Rights

• All patients registered at the practice have a named, accountable GP responsible for their overall care, but any patient can see any doctor or nurse they choose.
• Patients have the right to say if they would prefer to see a particular doctor or nurse and we will try to arrange this (as long as they are available). We understand that ‘continuity of care’ is important. Seeing the same nurse or doctor for a particular condition can make it easier to get the right diagnosis and plan your treatment/management better.
• Registered patients are invited to have a health check from time to time. We hope you will take up this service.
• We also offer all patients over 40 an NHS Health Check every 5 years. Please contact reception to discuss this.
• Patients have the right to see their own health records, subject to the terms of the Data Protection Act.

Responsibilities

• Please arrive on time for your appointment. That way clinics are more likely to run on time.
• Please inform the practice if you can’t make an appointment or if the appointment is no longer necessary, so the slot can be offered to another patient.
• Please try and attend the surgery and do not make a request for a home visit unless absolutely necessary. Home visits are for housebound or seriously ill patients. In the time it takes to conduct 1 home visit we can typically see at least 3 patients at the surgery.
• Please make requests for repeat prescriptions in good time. We suggest at least 72 hours before you need more medication.
• Please co-operate with all practice staff and treat them courteously. They are trying to help you.

A zero tolerance policy towards violent, threatening and abusive behaviour is now in place throughout the NHS. The doctors, nurses and staff in this practice have the right to do their work in an environment free from violent, threatening or abusive behaviour and everything will be done to protect that right.

At no time will any such behaviour be tolerated in this practice. If you do not respect the rights of our staff we may choose to inform the police and make arrangements for you to be removed from our medical list.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters for patients, families and carers.

They are a great first point of call if you have any questions or concerns when you are using NHS services. For example, you may wish to find out about an outpatient appointment or you have a concern about hospital services.

In the Leeds West area of which we are part  information can be found by contacting:

St James Hospital Leeds for hospital services in Leeds – Telephone 0113 2067168 or 0113 2066261 or 0800 0525270

Write to: Patient Experience Team, Trust Head quarters, St James’s Hospital Leeds LS9 7TF

E-mail: patient.relations@leedsth.nhs.uk

It is important for us to listen to your views about the service we offer, so the patient reference group run a survey. The results of which help to define some of our annual service improvement projects.

What is the patient participation group?

The patient group is open to any registered patient to join, and its purpose is to engage patients and their voices in the future development of the NHS.

Do you have ideas for improving services? Are there services you would like to see available? The group is your opportunity to let us know your view, to change the landscape.

We always welcome patients to participate. Ask the practice manager about joining.