Confidentiality & Medical Records
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. For full details please see our privacy notice: Privacy Policy
Sharing your Medical Information
The benefits of sharing your medical information?So that health and social care professionals directly involved in your care have access to the most up-to date medical information about you. This allows the professionals caring for you to more fully understand your needs and means you only have to tell your history once. Additional benefits are:
- Faster and easier access to up-to-date medical information which could save lives
- More secure than paper based access to medical information
- Supports the improvement of the safety and quality of patient care
- Enables safer delivery of emergency care especially if you are too ill to communicate
What if I decide I don't want to share my medical information?
Medical information will be shared for the purpose of direct care unless patients complete a form available from the reception desk to opt put.
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
Complaints
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
All formal complaints should be put in writing and addressed to the the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
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.
Social Media Policy
Many social media platforms are available and we are aware that some people may choose to use these platforms to air their views about the practice. We welcome all feedback, positive and negative, as it gives the opportunity to review the services we provide and where necessary make changes or improvements. However we would ask that rather than posting about the practice or any of our staff on social media that you bring any issues to our attention using the following means and give us the chance to respond.
- In writing, either by letter or e-mail to barnsleyccg.safehaven-c85005@nhs.net
If any offensive social media posts are brought to our attention, we may contact the patient/s involved and invite them to have a face to face discussion about the issues they may have. However dependent upon on the content of the post, it may be viewed as a potential breakdown in the doctor-patient relationship and could result in you being removed from our practice list. Legal advice may be sought if someone is found to have made libellous or defamatory comments about the surgery or a member of staff. Staff members should also not be contacted directly using social media platforms. Royston Group Practice has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us to achieve this by adhering to the following code of conduct at all times:
- The practice requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner and respecting their fellow patients.
- Portable devices should ideally not be used during consultations and if they are used then any staff involved should be aware.
- Patients are not permitted to take photographs in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor are photographs of staff permitted.