Practice Charter: The Hill Medical Group Practice

OUR PRACTICE CHARTER

We at the Hill Medical Group Practice subscribe to the principles defined in the Citizen's Charter.

In consultation with our Patient Participation Group we have produced a Practice Charter which sets out the standards of service our patients can expect from us.

What WE Promise YOU!

If you phone the Practice

We will answer the telephone promptly and in a courteous manner.

We will have a telephone answering machine which is in operation out of hours. It will give you the telephone number to ring in an emergency.

Telephone advice is available from the doctors during surgery hours.

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Our Staff:

Our reception staff will wear identification badges.

Our staff will undergo appropriate, available training.

Our staff will greet you in a friendly and welcoming manner.

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Our Building and Equipment:

The building and surgeries are easily accessible for people using wheelchairs.

Toilet facilities suitable for both able-bodied and disabled patients are available.

All medical instruments and equipment are properly and regularly serviced.

We undertake to maintain the surgery building to the highest standard for your pleasure and comfort.

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Your Right to Information:

We will produce regular newsheets to keep you up to date with developments in the practice.

You have a right to information about your illness and to have your questions answered.

Self-help advice is available on certain illnesses, in the form of videotapes and health promotion leaflets.

You can ask to see your medical records within the limitation of the law.

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Hearing your Views:

We have a Patient Participation Group which is on hand to advise us on how we can better meet your requirements. Details of membership and how you can use this group to put across your views, are available at reception.

We welcome your comments, compliments and complaints about the service we provide. If you are in any way dissatisfied, please bring your concerns to the attention of your doctor of a member of staff. If you prefer, the practice has a complaints procedure which you can use as explained on this website under Complaints.

Any comments can be e mailed to Thehill@btinternet.com or, without the need to identify yourself, can be put in writing and posted in the postbox outside the main entrance to the surgery.

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Your care:

You will be offered a routine appointment within 48 hours. If you feel your medical condition is urgent and you need to be seen on the same day you will be given an emergency appointment.

Young children whose illness is causing concern will be offered an emergency appointment on the same day.

You will usually be seen within 30 minutes of your appointment time. Occasionally this may not be possible, in which case we will inform you of the reason for the delay and apologise for the inconvenience.

You have a right to choose whether or not to take part in medical research or medical student training during a consultation or home visit.

If you have undergone tests or x-rays ordered by the practice you will be told by the Doctor when to telephone for the results.

Repeat prescriptions will be ready for collection within 24 hours. Some conditions need to be constantly monitored by the doctors and patients with these conditions will be asked to make an appointment each time medication is required.

If you need to be referred to a hospital the referral letter will be dispatched within one week of referral having been agreed with the Doctor. You may also be referred for a second opinion if this is desirable.

We shall advise and inform you of steps you can take to promote good health and avoid illness and provide self help advice for minor ailments where reference to a Doctor is not required.

You will be offered a simple health check when you first join the practice.

Patients over 75 years of age who have not been seen by a doctor for more than a year are entitled to a health check by their doctor.

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How YOU can Help US:

Please arrive on time for your appointment.

If you cannot keep your appointment or wish to postpone it please give adequate notice so that we can reallocate the appointment.

The first hour of the morning is the busiest time so please keep telephone calls brief.

Please do not delay the Doctors unnecessarily. Their time is valuable and they have many patients to see.

You can reduce delays by remembering an appointment is for one person only. Where another member of your family needs to see the Doctor - even if about childhood ailments or if their symptoms are identical - another appointment should be made.

We would appreciate if you could come to the surgery to see the doctor unless you are too ill, in which case the doctor will call to see you at home.

When the surgery is closed you should only telephone if you consider the problem is urgent.

Please inform us of change of address or telephone number.

Please request home visits before 10.30am except if you have an emergency. Telephoning before 10.30am enables the doctors to plan the visits in order of urgency and locality and allows them to make best use of the time available for home visits.

Please treat reception staff with courtesy.

If you feel your problem cannot be dealt with in a routine appointment please ask reception staff to make appropriate arrangements.

Plan ahead when you require repeat prescriptions and do not wait until you have only a few days supply left. Please state clearly the name and strength of the medication you require.

Your health is your responsibility. Please act on advice given to you.

Please try to help the Doctor by giving details of past illnesses.

We monitor our performance againts these standards through internal audit, surveys of our patients, and discussion with our Patient Participation Group.

Click the Patient Survey link below to see our most recent results.

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