Policies and Procedures

Please click on the link below for more information.

Processing Activities Log

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.

If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

• Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
• Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing to the Practice Manager. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.

However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.

Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?

If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and NHS England and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.

To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033

Need help making a complaint?

If you want help making a complaint, Healthwatch Norfolk can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.

The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The practice holds personal information about you on our computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs. The practice is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping. Please help to keep your record up to date by informing us of any changes to your circumstances.

Doctors and staff in the practice, including community staff, have access to your medical records to enable them to carry out their roles. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary. Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private.

All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss. All staff have a duty to comply with confidentiality of such information or data.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented, or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released, such as for medical reports for insurance, solicitors etc.

To ensure your privacy, we will not disclose information over the telephone unless we are sure that we are talking to you.

You have a right to see your records if you wish. An appointment with a member of the reception team will be required. In some circumstances a fee will be payable.

Brundall Medical Centre use the following organisations to process data on our behalf. They are contractually bound to manage your information securely.

Please click below for more information

Data Collection Information

The premises are disabled friendly:

• There are two designated disabled parking spaces in our car park close to the building.
• On street parking with a designated disabled space is available immediately outside the main entrance.
• A handrail is installed on the building by the gently sloping path from the car park to the main entrance.
• The practice clinical rooms are all at ground floor level with wheelchair access.
• The main front doors are wide and electronically operated by sensors to enable easy access.

Class 1 – Who We Are and What We Do

Doctors in the practice:

• Dr Radha Sawhny
• Dr Johannes de Vrijer
• Dr Anna Stenberg

Contact Details

Lorraine Youngs, Practice Manager
Tracey Eggett, Assistant Practice Manager

Brundall Medical Partnership
The Dales
Brundall
Norwich
Norfolk
NR13 5RP

Telephone: 01603 712255

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday from 08:30-18:30. Our dispensary is closed from 13.00-14.00.

Other Staffing Information

The practice has Nursing, Dispensary and Reception teams.

Data Protection

The practice is registered under the Data Protection Act 2018.

CQC

The practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Class 2 – What We Spend and How We Spend It

The practice adheres to the national General Medical Services contract.

Other financial information cannot be released because of confidential and commercial reasons.

Class 3 – What Our Priorities Are and How We Are Doing

Practice priorities are in line with national NHS priorities and also in line with those of the Norfolk & Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group of which the practice is a member.

Class 4 – How We Make Decisions

The partners will decide and agree on the services to be offered. Appropriate meetings are held.

Class 5 – Our Policies and Procedures

The practice has policies including:

• Complaints
• Data Protection
• Employment of staff
• Equality & Diversity
• Health & Safety
• Information Governance
• Protocols
• Records

If you have any queries regarding these or other policies, please contact Lorraine Youngs, practice manager or Tracey Eggett, assistant practice manager.

Class 6 – Lists and Registers

None held.

Class 7 – The Services The Practice Offers

• The practice provides general medical services under the NHS GMS contract.
• Private travel services are offered excluding yellow fever vaccinations. These additional services attract a charge (current charge available on request).
• Private medicals and certificates are offered subject to a fee.
• The practice participates in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.
• The practice participates in many of the national and local enhanced services.
• Out of hours services are provided by the supplier as approved by the North Norfolk Commissioning Board.
• Patients are regularly given advice leaflets during consultations.

Much information requested can be provided free of charge. However, for some information there may be a charge. The charges will vary according to how information is made available and will be provided on request on an individual basis depending on the work involved. We will let you know the cost and charges that will have to be paid in advance.

COVID-19

Please read about how your information is being used for COVID-19 research.

Please be aware that we may use new providers or suppliers to help us quickly adapt during the outbreak and to continue your care effectively. For example, we may use a new provider for video consultations. We may not be able to add these to our transparency materials right away, and we apologise for this but please be assured that all of our processors are bound by contract to protect your data.

During COVID-19 we may ask you to send a photograph of your bruise or skin condition that you are concerned about whilst we conduct virtual consultations. This photograph will be used by the clinician to determine any medical treatment necessary and will be added to your medical record.

Please note that as this is sent via email, it may not be secure and we therefore ask that you only include your NHS number alongside your photograph in the email. The photograph should only be of the area requested and no other person should be visible in the shot.

Brundall Medical Partnership Privacy Policy

Your practice takes privacy seriously and we want to provide you with information about your rights, who we share your information with and how we keep it secure.

Please use the links below to find more information about the practice and data protection.

• Our data protection videos
• Your Information
• Children and Young People
• What We Do with Your Information
• What Else Do We Use Your Information For?
• Sharing When Required by Law
• Information Rights
• Case Finding and Profiling
• Norfolk Sharing Partners
• Information Technology
• Keeping Your Information Safe
• How Long Do We Keep Your Information?
• Our Use of CCTV
• Our Use of Telephone Recording
• Our Use of Eclipse
• Norfolk Primary Care Networks
• Provider Processors
• Processing Activities Log
• Healthy.io Privacy Policy

• Secondary Use of Data

The infection control lead is Emily Lawson.

The practice carries out an annual internal infection control audit to ensure that infection control standards are maintained.

The practice has appropriate infection control policies including:

• Blood and body fluids exposure
• Clinical waste
• Contagious illness in staff
• Handwashing
• Laundering of clothes

The practice participates in national immunisation programmes including:

• Child immunisations
• Flu
• Pertussis
• Pneumonia
• Rotavirus
• Shingles

All patients are allocated a named accountable GP. New patients will be advised who their named accountable GP is when they first register at the practice. If you are unaware of who your named GP is, please contact the reception team.

What does accountable mean?

The named accountable GP is responsible for the co-ordination of all appropriate services required under the contract and ensure they are delivered to each of their patients where required (based on the clinical judgement of the named accountable GP).

Overall responsibility for patient care has not changed. This role is largely a role of oversight, with patients having one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.

What are the Named GP’s responsibilities to 75’s and over?

For patients aged 75 and over the named accountable GP is responsible for:

• Working with relevant associated health and social care professionals to deliver a multi-disciplinary care package that meets the needs of the patient.
• Ensuring that these patients have access to a health check as set out in section 7.9 of the GMS contract regulations.

Does the requirement mean 24 hour responsibility for patients?

No. The named GP will not:

• Take on vicarious responsibility for the work of other doctors or health professionals.
• Take on 24 hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours. The requirement does not imply personal availability for GPs throughout the working week.
• Be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient.

If you would like to have access to SystmOnline, please complete our Register for Online Services form.

Patients, aged 18 or over, may request access to their full clinical record online. Your GP may decline access if it is believed not to be appropriate.

For patients aged 14 to 17 years old you will need to apply in your own right or grant written consent for your father and/or mother to have access. The request will be reviewed by your GP and may be declined access if it is believed not to be appropriate.

The detailed coded record contains coded information including allergies and medication. This record is updated automatically. The record may include the names of administration staff that have accessed the patient record in fulfilment of their duties.

Being able to see your record online might help you to manage your medical conditions. It also means that you can even access it from anywhere in the world should you require medical treatment on holiday. If you decide not to join or wish to withdraw, this is your choice and practice staff will continue to treat you in the same way as before. This decision will not affect the quality of your care.

The practice has the right to remove online access to services. This is rarely necessary but may be the best option if you do not use them responsibly or if there is evidence that access may be harmful to you. This may occur if someone else is forcing you to give them access to your record or if the record may contain something that may be upsetting or harmful to you. The practice will explain the reason for withdrawing access to you and will re-instate access as quickly as possible.

It will be your responsibility to keep your login details and password safe and secure.  If you know or suspect that your record has been accessed by someone that you have not agreed should see it, then you should change your password immediately.

If you can’t do this for some reason, we recommend that you contact the practice so that they can remove online access until you are able to reset your password.

If you print out any information from your record, it is also your responsibility to keep this secure. If you are at all worried about keeping printed copies safe, we recommend that you do not make copies at all.

The information that you can see online may be misleading if you rely on it alone to complete insurance, employment or legal reports or forms.

Be careful that nobody can see your records on screen and be especially careful if you use a public computer (not recommended) to shut down the browser and switch off the computer after you have finished.

Before you apply for online access to your record, there are some other things to consider.

Forgotten History

There may be something you have forgotten about in your record that you might find upsetting.

Abnormal Results or Bad News

If your GP has given you access to test results or letters, you may see something that you find upsetting. This may occur before you have spoken to your doctor or while the surgery is closed and you cannot contact them.

Misunderstood Information

Your medical record is designed to be used by clinical professionals to ensure that you receive the best possible care. Some of the information within your medical record may be highly technical, written by specialists and not easily understood. If you require further clarification, please contact the surgery for a clearer explanation.

Information Added By Non Clinicians

Information will have been added to your medical record by administrative staff employed by the practice.

Such information could be when your notes from your previous practice have been summarised and entered onto our computer system; when we receive documents from other health providers that contain data suitable for coding; and other information we require to have in your record to support clinicians in providing healthcare to you.

Some information will have been added by other clinical staff who may not be employed by the surgery, for example community midwives and nurses.  In some cases, medical records will have been transferred electronically this will form the basis of your clinical record.

There are currently two ways that your data can be shared:

• Summary Care Record
• Enhanced Sharing

This is a brief outline of what each way of sharing means.

Each method is distinct and has its own opt in or opt out method.

Summary Care Record

The summary care record is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. It will contain your medication, allergies, vaccinations, anticipatory care and end of life information.

Later on as system develops, other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.

Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.

As with all systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.

Please complete our Summary Care Record Opt Out form is you wish to stop sharing your summary care record.

Enhanced Sharing

We use a system that is widely used in this area and across England.  This system gives the facility (The Enhanced Data Sharing Model – EDSM) to share your health record with other health providers involved in your care.

You will be able to choose whether to share these full medical details with other health provider units (for example District Nurses) or not.

Sharing your health record will help us deliver the best level of care for you.

You have two choices which allow you to control how your record is shared.  You can change these choices at any time.

Sharing Out

This controls whether your information recorded at this practice can be shared with other health care providers.

Sharing In

This determines whether or not this practice can view information in your record that has been entered by other services who are providing care for you or who may provide care for you in the future (that you have consented to share out).

You can decide whether you want to securely share any of your information recorded in the practice with other NHS Services – this is known as ‘sharing out’.

You are also able to control whether any information which has been recorded elsewhere can be viewed by your GP – this is known as ‘sharing in’.

Our aim is your care.

Practice Values

• To put our patients first.
• To think like a patient, seeing the world through their eyes, understanding and anticipating their needs.
• To be accessible and approachable.
• To provide our patients with great service and to offer straightforward processes.
• To be clear about what we say at a level that patients can understand.
• To look to improve the way we work, providing excellent value for money for our patients and the NHS.
• To be a general practice that patients feel comfortable to visit and feel safe in the knowledge they will be offered a good primary care service.

Brundall Medical Centre takes privacy seriously and we want to provide you with information about your rights, who we share your information with and how we keep it secure.

Please use the links below to find more information about the practice and data protection.

Transparency

CCTV

Telephone Recording

Case Finding (ECLIPSE)

Information Sharing Norfolk and Waveney

Our Commitment to You

• You can expect to be greeted in a friendly, helpful and professional manner.
• Aim for you to have access to a suitably qualified medical professional within 48 hours of your initial contact during surgery hours, or in an urgent case, the same day.
• All home visit requests will be met the same day where medically necessary.
• Every effort is made to make surgeries run on time, but you will appreciate that some consultations take much longer than others and it is not possible to predict in advance which these will be. If the delay is more than 30 minutes, the receptionist will offer an explanation.
• Work in partnership with you to achieve the best medical care possible.
• There will be confidentiality by all the staff members dealing with your medical records.
• We will respect you need for dignity, privacy and your religious and cultural beliefs.
• If you are disabled or have special needs we will ensure our premises and services cater for you as far as possible.

Your Responsibilities to Us

• Our practice staff are here to help you. Please treat them as you would wish to be treated yourself. Reception staff may have to ask some personal questions to assist us in providing you with the best service
• Let the surgery know as soon as soon as possible if you cannot keep your appointment. This will allow us to offer the appointment to another patient.
• Only request a home visit if the patient is too ill to get to the surgery.
• An appointment is for one person only. If more than one member of your family needs to be seen, please book an extra appointment. If you have several problems please book a double appointment to help us run to time.
• Let us know when you change your address, name or telephone number (landline or mobile). You can do this by using our Change of Personal Details triage.
• You are responsible for your own health and that of any dependents. It is important that you adhere to information and advice given to you by health professionals, and co-operate with the practice in endeavouring to keep you healthy.

The practice supports the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy for health service staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services a mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. They would respectfully remind patients that very often staff could be confronted with a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations, all at the same time.  Staff understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable or rational manner and will endeavour to take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint. However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the practice list and, in extreme cases, the police being contacted.

In order for the practice to maintain good relations with their patients the practice would like to ask all its patients to  take note of the types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:

• Using bad language or swearing at practice staff.
• Any physical violence towards any member of the primary health care team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving.
• Verbal abuse, insults and accusations towards the staff in any form, either directly to the member of staff or indirectly made about one member of staff to another member of staff.
• Racial abuse and sexual harassment.
• Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot.
• Causing damage/stealing from the practice’s premises, staff or patients.
• Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently.

We ask you to treat your GPs and all their staff courteously at all times.

A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice.