Patient Charter

Our Commitments

• We aim to provide our patients with the best possible care.
• We will treat all patients equally. We will not discriminate on the grounds of gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.
• We will listen and involve our patients in providing services that respond to their needs.

Making an Appointment

• We will plan the number of appointments we provide based on our appointment demand, and review this routinely to meet the needs of our patients.
• We will ensure that patient needs are consistently assessed and prioritised allowing us to provide patients with the most appropriate care or other response, from the right member of the practice team, including signposting or referring patients to other appropriate services.
• We will ensure that every patient will be assessed and prioritised according to need in the same way, regardless of whether contacting the practice by phone, online or in person.
• We will provide a variety of options for advice and consultations including face to face, online, and over the telephone.
• We will continuously review our online platforms, telephone systems, booking systems, websites to address patient need.

Signposting

• We recognise the important role our staff play in signposting to services of help, advocacy and support, which helps patients to feel empowered to take action to support their own health and wellbeing and in turn improves access to primary care services. We will provide clear accessible explanations and examples of signposting to other services, including NHS 111, emergency information, pharmacy services, mental health numbers, and other relevant resources.
• We will ensure that the practice is making best use of social prescribers i.e. staff who have access to a directory of health, social and voluntary sector services within Torrington to best meet patient need.
• Commitment to share information on other services and practice staff roles through a number of avenues such as practice newsletter, practice information screens, social media, posters etc.

Digital Services

• We will offer and promote to our patients (and those acting on their behalf) the following:
• an online consultation tool.
• a secure electronic communication method.
• an online facility to provide and update personal or contact information.
• We are committed to ensuring that all of our patients can access and utilise our digital services should they wish too.
• We are committed to ensuring that our staff are trained and have the necessary skills to support patients to access programmes.
• For those who are unable to use digital services we will work with you to find alternatives.

The Practice Website

• We are committed to developing a website not to simply display information, but to provide an area where patients can interact and complete tasks for example:
• Make, change, or cancel an appointment.
• Get a repeat prescription.
• Get a sick note for work.
• Get test results.
• Register with/join the practice.
• Get the practice phone number.
• Find out the practice opening times.
• Find the practice address.
• The ability to provide feedback on patient experience.
• Online forms (provided via ‘online consultation tools’) should be available via the practice website or via tools like the NHS App to provide an easy route for patients to explain what they need and to request support.

Health Inequalities

• We are committed to identifying and providing services that support and help us to provide equitable services to all our patients, with the aim of reducing health inequalities related to access.

Language and Communication Barriers

• We are committed to ensuring that patients are able to access primary care services in a way that ensures their language and communication requirements do not prevent them receiving the same quality of healthcare as others. This includes reasonable adjustments for a wide range of needs, including different languages, stroke recovery, Deaf/BSL users, learning disabilities, stammering, and other communication needs.

Registration Rights and Eligibility Criteria

• We are dedicated to ensuring people who live within our boundary can register with the practice without the need for ID. We may ask for supporting documentation to ensure patients live within the area. Where people who live within the area, but do not have a fixed address, we will be flexible with supporting documentation required and will allow them to register using the practice address.
• We will make the registration process as simple, accessible and visible as possible, particularly for vulnerable groups such as those without a fixed address, refugees, and migrants.
• If we refuse to register a patient with the practice, we will provide a written explanation within 14 days.

Veterans

• We are committed to supporting veterans’ healthcare and will work towards improving our identification and understanding of their needs and referring appropriately.

Training

• We will ensure that our staff especially those who interact with patients, have the necessary skills and training to recognise and understand the importance of addressing health inequalities and are well prepared to identify and support patients facing barriers related to communication, literacy, and other challenges and support them with accessing primary care.

Working with Patients

• We are committed to working with our patients to understand and respond to their needs.
• We are committed to supporting and developing our Patient Participation Group (PPG) by actively involving patients in shaping our services. We will regularly update patients about upcoming PPG meetings and ensure feedback from the National Patient Survey and Friends and Family Test is shared and acted upon. Information about these meetings will be clearly displayed in communal areas and our website to encourage participation and engagement.

Working with Torridge ICB (Integrated Care Board) and NHS England

We recognise the value and importance of NHS England, ICB who set the standards that we are required to meet.

• We are committed to working with NHS England and the ICB to implement the national standards and requirements set for general practice.

Patient Charter

Whilst we are committed to upholding our responsibilities and delivering care in line with this charter, we appreciate your understanding that some factors may be beyond our control and thank you for your patience in these situations.

We ask of you

• We ask that you value the dedication of our staff, as we do. We expect all patients to treat them with respect. Abuse towards our team will not be tolerated.
• We ask if you are unable to attend for an appointment, please let us know at the earliest opportunity, so that we can offer it to someone else.
• We ask that if you are unavoidably delayed you let us know as soon as possible, so that we can make alternative arrangements to meet your needs.
• We ask you to be patient if the clinician is running late. This is often due to unforeseeable emergencies, but you are welcome to ask the Receptionist for more information.
• We ask you to only request a home visit for those who are unable to leave the house. If you need a home visit, if possible, please telephone before 10am.
• We ask you to provide our reception staff with information about your condition and we reassure you that our staff have received comprehensive training in order to signpost patients to appropriate source of help, which maybe in the practice or somewhere else.
• We ask that if you are unclear about your treatment to please discuss this with a member of the clinical team. Try to follow any medical advice given to you.
• We ask you to let us know if you change your contact details, so we can keep your records up to date.
• We ask you to share any specific communication or accessibility requirements with us, to enable us to better meet your needs.
• We ask you to respond or act upon any correspondence received in a timely manner, in order for us to provide continuing appropriate medical care.
• We ask patients to raise any concerns directly with the practice so that these can be addressed promptly.
• We ask that you only discuss one medical issue at a time during a consultation so that each concern can be assessed safely, thoroughly, and without rushing. Standard appointments are limited in time, and focusing on a single problem helps ensure accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and fairness to other patients. If you have multiple or complex concerns, you can request a longer appointment.

Practice Staff Responsibilities

 Practice Staff have a duty:

·         To accept professional accountability and maintain the standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body applicable to their profession or role.

·         To take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others, and to co-operate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.

·         To act in accordance with the express and implied terms of their contract of employment.

·         Not to discriminate against patients or staff and to adhere to equal opportunities and equality and human rights legislation.

·         To protect the confidentiality of personal information that they hold unless to do so would put anyone at risk of significant harm.

·         To be honest and truthful in applying for a job and in carrying out that job.

·         To play their part in ensuring the success of the NHS and delivering high-quality care by:

Maintaining the highest standards of care and service, taking responsibility not only for the care they personally provide, but also for their wider contribution to the aims of their team and the NHS as a whole.

·         Taking up training and development opportunities provided over and above those legally required of their post.

·         Actively taking part in sustainably improving services by working in partnership with patients, the public and communities.

·         Raising any genuine concern, they may have about a risk, malpractice or wrongdoing at work (such as a risk to patient safety, fraud or breaches of patient confidentiality), which may affect patients, the public, other staff or the Practice itself, at the earliest reasonable opportunity.

·         Being open with patients, their families, carers or representatives, including if anything goes wrong; welcoming and listening to feedback and addressing concerns promptly and in a spirit of co-operation. Staff should contribute to a climate where the truth can be heard and the reporting of, and learning from, errors is encouraged;

·         Viewing the services they provide from the standpoint of a patient, and involve patients, their families and carers in the services they provide, working with them, their communities and other organisations, and making it clear who is responsible for their care.

 

Practice Staff Rights

 Practice Staff have the right:

·         To a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, consistent with the needs of patients and with the way that people live their lives.

·         To have a fair pay and contract framework.

·         To be involved and represented in the workplace.

·         To have healthy and safe working conditions and an environment free from harassment, bullying or violence.

·         To be treated fairly, equally and free from discrimination.

·         To raise an internal grievance and if necessary, seek redress, where it is felt that a right has not been upheld.

·         To raise any concern with their employer, whether it is about safety, malpractice or other risk, in the public interest, without suffering any detriment.