVEMENT We are always happy to receive comments from patients on the quality of services offered and suggestions as to how we can improve our services. Please use the suggestion box in the waiting room or speak/write to any of the doctors or the practice manager. You may also consider joining the Patient Reference Group which meets at least twice a year to discuss the type and quality of services provided at the practice. They assist in designing a patient survey, review the results and make recommendations for change. The results are reported in our regular patient newsletter and on the website. If you would like to join the Patient Group, please give your name and contact details to the receptionist. TEACHING AND TRAINING The Spa Surgery is an accredited training practice for young doctors and medical students who wish to pursue a career in general practice. We may ask that your consultation is recorded on video for training and qualification purposes but please be reassured we will only do this with your express consent. We also help to train nurses who are developing their careers in general practice. We will always tell you if a nurse in training is involved in your care and will ask for your consent for this. We are very grateful to patients who agree to help new doctors and nurses gain their higher qualifications but please note you are not obliged to do so and can ask not to be involved if you so wish. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION - PUBLICATION SCHEME The Freedom of Information Act 2000 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. RESOLVING PROBLEMS AND MAKING COMPLAINTS You have the right to complain if you feel that the treatment you have received from the practice is not satisfactory. You can contact the practice manager or any of the doctors or ask at reception for a complaints leaflet which outlines our complaints procedure. We always listen carefully to complaints and take them very seriously. We will do our best to resolve the matter for you quickly and we will try to learn from any mistakes we make. You can expect an acknowledgement of any complaint you make about our services within two working days of receipt and a full reply within ten working days. If you would prefer not to complain to the practice directly, or if you remain dissatisfied with our reply to your complaint, you have the right to contact any of the following: North Yorkshire NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (Monday Friday 9.00am 5.00pm) Tower Court, Oakdale Road, Clifton Moor, YORK YO30 4XL Tel: Fax: helpwithnhscomplaintsnorthyorks@cloverleaf-advocacy.co.uk Or complete an enquiry form on the website: NHS England (For the attention of The Complaints Manager) PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT Tel: england.contactus@nhs.net The Health Service Ombudsman for England 11th Floor, Millbank Tower, London SW1P 4QP Tel: VIOLENT OR ABUSIVE PATIENTS Please treat our practice staff courteously - they are doing their best to help you. The practice supports the government s Zero Tolerance Campaign. GPs and their staff have the right to care for patients without fear of being physically attacked or verbally abused. Any patient who is violent will be reported to the police and removed from our list. Depending on the degree of any abusive language used, we will write one warning letter before asking the patient (and possibly the patient s family) to re-register with another practice. Patients have the right of appeal to: Primary Care Commissioning Support Unit NHS England Area Team (North Yorkshire & Humber) Unit 3 Alpha Court, Monks Cross, York YO32 9WN 14

9 OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU We continually try to improve our services and this section sets out a summary of the standards that we will try to achieve. Practice Staff You can expect to be greeted courteously and in a friendly, helpful and professional manner at all times. We will ensure that ALL staff who work for the practice are suitably qualified for the position they hold and that they have an ongoing review of their training needs. You can be assured that only those staff who are directly involved in your care will have access to your medical records. All staff are trained in maintaining confidentiality. Consultations With Medical Staff If you have a problem which requires URGENT medical treatment, we aim to offer you an appointment to see a doctor or a practice nurse, within 24 hours (see Duty Doctor System on page 7). For NON-URGENT/ROUTINE problems, we aim to offer an appointment with one of the doctors within five working days although we cannot guarantee that this will always be with the doctor of your choice. Home visit requests may be assessed by the duty doctor and will be met on the same day where medically necessary. The doctors and practice nurses will be happy to give telephone advice. Please contact reception for a telephone appointment. Every effort will be made to make surgeries run to time but you will appreciate that some consultations take much longer than others and it is not possible to predict in advance what these will be. If the delay is more than 20 minutes, the receptionists will try to let you know the reason for the delay. Notes of all consultations via the out-of-hours services are received electronically. We aim to check, take appropriate action and file the note in patient records within two working days of receipt. The out-of-hours service alert us via fax if any urgent follow-up action is required and this will be actioned appropriately. All referrals for further investigation or care at hospitals will be discussed and agreed with you. We will always respect your dignity, privacy and your religious and cultural beliefs. If you are physically disabled, have sensory impairments or have any other special needs, we will ensure our premises and services cater for you as far as practicable. Administrative Services We aim to ensure that newly registered patients will have their medical records examined and computer-summarised within eight weeks of receipt from the Family Health Services. Patients are advised to complete our interim medical questionnaire and to see a nurse or a doctor to ensure that we can help you with any medical condition in the meantime. We operate a repeat prescription service. Requests for repeat prescriptions will be dealt with within two working days of receipt. Please note, in the interest of patient safety, all requests must be made using the repeat prescription slip attached to prescriptions. We aim to ensure that referral letters to the hospital will be despatched within five working days of your doctor deciding your condition needs further investigation. Referrals for URGENT medical assessment of suspected cancer will be faxed to the hospital within 24 hours of your appointment using the SAFE HAVEN system. This is a secure procedure which ensures confidentiality is maintained. The practice will work closely with NHS North Yorkshire and York who commission services for our patients. They regularly evaluate the services offered by ourselves and the providers of secondary care to ensure that these services are meeting the needs of our patients. All correspondence from the hospital eg test results/letters from consultants, will be read by doctors daily and we try to take any action required within no more than two working days of receipt. You have a right to see your medical records by previous arrangement (subject to legal limitations). Please contact the practice manager for further information. We will provide a box for suggestions/comments in the waiting room. All comments from patients whether positive or negative will be welcomed and taken seriously by the practice. Action will be taken to review policies or procedures whenever this is necessary. The practice operates a complaints procedure (ask for a leaflet at reception). You can expect an acknowledgement of any written complaint you make about our services within two working days of receipt and a full reply within ten working days

10 USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS NHS ENGLAND PO Box 16738, Redditch B97 9PT WALK-IN CENTRE The nearest walk-in centre: 31 Monkgate, York YO31 7WA OUT-OF-HOURS SERVICE When we are closed: If you need medical help or advice: For life threatening emergencies: HARROGATE & DISTRICT NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Lancaster Park Road, Harrogate HG2 7SX THE CARERS RESOURCE 11 North Park Road, Harrogate HG1 5PD BCh ChB DFFP MA MB KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS USED Bachelor of Surgery Bachelor of Surgery Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning Master of Arts Bachelor of Medicine St Roberts Parish Centre St Roberts Parish Centre Robert Street, Harrogate HG1 1HP MONDAYS 5.30pm and 7.30pm TUESDAYS 9.30am Your Consultant s name is Lizzie Telephone Youth Centre Youth Centre, Bilton Lane Bilton (Harrogate) HG1 3DT WEDNESDAYS 3.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.30pm Your Consultant s name is Sarah Telephone Protect your family against future costs & save money Organising a prepaid funeral plan allows you to pay for your funeral at today s prices. Contact your local funeral director for more details today. Weight Loss All of us want to live a full, active and healthy life. However, for an ever-increasing number of people of all ages, being overweight makes this difficult, if not impossible. Official figures suggest that three quarters of the adult population are overweight and, of those, one third are clinically obese. It may surprise you to know that having a Body Mass Index over 30 (equivalent to being just 3 stone above your ideal weight) classifies you as obese. Apart from the serious health risks involved with excessive weight gain, which include an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, gallstones and certain cancers, many people are realising that being overweight is preventing them from fulfilling their potential and realising many of their ambitions. Lots of people want to lose weight, but are confused by the mass of conflicting advice available. They want an easy-to-follow and proven weightmanagement programme that does not require them to be dieticians or calorie-counting mathematicians. Programmes are available through weightmanagement advisors who can help you achieve your goals. Do you or a family member need care and want to stay in your own home? This type of decision can be difficult for families. Contact a local care agency to discuss your needs today. Advertising Feature MRCGP Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners MRCP DRCOG MBBS FP Cert 17 Member of the Royal College of Physicians Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecology Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery Family Planning Certificate To encourage our patients to become your clients or customers, advertise your business now through our practice booklets and appointment cards Simply call for more information. 18 ZZ/DP S03338B - 20

11 PRACTICE AREA MAP HAMPSTHWAITE KILLINGHALL SCOTTON A59 KILLINGHALL MOOR HIGH STREET A59 CALCUTT B6162 B6162 OTLEY ROAD RIPON ROAD A51 LEEDS ROAD HARROGATE WETHERBY ROAD A561 BECKWITHSHAW PANNAL BRACKENTHWAITE SPACEY HOUSES A658 RUDDING PARK If you have any doubt please ask at reception for a more detailed map. PRACTICE BOOKLETS ARE SPECIALLY PREPARED BY Neighbourhood Direct Ltd Barons Gate, Graceways, Whitehills Business Park, Blackpool, Lancs FY4 5PW Tel: Fax: Website: info@opg.co.uk COPYRIGHT WARNING: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher. The practice would like to thank the various advertisers who have helped to produce this booklet. However, it must be pointed out that the accuracy of any statements cannot be warranted, nor any products or services advertised, be guaranteed or endorsed. Practice Booklets are published by Neighbourhood Direct Ltd