Practice Policies & Patient Information
Care Data
Information about you and the care you receive is shared, in a secure system, by healthcare staff to support your treatment and care.
It is important that we, the NHS, can use this information to plan and improve services for all patients. We would like to link information from all the different places where you receive care, such as your GP, hospital and community service, to help us provide a full picture. This will allow us to compare the care you received in one area against the care you received in another, so we can see what has worked best.
Information such as your postcode and NHS number, but not your name, will be used to link your records in a secure system, so your identity is protected. Information which does not reveal your identity can then be used by others, such as researchers and those planning health services, to make sure we provide the best care possible for everyone.
You have a choice. If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything.
If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, please speak to practice staff or download the opt out form below, complete it and return it to the practice
We need to make sure that you know this is happening and the choices you have.
How information about you helps us to provide better care
Care Data – Frequently Asked Questions
Opt Out Form – Download, complete and return to the practice
You can find out more on the NHS England Care Data website.
Complaints Policy
We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our Practice.
However, we are aware that things can go wrong, resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact the Practice Manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception or by going to the “Our Documents” page.
Confidentiality & Medical Records
The Practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation.
Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases. Anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and Administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information
Information about the General Practitioners and the Practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the Practice Manager.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the Practice Manager and may be subject to an administration charge.
No information will be released without the patients consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
GDPR
GDPR & Privacy Notices
What is GDPR?
GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulations and is a new piece of legislation that will supersede the Data Protection Act. It will not only apply to the UK and EU; it covers anywhere in the world in which data about EU citizens is processed.
The GDPR is similar to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 (which the Practice already complies with), but strengthens many of the DPA’s principles. The main changes are:
- Practices must comply with subject access requests (please see the Subject Access Request Form);
- Where we need your consent to process data, this consent must be freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous;
- There are new, special protections for patient data;
- The Information Commissioner’s Office must be notified within 72 hours of a data breach;
- Higher fines for data breaches – up to 20 million euros.
For further information please see our Patient Information Sheet
Privacy Notices
In line with the new GDPR, New Southgate Surgery has produced privacy notices. These can be accessed below :
Patient Privacy Notice – easy read version for children
Patient Access Policy
This document sets out how New Southgate Surgery ensures that all patients are able to access timely and appropriate clinical care. Please select the link below to view the policy.
GP Net Earnings
Updated 20-03-2020
All GP Practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each Practice.
The average pay for GPs working in New Southgate Surgery, in the last financial year, was £85,129 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 3 full time GPs, 7 part time GPs and 0 locum GPs who worked in the Practice for more than six months.
NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the Practice are publicised and the required disclosure is shown here. However, it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the Practice and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other Practice.
Named GP for All Patients
From the 1st of April 2015, all Practices were required, under the terms of the latest GP contract, to allocate all patients (including children) a named accountable GP who is responsible for patients overall care at the Practice and who will take lead responsibility for the coordination of all services required under the contract.
Your Registered GP will become your Named Accountable GP.
If you do not already know who this is, please ask during your next consultation or at reception.
Having a Named GP does not prevent you seeing any other doctor in the Practice. Your Named GP will not be available at all times and if your needs are urgent, you may need to discuss them with an alternative doctor.
Please note: there is no need to telephone the Practice for this information. If you wish to change your Named Accountable GP, please inform us and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.
Risk Profiling
Risk Profiling: How Your NHS Records are Used – Privacy Notice
This Practice is taking part in a new NHS service that helps your family doctor (GP) to spot whether you need more help to manage your health. The service is called “risk profiling”.
Using information from your health records, a secure NHS computer system will look at any recent treatments you have had in hospital or at this surgery, and any existing health conditions that you have, and alert your doctor to the likelihood of a possible future hospital admission. The clinical team at the surgery will use the information to help you get early care and treatment where it is needed.
The information will be seen only by qualified health workers involved in your care. NHS security systems will protect your health information and patient confidentiality at all times.
If you don’t want your information being used in this way, or have any other concerns, please contact the surgery.
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I Need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who Can See it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How do I Know if I Have One?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP.
Do I Have to Have One?
No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website or the HSCIC Website.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the Practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard Practice staff, patients and others.
Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse, which leads to fear for a person’s safety.
In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.