Practice Polices and Service Information

It is helpful to know if you have a Carer (someone who takes on an unpaid caring role) or if you are a Carer for someone else. We have an established Carer's policy and a Carer's information pack available from Reception.

This organisation is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. The chaperone may be a family member or friend. On occasions you may prefer a formal chaperone to be present i.e. a trained member of staff.

Wherever possible we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking your appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way. Where this is not possible, we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However, it may be necessary to re-schedule your appointment.

Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our Chaperone Policy.

Chaperone Information Leaflet. If you have any questions or comments regarding this, please contact the Practice Manager. 

We aim to provide all patients with an efficient and friendly service. However problems and misunderstandings do occur. If you are unhappy with the care or service, please let us know so that we can try to put things right quickly:

• Complete a complaint form, which is available from reception
• Telephone the surgery to speak with the Practice Manager
• Email the Practice Manager at michael.sheldon@remove-this.northstaffs.nhs.uk
• Write to the Practice Manager

We can learn from this to improve services and prevent any future issues.

If you require help in making a complaint

Please contact the Independant NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (POhWER). They provide free, independant support for people wanting to take a complaint through the NHS complaints procedure.

Helpline: 0300456 2370

Email: pohwer@remove-this.pohwer.net

Website: www.pohwer.net

If you are unhappy with the way the NHS handled your complaint

You can ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to consider it further.

Helpline: 03450154033

Text phone: 0300 061 4298

Email: phso.enqueries@remove-this.omdubsman.org.uk

Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

The doctors and staff are committed to providing a high quality medical service to our patients, and to treat all patients and visitors with respect and courtesy. We will endeavour to provide you with or direct you to such diagnostic, therapeutic and preventative services as will ensure the best outcome for your problems within the constraints of what is possible, reasonable and practicable.

We ask that patients and their families treat us with respect and courtesy. The practice has a policy of removing any patient from our list who is verbally or physically abusive towards staff or other patients.

All registered patients have the right to express a preference to receive services from a particular Doctor, either generally or in relation to any particular condition; such preferences will be recorded by the Practice.

The Practice will endeavor to comply with any reasonable preference, but need not do so if the preferred performer has reasonable grounds for refusing to provide services to the patient or if the performer does not routinely perform the services in question within the Practice.

Every UK resident has the right to be registered with a GP Practice.

• Use your NHS services wisely, if you have an appointment booked but then don’t need it or can't make it, then please remember to contact the surgery and cancel it.
• Everyone will be treated with dignity and respect, patients and staff alike.
• If you change your address or telephone number, please inform your GP Practice so that they have accurate information if they need to contact you.

All practices, in line with government guidelines, have a 'Zero Tolerance to Violence' policy. This means that any violent or abusive behaviour or perceived threatening behaviour, whether verbal or otherwise to staff or members of the public on practice premises will not be tolerated. We can refuse to provide a service, report the incident to the Police and request that the patient and their family be removed from their Practice list.