Comments, complaints and suggestions are welcome on any aspect of the Practice and the services it provides.  Please be assured that all information will be treated confidentially at all times.

If you wish to discuss any matter with us, please initially direct any communication to [email protected].

Pocklington Group Practice follows the NHS Guidelines on dealing with comments, complaints or suggestions about the way that the Practice provides services to its patients.

View our complaints policy here

Complaints-Policy-August-2019.docx

Complaint form 2022 – Word

Complaint form 2022 – PDF

Background Information

If patients are not happy with the NHS care or treatment they have received or they have been refused treatment for a condition, they have always had the following rights:

• have a complaint dealt with efficiently and have it properly investigated,
• know the outcome of any investigation into the complaint,
• have their complaint investigated by a higher authority if they were not satisfied with the way in which the NHS had dealt with their complaint,
• make a claim for judicial review if they felt they had been directly affected by an unlawful act or decision of an NHS body

All the above still stands today and it is the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who will undertake independent reviews of complaints where complainants are not satisfied with the way the NHS has dealt with their complaint.  This change has been brought about by new legislation which, on 1 April 2009, saw the creation of the Care Quality Commission, bringing together the responsibilities of the Commission for Social Care Inspection, the Mental Health Act Commission and the Healthcare Commission.  The new legislation has brought about key changes to the way in which NHS complaints are to be handled which means that there will be only two stages to resolving complaints; local resolution at practice/NHS England level or referral to the Ombudsman.

Within this Practice, the people involved in the complaints  process  are the Complaints Manager (the Deputy Practice Manager)who is responsible for handling and considering complaints in line with the new legislation along with our Business PA and the Responsible Person (one of our GP Partners) who will ensure that compliance with the complaints procedure is achieved.

When should a complaint be made?

Complaints should be made as soon as possible, normally within 12 months of the date of the event being complained about or as soon as the matter first came to the complainant’s attention.

The time limit can be extended sometimes (so long as it is still possible to investigate the complaint). An extension might be possible, for example, in situations where it would have been difficult for the patient to complain earlier, such as if they were grieving or undergoing trauma.

Who can complain?

A complaint can be made by a patient, or anyone else who has been affected by the action, omission or decision of the practice that led to the complaint.

There are a number of cases when a complaint may be made by a third party acting on behalf of someone else; when the individual has died, when the individual is a child, or when the individual is physical or mentally incapable of making a complaint. An individual is also permitted to request that a third party makes the complaint on their behalf.

When a complaint is made by a third party on behalf of a child or individual lacking mental capacity, the practice must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for this method of representation and that the third party is genuinely acting in the best interests of the individual. If the practice is not satisfied that this is the case, they must inform the representative in writing, stating the reasons for this decision.

Who does a patient complain to?

Where a patient wishes to make a complaint about a GP Practice, the most appropriate step is normally to raise the matter with the Complaints Manager within the practice, either orally or in writing.  This is referred to as local resolution and most cases are resolved at this stage.  However, patients can choose to complain to NHS England instead if they wish – note the paragraph about complaints to NHS England on page 3 of this document.

Procedure for Oral Complaints which can be resolved by the end of the next working day

Where patients wish to make an oral complaint which can be resolved by the end of the next working day, such complaints should be brought to the attention of the Complaints Manager (Deputy Practice Manager) or the Business PA.   Such complaints do not have to be dealt with under the following procedure.

Procedure for Written/Oral Complaints which cannot be resolved by the end of the next working day

For written complaints or oral complaints which cannot be resolved to the patient’s satisfaction by the end of the next working day, these should be brought to the attention of the Complaints Manager (Deputy Practice Manager) or the Business PA who will ensure the following:

• agree which responsible body will co-ordinate the handling of the complaint and any communications with the complainant
•  acknowledge receipt of any complaint either orally or in writing within three working days and offer to discuss the matter  further
•  include in the discussion with the patient how the complaint will be handled and the likely period for completion of the investigation and responding to the complainant.  (If the complainant does not accept the offer of a discussion, the responsible body must determine a specified response period and notify the complainant in writing of that period.)
•  accept a request from NHS England to handle a complaint received by them and send an acknowledgement to the complainant within three working days  (as long as NHS England receive consent from the complainant that they wish the practice to have details of the complaint and for the practice to handle their complaint.) – see separate note below.
•  record all oral complaints in writing and provide a copy of the written record for the complainant
•  investigate complaints appropriately and deal speedily, but efficiently with all complaints (there is no allotted timescale for resolution, as it is accepted that the requirements will differ from case to case.)
•  keep the complainant informed as far as reasonably practicable of the progress of the investigation
•  send the complainant a written response as soon as reasonably practicable after completing the investigation.  (This response may be electronic if the complainant has consented in writing or electronically and has not withdrawn that consent.)

This response must be signed off by the “Responsible Person” (unless they are absent for a prolonged period of time) and include a report containing the following details:

• an explanation of how the complaint has been considered
• the conclusions reached, including any matters for which the complaint specifies, or the responsible body considers, that remedial action is needed
• confirmation that the responsible body is satisfied that action needed in consequence of the complaint has been, or is proposed, to be taken
• details of the complainant’s right to take their complaint to the independent Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)
•  monitor and record
• each complaint;
• the subject matter and outcome of each complaint
  • the fact that the complainant was notified of the response period specified, any amendment of that period and whether a report was sent to the complainant within that period
•  produce an annual report for NHS England as soon as practicable after 31 March for the preceding 12 months including:

• • the number of complaints received
  • the number of complaints that were shown to be well founded
  • the number of complaints that the practice has been informed have been passed to the PHSO
  • a summary of the subject matter of complaints
  • any matters of general importance arising
  • the way in which complaints were handled
  • the issues they raise and any matters where action has been taken or is to be taken to improve services as a consequence of those complaints

Complaints made directly to NHS England

If a complaint about a Practice is made directly to NHS England, they will seek permission from the complainant to share the details of the complaint with the practice otherwise it cannot pursue the complaint.   Once permission has been granted, NHS England may decide that it is still appropriate that they handle the complaint.  However, it is the intention set out in this guidance that complaints should be managed as near to the complainant as possible and therefore NHS England may wish to pass the complaint to the practice to be handled.  In such cases, the complainant would be informed and their consent obtained before this was undertaken.   In such cases, the complaint would then be deemed as having been made to the practice rather than to NHS England.

NHS Commissioning Board, PO Box 16738, REDDITCH, B97 9PT

Telephone:      0300 311 2233

Email:              [email protected]

Dissatisfied Complainants

Where a complainant is still dissatisfied with the outcome of the investigation of their complaint, they can refer the matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman who is completely independent of the NHS and government:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Citygate, 47-51 Mosley Street, Manchester M2 3HQ

Helpline:          0345 015 4033

E-mail:             [email protected]

Who can help?

Making a complaint can feel like a daunting process, but there is help available.

The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) is a free, confidential and independent service which can help you make a formal complaint about NHS services.  You can contact your local ICAS directly.  Find it in the phone book or through the hospital manager.

Your local Citizens Advice Bureau can advise on NHS complaints.

Citizens Advice Bureau, The Youth Centre, New Street, Pocklington

East Yorkshire YO42 2QA

Telephone:      0300 330 0888

Pocklington Group Practice

Acknowledgements

This policy has been created using information from the following sources:

Northern Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire Local Medical Committees

Department of Health

INTRODUCTION

This policy sets out the Practice provision to ensure that patients are afforded privacy and dignity, and are treated respectfully, in all appropriate circumstances where there is the potential for embarrassment or for the patient to feel “ill at ease”.

The requirement to respect patients is the responsibility of all staff, not just those in direct clinical contact with the patient.

Vulnerable patients in this respect may include:

• Elderly
• Infirm
• Disabled

PROVISIONS

Reception

• The Practice will not stereotype patients based on perceived characteristics
• Patients will be referred to with respect even in private discussions in the surgery
• Patients will be addressed by their preferred method and titles (Mr, Mrs etc) will be used as a first preference by staff
• A sign will be available in reception to offer the facility of a private discussion with a receptionist if required
• Guide dogs will be permitted in all parts of the building. See Guide Dogs Policy ^[*]
• Under no circumstances will staff enter through a closed consultation room / treatment room door without first knocking, and waiting for permission to enter (if occupied), or pausing to determine that the room is empty

Consultations

•  Patients will be allowed free choice of gender of doctor and nurse, where available, and will be able to wait or delay an appointment to see their choice of clinician Where clinically urgent patients will be encouraged to see a clinician appropriate for their “best care” however undue pressure is not appropriate
• Consultations will not be interrupted unless there is an emergency, in which case the room will be telephoned as a first step, before knocking at the door and awaiting specific permission from the clinician to enter
• A chaperone will be offered where an examination is to take place.
• Clinical staff will be sensitive to the needs of the individual and will ensure that they are comfortable in complying with any requests with the potential to cause embarrassment
• Patients will be afforded as much time and privacy as is required to recover from the delivery of “bad news”, and the clinical staff will, where possible, anticipate this need and arrange their appointments accordingly
• Patients will be able to dress and undress privately in a treatment room, or, where a separate treatment room is not available, a screen will be provided for that purpose. Patients using this facility will be requested to advise the clinician when they are ready to be seen, and they will be afforded sufficient time to do this bearing in mind infirmity etc.
• A clean sheet will be available in each examination / treatment room, changed after each patient, and the patient will be advised of its availability
• Clinicians and staff will allow “personal space” where possible and respect this
• Patients will be given adequate opportunity, time and privacy for the provision of samples on the premises without feeling under duress or time limitation
• The area used for dressing / undressing will be equipped with coat / clothes hangers, pegs, or similar for clothes, and will have a chair with arms at a suitable height and design available and suitable for the patient to use
• Patients with difficulty in understanding due to language may have a family member or friend available to interpret or assist
• Communication by staff to patients will be individual according to the needs of the individual patient (e.g. those with speech difficulties, hearing, or learning difficulties may need an individual approach)
• Where an intimate examination is considered necessary to be performed on a patient with difficulty in understanding due to language or other issues (e.g. consent or cultural issues) it is recommended that a Chaperone or family member / carer should always be present
• Areas used by patients for dressing / undressing will be secure from interruption or ingress (i.e. there will be no unlocked door to either a corridor or to any room not occupied by the consulter who is attending that patient
• Patients who may have difficulty in undressing may be offered the services of a second (same gender) clinician or trained Chaperone to assist
• Patients will be requested only to remove a minimum of clothing necessary for the examination
• Consultations in the patient’s home will be sensitive to the location and any other persons who may be present or may overhear

Post – Consultation

• Clinicians and staff will respect the dignity of patients and will not discuss issues arising from the above procedures unless in a confidential clinical setting appropriate to the care of the patient (respectful of the patient even when not there)

Please find below, out latest GDPR leaflet update.

GDPR-Privacy-Information-Leaflet

Pocklington Group Practice is taking part in an important national project about people at risk of diabetes and diabetes care and treatment in the NHS.  The project is called the National Diabetes Audit (NDA).

If you have diabetes, non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, impaired glucose tolerance or pre-diabetes, your GP practice will share information about your diabetes care and treatment with the NDA.  The type of information and how it is shared, is controlled by law and enforced by strict rules of confidentiality and security.  For more details about how your information is used, please see the links below.

Taking part in the NDA shows that Pocklington Group Practice is committed to reducing diabetes and improving care for people with diabetes.

If you do not want your information to be used, please inform one of our receptionists, your GP or nurse.  This will not affect your care.

Please click here for further information for those patients with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

PATIENTS REQUESTING URGENT, ON THE DAY SERVICE MUST TELEPHONE THE SURGERY ON 01759 302500.

Please note we do not offer a walk-in service.  If you feel you need to be seen by the Duty Team, please telephone the surgery on 01759 302500. The reception team will answer your call and the Duty Doctor will either speak to you immediately or call you back. This will ensure you are assessed safely and seen by the most appropriate person, in a timely manner.

If you are offered an appointment it is important you arrive on time, as the appointment slots fill up quickly.  The Doctor/Nurse is unlikely to have the capacity to see you if you are late.

Please note that when you are accessing the above service, the GP triaging you will look at the most appropriate appointment time to help ensure the successful management of the daily demand; this is the only appointment you will be offered.  We experience a volume of between 100-150 requests to be seen the same day.

We have had an increasing number of people walking in and requesting to be seen by a GP immediately.  If you do not telephone in, we cannot safely triage you and it can lead to long waits for you and other patients.

OUR SURGERY CHARTER:  HELP US TO HELP YOU

Your doctor and their staff will always do their best for you but they need your help to provide the best care for all patients.  Please support us by following these simple guidelines:

• Please treat your doctor and their staff as you would expect to be treated by them – with politeness and respect.
• Please cancel appointments you cannot attend or no longer need – somebody else is always waiting.
• Please think twice before calling a doctor to your home – is a visit really necessary?
• Please do not expect a prescription every time you visit the GP – good advice is often the best medicine.
• A second opinion is not always right but you can discuss it with your GP, who knows when to seek extra help.
• You can obtain basic health information elsewhere, for example from your pharmacist or NHS Direct.
• Please request your repeat prescriptions in good time as this will help avoid delays.
• Please remember that doctors are only human – they cannot cure all your problems and illnesses.
• If you do have a genuine complaint, please contact the Practice’s Business Manager in the first instance.

If you need to speak to a member of staff in private, please inform one of our receptionists who will arrange this for you in one of our side rooms.

Medicines Management

Your GP Practice supports a medicines management review service of medications prescribed to its patients. This service involves a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost-effective treatments. This service is provided by qualified and registered healthcare professionals from within the GP practice, our NHS Primary Care Network, NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group or by external partners approved by the GP practice. Patient identifiable information does not leave the practice system but is accessed to ensure only appropriate clinical recommendations or decisions are made for each patient. Each patient can opt out of (or back into) the practice using their data for anything other than specified purposes or where there is a lawful requirement to do so.

Practice GDPR policies

Telephones

Please be aware that ALL calls both inbound and outbound are, by default, recorded for training and monitoring purposes. If you do not wish for your call to be recorded, you can ask the member of our team to pause the recording for you.

Pocklington Group Practice is an active Research Practice

Pocklington Group Practice takes part in effective medical research through the Primary Care Research Network within the NHS National Institute for Health Research.  NHS medical research helps to improve the health and  well-being of the nation.

The Practice is currently involved in the following research trials

ACTIVE BRAINS TRIAL https://www.activebrains.online/ – Trial team have made a new website called ‘Active Brains’ which aims to help older adults to look after their brain and body health. The aim is to help prevent problems with things like remembering, concentrating or reasoning (known as cognitive decline). The website will help older adults to make simple changes such as getting more active, playing brain training games and finding ways to eat more healthily.   This research will test how well the website works.

CANAssess  https://ctru.leeds.ac.uk/canassess/– Cancer Needs Assessment in Primary Care. A cluster randomised feasibility trial (cRCT) to test the routine use of the NAT:PD-C in primary care to reduce unmet cancer patient and caregiver need and determine the feasibility of a definitive trial

ATTACK https://www.nctu.ac.uk/our-research/randomised-trials/current-studies/attack.aspx  – Does low-dose aspirin reduce the chance of a first heart attack or stroke in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD)?

This is a large-scale academic study, being led by the University of Southampton, to see whether or not patients with chronic kidney disease should take aspirin daily to prevent a first heart attack or stroke. It is recruiting patients from GP practices across the UK, and looks to invite 198,000 patients.

DaRe2THINK https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/cardiovascular-sciences/research/dare2think – DaRe2THINK is a transformational project that will test a new way of running clinical trials at General Practices in the NHS.

The trial will use health information already collected in the NHS to reduce the time taken for research, both for patients and NHS staff. This will allow the NHS to reach new and larger groups of patients that could benefit from new treatments.

The first trial will target an important health concern, aiming to improve the health outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), by reducing the risk of stroke, blood clots and potentially cognitive decline and vascular dementia.

Discover ME  https://www.discovermestudy.com/– Discover Me is a research study that aims to analyse health and genetic information on thousands of people. The aim is to increase our understanding of many different diseases, and help improve patient care.

RELIEF https://www.nctu.ac.uk/our-research/randomised-trials/current-studies/relief.aspx – The trial is looking at whether an inhaler which contains drugs to both relieve symptoms and to prevent attacks, in a single combination inhaler, is better for treating mild asthma symptoms in adults than two separate inhalers — one for symptoms (attacks) and one for prevention (before attacks happen).

ASYMPTOMATIC https://asymptomatic-trial.org.uk/– A randomised controlled trial assessing symptom-driven versus maintenance preventer therapy for the outpatient management of asthma in children

From time to time, we may also invite patients to take part in other trials by acting as a Participant Identification Centre. Examples of this include the recent ‘Smell Test Direct’ which is a study from The Michael J. Fox Foundation exploring the link between smell loss and brain disease, specifically, if smell loss is a precursor to Parkinson’s Disease.

The Research Team for Pocklington Group Practice are:

• Dr Lewis Pearce
• Lisa Schofield

Speak to your GP for more information on how to volunteer for a research trial.  Patients often find our research trials to be an interesting and enjoyable experience.

SUMMARY CARE RECORD – YOUR EMERGENCY CARE SUMMARY

The NHS in England is introducing the Summary Care Record, which will be used in emergency care.

The record will contain information about any medicines you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had to ensure those caring for you have enough information to treat you safely.

Your Summary Care Record will be available to authorised healthcare staff providing your care anywhere in England, but they will ask your permission before they look at it. This means that if you have an accident or become ill, healthcare staff treating you will have immediate access to important information about your health.

Your GP practice is supporting Summary Care Records and as a patient you have a choice:

•     Yes I would like a Summary Care Record – you do not need to do anything and a Summary Care Record will be created for you.

•     No I do not want a Summary Care Record. Please complete an opt-out form click here or paper copies are available from the Practice and hand it to a member of the GP practice staff.

If you need more time to make your choice you should let your GP Practice know.

For more information please visit www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk or telephone the dedicated NHS Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020.

Additional copies of the opt out form can be collected from the GP practice or from the website www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk or requested from the dedicated NHS Summary Care Record Information Line on 0300 123 3020.

You can choose not to have a Summary Care Record and you can change your mind at any time by informing your GP practice.

If you do nothing we will assume that you are happy with these changes and create a Summary Care Record for you. Children under 16 will automatically have a Summary Care Record created for them unless their parent or guardian chooses to opt them out.  If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16 and feel that they are old enough to understand, then you should make this information available to them.