Other Useful Information

We will soon be required to supply your personal and confidential medical Information to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). This information will be taken from the practice in a form that can identify you. The Practice has no choice but to allow the HSCIC to extract this information. However, individual patients can instruct their Practice to stop the transfer of their data. For more information on the reasons for this data extract and how to opt out of sending your confidential information: see below.

There are changes occurring in how we protect the confidential and personal information that we record in your medical records. The changes make it a legal obligation for us to share your information (see leaflet for details). The proposed benefits of sharing identifiable data are to help to plan and monitor effective patient services, especially where patients receive care from several different organisations.

We feel it is vital that you, as our patient, are made aware of these changes. This leaflet has been produced to help you understand what currently happens to information you share with your health professional and how that information may be used outside of your direct care.

The official NHS England poster,England information leaflet and NHS England FAQ are available here, or from the NHS England Website.

Some of us didn’t feel that these gave patients complete information about these changes and have collaborated to produce alternative information:
EMIS National User Group website
Recommended Patient information leaflet

If you decide that you would like to prevent your information from being used in this way, you can complete this opt-out form and return it to the surgery. If you change your mind later, you can use the same form to opt back in.

We are part of the Leeds Care Record project. From October 16th 2013 we were one of the three pilot practices for this project. Leeds Care Record is now in live use. We will share key information from your record with other people providing direct care for you, for example Leeds accident & emergency department, outpatient clinics, district nurses and social care. We already share information of this sort, but mainly on paper or electronicially at the time of making a referral. By the time you are next seen in clinic this information could be out of date, for example if you’ve changed your medication. The Leeds Care Record will mean that those people caring for you will have up to date information. Protecting your confidential information is important to us and we are working with the others involved in this project to ensure that. Please read on for more information:

What is the Leeds Care Record?

At the moment, every health and social care organisation that you use has a different set of patient records for you.  These records may duplicate information or one record might hold information about your treatment, care and support that another one doesn’t.

It can take a little time for us to receive results and then for the doctor to review these and decide on the best course of action if any is required.

For blood tests please leave 10 days before you telephone for your results.  For Ultrasound Scan and X-Ray Results please leave 2 weeks before you telephone for your results.

Please avoid calling between 8-9am when the phones are particularly busy.  If when you call your test result has been received however the GP has yet to view it, the receptionist will let you know the next time the GP requesting the test has administrative time to review results (each doctor has time set aside each day), and they will ask the GP to prioritise your result so you know when the GP will look at it.  Please do not ask for an urgent ring back with the on call GP to discuss test results as this slows our ability to respond quickly to patients who require urgent medical attention on the same day, and results are best reviewed by the GP who originally requested the test.

Thank you.

If you are asked to drop off a urine sample please ensure it is returned in the correct sample bottle (available from reception) and fully labelled with your name, address and date of birth. Unfortunately we are unable to accept samples in other containers or without full labelling.

We receive numerous requests each week to undertake private work e.g. letters, completing insurance claim forms, signing passport photos etc.  Whilst every effort is made to complete these requests as soon as possible, please bear in mind that a realistic timescale is 3 weeks as we will always prioritise NHS work and the care of patients with the most pressing health needs.
Where a fee is due this is payable in advance of the report/lform/letter being released.  If you request private work and then no longer need it, please inform us straight away so we can cancel your request.

If you’re off work sick for seven days or less, your employer should not ask for medical fit note from your GP, but they may ask you to fill in their own self certification form.

If you require a doctor’s note for absence of more than seven days (including days you don’t normally work) please make an appointment with a GP.  If you’re under the care of a hospital, your note may be issued by the hospital, rather than by your GP.

If you feel well enough to return before your note runs out, you can return to work without seeing the doctor and without getting a new note.  In rare instances employers insist on a note from the GP to say you are now fit to work.  Please book an appointment to see the GP in these instances.

There is never a charge for providing a doctor’s note if you are off work due to illness for more than 7 days.  Some employers may request a doctor’s note for absences of less than 7 days, for example, from employees who repeatedly take time off sick.  There is a fee of £15 for doctor’s notes for less than 7 days.

1. There are just over 7000 patients registered at Hillfoot Surgery and our numbers have grown by 10% over the past 10 years.
2. Compared to the Leeds average, we have relatively:
   1. More children (21% of our population is aged 15 or under)
   2. Less young people (32% of our patients are aged 16-40)
   3. More patients age 45+ (32% of our patients are aged 41-65, 6% of our population are aged 66-74, 9% of our population are aged 75 or older)
3. Our deprivation is relatively low. 3% of our patients are classified as ‘comfortably off’.  Nonetheless we have 410 patients who are classified as ‘struggling families’.
4. Just under 15% of our patients smoke, compared to the Leeds and CCG area average of just over 20%
5. Our recorded obesity rates (body mass index greater than 30) of 22% are slightly higher than the Leeds average (21.5%).
6. 3% of our patients have a cancer diagnosis (Leeds average 2.8%)
7. Our emergency admission rates are low relative to other Practices.
8. 29% of our population are living with a long term condition.
9. 78% of our population aged 75 or older are living with one or more long term conditions.
10. Our male patients can expect to live on average until they are 78.7 years (average for North and West Leeds is 78.6), and females can expect to live until they are 82.6 (average for North and West Leeds is 82.4).

We welcome suggestions on how we can improve our service to you, our patients. We also welcome your general comments and compliments when we do a good job.

Please take the opportunity to feed back your thoughts by completing a slip and placing it in our comments box next to reception. If you would like to discuss any concerns or make a complaint about any aspect of our service please ask to speak to the Practice Manager who will do her best to help resolve the problem.

 

Complaints Procedure Information for Patients

The people who look after your health will do whatever they can to ensure you are treated properly and promptly, but sometimes things do go wrong.  If you have a complaint or a concern about the service your have received from the doctors or any of the staff working at this Practice please let us know.

We will investigate the concerns you raise promptly, and with respect and courtesy.  We aim to give a thorough response along with the opportunity for you to discuss any matters further.

Who Can Make a Complaint?

• Anyone who is receiving, or has received, services from the surgery.
• Anyone who is affected, or likely to be affected, by the action, omission or decision of the surgery.
• A representative acting on behalf of a person who:
  1. Has died;
  2. Is a child (where it is deemed the complaint is in the child’s best interests);
  3. Is unable to complain themselves due to physical or mental incapacity (where it is deemed the complaint is in that person’s best interests);
  4. Has requested (in writing to the practice) the representative to act on their behalf.

Time Limit for Making a Complaint

 

• A complaint can be made up to 12 months after the date on which the matter which the subject of the complaint occurred; or
• If later, the date on which the matter which the subject of the complaint came to the notice of the complainant.

The time limit may be extended if the practice is satisfied that the complainant had good reasons for not making the compliant within 12 months; and notwithstanding the delay, it is still possible to investigate the complaint effectively and fairly.

 How to Make a Complaint

Informal Complaints

You can make an informal complaint by asking to speak to the Practice Manager (or Deputy Practice Manager in her absence).

The Practice Manager will investigate the issue promptly and endeavour to feed back to you the next working day, or later if both parties agree (e.g. if staff/doctor involved not due to be at surgery within this timescale).

If the practice manager (or deputy practice manager) is not available we would recommend that complaints are communicated to the practice in writing – email to [email protected] or by letter to Hillfoot Surgery, 126 Owlcotes Road, Pudsey, Leeds LS28 7QR. This will ensure they have a complete record of your concerns when they return.

If you are unable to write to us some concerns can be dealt with verbally – however this is not recommend when the complaint relates to a specific member of staff. We would prefer written details so we can fully investigate.

Most problems can be resolved in this way, but if you are not happy with the outcome of the informal complaint you can make a formal complaint.

 

Formal Complaints

Y

Who can a formal complaint be made to?

ONLY TO – either the practice   -OR – NHS England

In the event of anyone not wishing to complain to the practice they should be directed to make their complaint to NHSE at:  

By telephone: 03003 11 22 33

By email: [email protected]

By post: NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT

In those cases where the complaint is made to NHS England, the practice will comply with all appropriate requests for information and co-operate fully in assisting them to investigate and respond to the complaint.

A formal complaint to the practice can be made verbally, in writing or electronically to the Practice Manager (or Assistant Practice Manager in her absence).  The practice will acknowledge the complaint in writing within 3 days of receipt and provide:

• 1. An explanation of how the complaint will be handled;
  2. Details of how long the investigation is likely to take. (6 months allowable under regulations, but at Hillfoot Surgery we aim to respond to all complaints within 3 weeks);
  3. An offer to discuss the outcome with you once you have received a report of the investigation, or an earlier mutually agreeable date if you wish.

• The Practice Manager will co-ordinate the investigation of all complaints and produce a report that includes:
  1. An explanation of how the complaint has been considered;
  2. Conclusions reached, including any areas for remedial action and clarification of whether such action has been taken or is planned.
  3. Details of your right to take the complaint to the Health Service Ombudsman.

• If a response is not sent within the timescales agreed the Practice Manager will notify you in writing and explain the reason why; and send a written response as soon as is reasonably practicable.

Annual Review of Complaints 

The practice will produce an annual complaints report to be sent to the local Commissioning Body (NHSE) and will form part of the Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme.

The report will include:

• Statistics on the number of complaints received
• The number considered to have been upheld
• Known referrals to the Ombudsman
• A summary of the issues giving rise to the complaints
• Learning points that came out of the complaints and the changes to procedure, policies or care which have resulted

Care must be taken to ensure that the report does not inadvertently disclose any confidential data or lead to the identity of any person becoming known.

 

Confidentiality

All complaints must be treated in the strictest confidence and the practice must ensure that the patient etc. is made aware of any confidential information to be disclosed to a third party (e.g. NHSE).

The practice must keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records must be kept separate from patients’ medical records and no reference which might disclose the fact a complaint has been made should be included on the computerised clinical record system.

Unreasonable or Vexatious Complaints

Where a complainant becomes unreasonable or excessively rude or aggressive in their promotion of the complaint, some or all of the following formal provisions will apply and must be communicated to the patient by the Responsible Person in writing:

• The complaint will be managed by one named individual at senior level who will be the only contact for the patient
• Contact will be limited to one method only (e.g. in writing)
• Place a time limit on each contact
• The number of contacts in a time period will be restricted
• A witness will be present for all contacts
• Repeated complaints about the same issue will be refused unless additional material is being brought forward
• Only acknowledge correspondence regarding a closed matter, not respond to it
• Set behaviour standards
• Return irrelevant documentation
• Detailed records will be kept of each encounter

Leeds CCG Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

The following services are available and will continue to support patients in Leeds:

• Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust PALS – support for all complaints, comments, concerns and compliments regarding hospital services
  Telephone 0113 2066261 or email [email protected]
• Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust PALS – support for all complaints, comments, concerns and compliments
  Telephone 0800 052 5790 or email [email protected]
• Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust PALS – support for all complaints, comments, concerns and compliments for community service
  Telephone 0113 220 8585 or email [email protected]
• All primary care complaints are to be directed to the GP practice or alternatively NHS England on telephone 0300 311 22 33 or email [email protected]
• All commissioning related concerns or feedback can be directed to the CCG at [email protected]or formal complaints to [email protected]

There is an independent advocacy service within Leeds, Advonet, available to provide support to people wanting to make a complaint.
Telephone 0113 244 0606 or email [email protected]

 

If you remain dissatisfied with the way your complaint has been handled

You may ask the Health Service Ombudsman to look into the matter further.  You can contact the Health Service Ombudsman at:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

Millbank Tower

Millbank

London

SW1P 4QP

Tel: 0345 015 4033

or visit their website at www.ombudsman.org.uk

How the NHS and care services use your information

Hillfoot Surgery  is one of many organisations working in the health and care system to improve care for patients and the public.  Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service. Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.

The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:

• improving the quality and standards of care provided
• research into the development of new treatments
• preventing illness and diseases
• monitoring safety
• planning services

This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information. All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations. Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law.

Most of the time, anonymised data is used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified in which case your confidential patient information isn’t needed.

You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way.

If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything.

If you do choose to opt out your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.

To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.  This web page link will allow you to:

o   See what is meant by confidential patient information

o   Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care

o   Find out more about the benefits of sharing data

o   Understand more about who uses the data

o   Find out how your data is protected

o   Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting

o   Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone

o   See the situations where the opt-out will not apply

You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research); and

https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made)

You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.

Health and care organisations have until 2020 to put systems and processes in place so they can be compliant with the national data opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care. Our organisation reviewing all its policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the national data opt-out policy.