PRACTICE CHARTER & COMPLAINTS INFORMATION

Practice Charter

Our Responsibilities

• Waiting time-  We run an appointment system within the Practice and you will be given a time when you should see either the Nurse or Doctor.  You should not expect to wait more than 30 minutes without an explanation why.

• Home Visits-  We will visit you at home if you are too ill or infirm to be brought to the Surgery.

• Access to the doctors-   You should expect to be able to see a Doctor for an emergency the same day.

• Repeat Prescriptions-   To ensure effective access for emergency calls, this Practice does not accept requests for repeat prescriptions over the phone.  We will have requests for repeat prescriptions processed in 48 hours.

• Test Results-   If the Practice has arranged for you to have tests, you will be told the results at the next appointment or if a further appointment has not been arranged, you may ring for the results after 2.00 p.m.

• Information-   Full information about the services we offer is in our Practice booklet.  We will endeavour to explain / give you full information regarding your care and health.

• Patient Feedback-   Complaints should be directed to the Practice Manager, as suggested in the Practice booklet.  We want to be sure to continue to improve our services to you.  Any constructive suggestions are more than welcome.  Always remember, this is your surgery, so help us to improve the service we offer to you.

• We have a right to remove patients from our lists if they repeatedly and persistently ignore their responsibilities to us and other patients.

Your Responsibilities

• Appointments-   Please try to keep your appointments and be punctual.  If you cannot attend please tell us as soon as possible, your appointment can then be offered to someone else.

• Home Visits-   The less time a Doctor spends travelling, the more time is available for patients.   Please do not ask for a home visit unless it is strictly necessary.

• Out of Hours-   Please do not call out of hours except in real emergencies.  Wherever possible, it is best to wait for the next surgery.

• Repeat Prescriptions-   Please avoid phoning in with repeat prescription requests.  Write you name, address and medication on a slip of paper and hand in or post to the Surgery.  If you enclose a SAE we will return the completed prescription by post.  Please remember to check your cupboards before ordering repeat prescriptions.

• Test Results-   Results of tests take varying times to return to the Surgery.  Please phone for results after 2.00 p.m.  Please ask when having a test, how long the results are likely to take to return.

• Patient Feedback-   Please read our Practice booklet.  This will ensure you are aware of services we offer.  If you do not understand about something PLEASE ASK.  Do not suffer in silence.  We are keen to bear your views both good and not so good.

• Prescriptions-   You should not expect to be given a prescription every time you visit the Doctor.

• Zero Tolerance-  Patients attending the practice, whether in person or by telephone should behave in a manner that respects the rights of others including practice staff and other patients.  Bad language, offensive remarks or threatening behaviour will be deemed unacceptable and the practice reserves the right to remove patients from the list if they are abusive or violent in any way.   Patients are requested to respect practice premises at all times.

• If you are seriously unhappy with us or the services we provide, you have the right to leave our lists and register with another practice.

Complaints Information

• We aim to provide the best service possible at all times.  There may be occasions when you feel this had not happened and this information explains what to do if you have a complaint about the quality of service that we provide.
• We operate an informal in house procedure for the investigation of complaints.
• If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or staff, please contact our Practice Manager.
• We believe it is important to deal with complaints quickly and they can often be easily resolved at the time if raised with the person concerned. 
• If you wish to make a formal complaint write or contact our Practice Manager who will discuss your complaint with you and agree with you what action is to be taken.  We aim to report back to you within 10 working days but more time may be needed if the complaint is more complicated.
• Please note: we have to respect our duty of confidentiality to patients and a patient's written consent is necessary if a complaint is not made by that patient in person.
• We hope that we will be able to deal with your complaint to everyone’s satisfaction but you have the right to approach the NHS Ombudsman if you remain unhappy with the explanation from us:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
Tel:  0345 0154033

• You can also contact the PCT Complaints Manager:
• Telephone: 01903 708400
• Email: complaints@westsussexpct.nhs.uk
• Complaints Manager, The Causeway, Durrington, Worthing , BN12 6BT

Please remember that all members of the practice team are here to help but we do not get it right all the time.