Practice Charter

Brookside Group Practice Patient and Practice Partnership

As a practice team, we are committed to giving you the best service that we can. This can be achieved most effectively by your working together with us in partnership.

We constantly review the way we work to improve the service and make best use of our limited resources.

We offer a flexible range of appointments to suit the needs of our population, which should enable you to get advice or see an appropriate clinician within 48 hours.

We will aim to:

• Listen to you and treat you individually and with courtesy.
  


• Direct you to the team member who will be most appropriate for your particular need.
  


• Start and run our clinics on time and keep you informed of significant delays.
  


• Process prescriptions within two working days and medical paperwork within five working days.
  


• Answer the phone as quickly as we are able.
  


• Provide you with information about our services, your illness and how you can help yourself.
  


• Be familiar with your ongoing health needs.

You should aim to:

• Be polite and courteous to all members of the team and to other patients.
  


• Give us sufficient information about your needs.
  


• Use your 10 minute appointment effectively by:
  


• arriving on time
  


• prioritising your problems
  


• asking beforehand if you think you will need a longer appointment


• Try to plan ahead. Call before 11.00am if you need an appointment that day or a home visit.
  


• Avoid busy times, such as first thing in the mornings, for non-urgent queries.
  


• Give us sufficient notice when you request your repeat prescription or paperwork.
  


• Bear with us when urgent medical needs cause unforeseen delays to clinics or paperwork.
  


• Be partners with us in your own healthcare, ie:
  


• take responsibility for your own health
  


• live a healthy lifestyle
  


• use our resources appropriately
  


• listen to and try to follow the advice that we give.


• See the same doctor whenever possible

Medical Records And Confidentiality

We keep all patient details on computer to help maintain accurate records and more efficient administration. Should you require to see your records please contact your surgery.

We give the highest priority to confidentiality. Medical records are not disclosed to anyone outside the practice without your written consent. All members of the practice are bound by strict rules, and even the fact that you have attended the surgery is regarded as confidential.

Freedom Of Information - Publication Scheme

The Freedom Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a Publication Scheme. A Publication Scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the practice intends to routinely make available.

In keeping with the NHS policy of ‘zero tolerance’, we will not accept verbal abuse, bullying, harassment or intimidation of any team member.

Patients whose behaviour we find threatening will be removed from the practice list.