Practice Charter

Patients rights and responsibilities

Patients have the right to:

• Be registered with a General Practitioner.
• Change doctor if desired.
• Be offered a health check on joining the Practice.
• Receive emergency care.
• Receive appropriate drugs and medicines.
• Be referred to a specialist or second opinion if they and the GP agrees.
• Have the right to review their medical records; subject to the relevant Acts and to know those working for the NHS are under legal obligation to keep the contents confidential.

With these rights comes responsibilities - and for the patient this means the following:

• Turning up for appointments or cancelling them within a reasonable time i.e. 24 hours.
• Appointments are for one person only - where another member of the family needs to be seen or discussed, another appointment should be made.
• Respecting others rights by being courteous to all staff.
• Letting us know when you change your address or telephone number.
• Only requesting a home visit when it is truly necessary for medical reasons - when a patient is too ill or immobile to get to the surgery. Please give sufficient details of the problem so that we can give priority to the most urgent cases.
• Only requesting a home visit before 10.30 am so that we can plan our day efficiently. Emergencies are seen whenever they occur, otherwise visit requests after 10.30 am may not be dealt with until the next day.
• It is not a Patients right to demand a visit; the decision for a visit belongs with the GP.
• Use the out of hours service responsibility, remember that it is for genuine emergencies only. It is not for social convenience or repeat prescriptions and we monitor all patients using this service incorrectly.
• Observing the no smoking and no mobile phone policy.