We aim to provide the best possible service to our patients and hope you feel that we achieve that aim. The care of your health is a partnership between yourself and the Primary Health Care Team. The success of that partnership depends on an understanding of each others needs and co-operation between us.
Patient Confidentiality
When you register with us we create a new health record for you and obtain your past health records from your previous GP Practice. We make every effort to keep your information confidential and secure. You have the right to see your health records, though there may be a charge.
Discussions between you and your Doctor or healthcare professional are confidential. Where your care involves other members of our healthcare team or a referral is required, your information may be shared in support of that care. Please be assured we make every endeavour to ensure that matters you discuss are kept confidential.
The Primary Health Care Team (including Doctors, Nurses, Health Visitors, District Nurses, Midwives, Managers and Support Staff) use your information to provide healthcare and administer the practice. We share information with other people involved in your care, such as Hospital Doctors.
We use your information to help us improve the type and quality of service that we offer and we provide information to the NHS for financial and monitoring purposes. We use personal information to assist in teaching medical and nursing students. Information from health records is sometimes used for research purposes, although details that could identify a patient will not be removed from the premises.
Your health records contain facts about your health, such as your appoinment history and future appointments; treatments and test results; and the professional opinions of the health care professionals caring for you.
Your health records are used by staff to ensure that we offer the best possible care and treatment to our patients. Your records will only be used by staff treating you or administration staff in support of the clinical team.
It can often be the case that in order to provide the best care and services to our patients we will seek the support and advice of other NHS organisations.
The NHS also works with many partner agencies such as Social Services; Education; Housing and the Voluntary Sector. We will always discuss with you what information they are sharing and why. Please always discuss any concerns and questions with your GP, we will be happy to explain.
Sometimes it may be very important for us to share information with other organisations in order for us to prevent possible harm to you or someone else. We will only share information in these situations once we have spoken with you, or where it is vital to act quickly and we are unable to speak with you.
We have a legal obligation to share information with outside agencies such as Child Protection Cases, Controlling Infectious Disease and for the protection of vulnerable people.
All staff are trained and have regular updates about how to handle patient information. We are bound by a legal duty to keep your information confidential.
Any information stored by the practice on any media is subject to very strict security controls. Regular security audits of computer systems and procedures to collect and store data, take place to ensure that our security systems are working well.
We keep information about you, your name and address, treatments, tests and consultations on both paper and computer records. This enables us to monitor the quality of care we are providing.
We continue to work with you to plan new services to best treat your illness and better manage conditions. It is vital that you keep us up to date with all of your current contact details, incorrect information may delay care. If you move house within the practice area, or change your telephone number, please let us know immediately.
If you need to change your contact details please download the form here and hand it in to reception. Change of Address or Name
If you move outside the practice area, you should register with a doctor who is local to your new address. If you would like to remain with our practice, please make a request in writing to the partners. All requests are decided on an individual basis taking into account the following criteria:
You must inform us immediately if your circumstances change, i.e. you may need access to community services. In this case you may be asked to re-register with another surgery local to your new home.
Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to maintain the highest level of confidentiality about patient information. If at any time you would like to know more about how your records are used, please ask to speak to the Practice Manager, Christine Perks.
We ask for information about yourself so that you can receive the best possible care and treatment. We keep this information, together with details of your care, to ensure that your Doctor or Nurse has accurate and up-to-date information. It may also be needed when we see you again.
We only use or pass information on about you to people who have a genuine need for it, and with your consent. Whenever we can we shall remove details that identify you as an individual.
May I give consent for others to access my medical records?
Yes. You may give consent for someone to access the information you would be given, e.g. test results, medicine information, etc. Some people have a person in their life that is better at “dealing with things” for whatever reason and you may give access to them to view your records by completing a consent form. The consent form can be collected at reception and you have to complete details about whom you are giving consent to, their relationship to you and your signature. You can download this form here. Consent Form.
Access to your Medical Records
The Practice is registered and complies with the Data Protection Act 1998. Any request for access to notes by a patient, patient’s representative, or by any outside body will be dealt with in accordance with the Act. Please put your request in writing. There may be a charge for this service – see private services. Freedom of Information.
The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt by 1st January 2009. Click on pdf below for more information.
All patients registered with Horizon Health Centre have a named accountable GP for administrative purposes.
If you wish to know whom you have been allocated as your accountable GP, please contact us.
At Horizon Health Centre the GPs work closely together; this change does not prevent you from seeing any doctor at the practice.
Equal Opportunities and Anti Discrimination Policy
The Practice:
Suggestions and Comments
We aim to provide a personal and friendly service. We should like to involve our patients in the development of the services we offer. Your suggestions and comments are most welcome. Please use our suggestions box in the waiting room. If you provide us with your contact details, we will respond to you within 14 days. If you prefer to leave anonymous feedback, we will still consider your views, but you will not get a reply.
Car Parking
We appreciate that parking near the surgery can be difficult at times and ask that you bear this in mind when attending your appointment. We also kindly ask that you consider our neighbours when parking, e.g. do not obstruct driveways, etc. Tesco car park can be used for up to two hours and we do have a wheelchair at reception for the benefit of our patients if you have parked further away.
The car park at the surgery is for Doctors and Staff only.