Practice Policies

Patients have an absolute right to the confidentiality of their information, subject only to the requirements of legislation or overriding public interest as defined by case law or GMC guidance. All doctors and staff working at the surgery have a duty to maintain confidentiality at all times. If you have any concerns regarding confidentiality please bring them to our attention by telephone, in writing or by clicking here.

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to protect the health, well-being and human rights of children, young people and vulnerable adults to live free from abuse, harm and neglect.

The Practice Safeguarding lead for the Practice is Dr G.P.Hanlon. If you have any concerns please let our reception teams know or ask to speak to Dr Hanlon directly.

All of our staff receive regular safeguarding training.

The Practice Lead for Infection, Prevention and Control lead is Mr Paul Hanlon. If you have any concerns that you would like to discuss please contact him at Rosebery Medical Centre by calling 01509 324115.

At the end of each year the Practice produces a statement on Infection, Prevention and Control which can be viewed below. The next statement will be completed for 2024 in January 2025.

• Charnwood Community Medical Group are committed to maintaining good levels of hand hygiene within the practice.

• Cleaning your hands is the simplest, cheapest and most effective way of preventing germs being passed from one person to another.

• Alcohol gel and soap is available for patients and staff throughout our buildings and posters are displayed above all sinks.

• Regular hand washing audits are carried out by the Practice.

• Hand washing information is available for patients on the Practice website.

How to wash your hands video

SystmOne is a computer system that GPs and other people looking after patients can use to record medical information and other relevant information discussed at your time of contact. Not everyone uses this particular system, but many GPs and Community Health services in this area use this system to record patient notes.

Video recordings of consultations are sometimes made to be shown to other doctors for teaching. You will always be asked for your consent prior to such recordings. Please tell the doctor or receptionist if you have any reservations about being recorded on video or anything connected with teaching.

Terms Used in this Section

Data Controller - This is the controller of the data and the system, as defined in the Act. In this case the Controller is the Partnership.

Data Subject - This is the person whose image is within the system, and who has rights of access as determined under the Act.

Third Party - A person or body other than the Data Subject who requests access, or to whom an image may be provided.

Images

Images will not be retained longer than is considered necessary, and will be then be deleted.

All images will be held securely, and all access requests, and access to images will be documented.

Images may record individuals and / or record incidents. Not all recordings are designed to identify persons.

Other than in accordance with statutory rights, the release or availability of images will be at the discretion of the Partners of the Practice, who are Data Controllers for the purposes of the Data Protection Act.

Images are held to improve the personal security of patients and staff whilst on the premises, and for the prevention and detection of crime, and images may be provided to police or other bodies.

Where access is granted in response to an application received, the image may be edited to exclude images of third parties who may be also included within the requested image. This may be necessary to protect the identity of the third parties. In these circumstances the image released as part of the application may record / identify the "data subject" only.

Images will be located by the Data Controller or authorised person.

When assessing the content of the image to be released the decision will be taken by the Data Controllers having due regard to the requirements of the Data Protection Act and Code of Conduct.

Access - Data Subject

The Data Protection Act 1998 (Section 7) specifies the rights of access of the Data Subject.

All requests for access must be in writing on a Data Access form which will be provided on request, accompanied by a £10 fee, which is non-refundable should the request be declined.

The form must be fully completed.

A response will be provided as soon as possible, and in any event within 40 days. Where an application is declined, a reason will be given.

Access - Third Party

Access by third parties will be tightly controlled to ensure the confidentiality of individuals. All requests will be in writing on the standard form provided, accompanied by a £10 access fee, which is non-refundable should the application be declined.

Images will only be made available to third parties in limited and prescribed circumstances, and this will generally be restricted to law enforcement agencies.

Where an application is declined a reason will be given.

Making an Access Request

Please read the information above carefully.

1) Please click here to request a form.

2) Ensure that the form is fully completed, using a separate sheet of paper if necessary, and return it together with the fee of £10 (non-refundable).

3)Please note that a decision on access will be made based only on the details provided within the form and accompanying documents. No other information will be requested. It is therefore essential that full details are given.

From 1st April 2015, practices are required under the GMS contract, to allocate a named, accountable GP to all patients, including children.

All patients at the Practice have an allocated named GP responsible for the administrative oversight of their care.

Please ask your doctor, or the reception staff, who your named, accountable GP is if you would like to know.

Please be aware that this does not affect your ability to make an appointment with any of the GPs in the practice of your choosing.

All GP practices are required to declare the mean (average) earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

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.

The average pay for GPs working in Charnwood Community Medical Group in the last financial year was £45,238.00 before tax and National Insurance. This is for three full time GPs, six part time GPs, two salaried GPs and one locum GP who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

Our Practice participates in clinical research. You will always be asked if you wish to participate in any research that we are involved in.

What is Research?

Have you ever wondered how your doctor or nurse knows the best treatment to prescribe when you're ill? The answer is simple - it's all down to research studies which are designed to find ways to treat or prevent disease.

Why Take Part in Research?

The goal of research is to improve everyone's knowledge about health and disease. Taking part in research may lead to new solutions to problems and thus improvements in health. Moreover, taking part in research may enable you to access new and innovative treatments before they're available to others.

Primary Care Research Network (PCRN)

"The Primary Care Research Network East Midlands and South Yorkshire (PCRN EMSY) is part of the NHS. Please visit our website at: www.pcrn-emsy.org.uk. PCRN EMSY aims to promote research and we have worked closely with doctors and pharmacies since 2007. You may have already been invited to take part in a research study or may already be participating in one."

Working with your Surgery

"PCRN EMSY has a portfolio of research studies and your surgery actively supports our work. This means that your surgery is sent information about new studies and invited to take part. If the doctors are happy that the research will benefit patients, work will then start to identify eligible patients. This means you might receive a letter from the surgery, or your doctor or nurse may discuss a study with you during your appointment. Either way, it is up to you to decide whether you want to take part."

The practice will conduct all aspects of its business with due regard to the environment and its habitats. The practice will actively investigate new opportunities to take advantage of environmentally friendly initiatives and developments.

Practical Application

• Premises will include design and / or improvement for maximum energy efficiency
• All new and replacement equipment, including heating, cooling, or other energy-use items will be co-selected on the basis of low energy use and environmental impact
• Travel by staff and / or partners will be on the basis of shared transport wherever practicable
• Environmental considerations will be taken into account in every major business decision
• Contractors will be selected on the basis of a consideration their environmental procedures
• Gardeners and other external contractors will be required to use bio-degradable chemicals only. All garden waste will be re-cycled into a "Green" scheme
• Rooms not in use will be "powered down" and closed off for the inactive period
• The practice will aim to have water on a metered supply. Automatic toilet flush systems will not be used, and low-volume cisterns will be installed
• The practice will re-cycle toner cartridges via the supplier
• All paper and cardboard will be recycled
• All aluminium waste will be segregated and recycled
• Timber, if used, will be from renewable sources
• Tea bags and food waste will be composted where possible
• Envelopes or other paper supplies will be purchased as re-cycled paper where practicable. Packaging materials or boxes will be opened in a way which will facilitate re-use
• The use of hazardous or other non-degradable chemicals or cleaning supplies will be avoided where there is a suitable alternative
• Where possible, communication and routine elements of the business will take place electronically to avoid paper use. Printing will be kept to a minimum
• All heating and electrical equipment will be serviced annually where appropriate
• Time clocks, controls and thermostats for the heating system and the air conditioning/cooling system will be monitored and adjusted to optimise energy use. Heating and cooling systems will be turned down/off at weekends and bank holidays
• All waste classified as hazardous will be clearly identified, segregated, and disposed of by an approved and certified contractor who will provide a consignment note
• All clinical waste will be segregated and treated as hazardous
• Where available and practical to do so energy certificates for buildings and equipment will be displayed
• Energy performance will be considered in the purchase of all new equipment

Green Plan Relating to Medications

• We will proactively look to optimise medications and reduce medicines wastage
• We will provide advice to patients on the responsible capture or disposal of waste medications
• We will consider lower carbon alternative medicines where clinically appropriate

The practice has a publication scheme produced in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. The scheme is available on request to the Business Manager at Rosebery Medical Centre.