Dr Fiona Ross Russell, Dr Ian Green, Dr Edward Millar-Craig

Patient Information

Avon Valley Practice Providing quality health care in your local area

Upavon Surgery Durrington Surgery

43 Fairfield 77 Bulford Road Upavon Durrington Wiltshire Wiltshire SN9 6DZ SP4 8EU

Tel: 01980 630221 Tel: 01980 652378 Fax: 01980 630393 Fax: 01980 630393

Email [email protected] Web www.avonvalleypractice.com

AVP/Q1/17 - 01 Your Practice At A Glance

Welcome – introduction & services 1

Contact details & opening times – PLUS When the Practice is closed – what to do in an emergency 2

Join us – becoming one of our patients 3

The Practice team 4 - 5

Appointments 6

Getting your medication 7

Information for carers 8

How do I? – find answers to your questions here 9 - 10

Summary Care Record - what this means for you 11

Data Protection Act – patient information 12 - 13

CCTV Policy & Code of Practice 14 - 15

Improving communication 16

Have your say 17

In summary 18

Your health record and sharing of information Appendix A Welcome

Avon Valley Practice is a long established family practice, providing quality health care in a friendly and welcoming environment. With over 6,500 registered patients, we operate across two surgeries in Upavon and Durrington, as part of the local community. Our Durrington surgery reopened on the 1st June 2016, following extensive improvement work, and we very much hope you enjoy using the new facilities.

We are proud of the services we provide and strive to fully support the health needs of you and your family. Treatment is available both on the NHS and privately for a wide range of general medical problems.

NHS Services A full range of primary care is available including physiotherapy, family planning, maternity care and child health checks. Minor surgery for warts and skin growths is carried out, as are joint injections. There is also a part time counsellor available through a doctor.

In addition to guidance offered by a doctor in routine consultations, we offer specific appointments with the nursing team. These are directed at various areas of concern such as smoking, high blood pressure, heart disease prevention and diet and exercise. Regular review for patients with asthma, diabetes and heart disease is encouraged.

Medicals The doctors are available to perform pre-employment, HGV, PSV and insurance medicals. This service is not included on the NHS and a fee may be payable. Our receptionists can book these for you and will advise you of any fee.

We hope that you find this pack informative and useful. We are continually looking to develop our services and welcome any comments you may wish to make. For further information you can also visit our website, www.avonvalleypractice.com where you can:  Access your online account to book and cancel appointments, order repeat medication, inform us of a change of address (although you will still need to show ID at the Practice to confirm this), obtain test results and view your full medical record  Download the APP to access your online account on your iPhone or iPad  Access forms and leaflets  Find out more about the Practice  For information about setting up an online account, please contact reception

Contact Us & Opening Hours

Upavon Surgery Durrington Surgery 43 Fairfield 77 Bulford Road Upavon Durrington Wiltshire Wiltshire SN9 6DZ SP4 8EU Tel: 01980 630221 Tel: 01980 652378 Fax: 01980 630393 Fax: 01980 630393

Monday – Thursday Monday ONLY 08.00 – 17.30 hours 08.00 – 19.30 hours* Friday Only Tuesday – Friday 08.00 – 18.30 hours 08.00 – 18.30 hours We DO NOT close for lunch Durrington is closed EVERY DAY for lunch between 13.00 – 14.00 hrs * Telephone calls made to either surgery after 18.30 hrs will automatically be transferred to our out-of-hours service.

The consulting rooms and public areas at both surgeries allow disabled patients easy access to all facilities. If you have difficulties hearing, hearing loops are available for your use. Should you require assistance with any other aspect of your visit to us, please let reception know, when we will be happy to assist.

Car parking is free and there are designated disabled parking spaces. Wheelchairs are available at reception. We are not open at weekends.

When the Practice is closed The Practice is closed from 18.30 hours until 08.00 the following morning and from 18.30 on Friday until 08.00 on Monday morning.

If you need advice or urgent attention between these hours, you can visit Salisbury Walk in Health Centre or telephone 111.

You can find Salisbury Walk-in Health Centre at the Central Health Clinic, Avon Approach or telephone 01722 331191.

IN AN EMERGENCY An emergency is a critical or life threatening situation which may include a loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulties, deep wounds such as stab wounds, severe chest pain or heavy loss of blood.

If emergency care is required a trip to A&E or a 999 call for an ambulance is the right course of action to take. If your child needs emergency care, call 999.

However if it is NOT an emergency, please do not visit A&E. Contact us or the Out of Hours Service, Salisbury Walk-in Health Centre or call 111.

Join Us

We are pleased to welcome new patients.

If you would like to register with us, a receptionist will give you a registration pack containing a NHS registration form, questionnaires to fill in and this practice leaflet. Upon completion you will also be offered an appointment for a health check with one of our Health Care Assistants (HCA) or nurses.

IMPORTANT It is NHS policy to verify your identity to reduce the risk of fraud. Therefore, you will be asked to provide two forms of identification, detailing your current address and displaying your photograph. Copies will be taken and filed in your medical record.

A health check is an excellent opportunity to understand your baseline health and for us to check that all immunisations, cervical smears and contraceptive requirements are up to date.

We welcome patients who live within AND outside the Practice area.

If you live outside the area, we can still provide you with the full range of services from our premises but are unable to visit you at home. If home visits are required, a doctor from another practice will visit you.

Practice Area

A345 Avon Valley Practice Upavon Surgery

Avon Valley Practice Durrington Surgery A345

The Practice Team

Our clinical team has a wealth of expertise, with appointments running throughout the week at both surgeries.

Doctors Patients are free to choose the doctor they wish to see and every reasonable effort will be made to achieve this, whenever feasible. Practice Partners:  Dr Fiona Ross Russell (MB BS DCH DRCOG MRCGP)  Dr Ian Green (BM)  Dr Edward Millar-Craig (MBBS BSc Hons, DCH DFSRH MRCGP)

Because we are a training practice, we also benefit from having the services of additional doctors working with us on a regular basis.

Nurse Practitioners  Sister Cathy Richards (specialises in long term conditions) Cathy is able to prescribe medication as well as seeing patients with long term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and COPD.

 Sister Alison O’Donnell Sister Alison O’Donnell joined our team in February and will undergo training to become a Nurse Practitioner.

Practice Nurses & Health Care Assistants There is a nurse available every day to help you with any problems not requiring a doctor. Our nursing team are available by appointment only and comprises of:  Sister Susie Orr Sandra Coslett (Clinical Assistant Practitioner)  Sister Amanda Beaumont Louise Mundy (Health Care Assistant)  Sister Caroline Smith Emma Spencer (Health Care Assistant) For tests carried out by our nursing staff, it is advisable to ring your preferred surgery a few days later, after lunch time, for the results. We encourage all patients to check the outcome of any test using their online account. Confidentiality has to be strictly observed and this means that results can only be given to the person who has had the tests done. In accordance with the Data Protection Act, information cannot be disclosed to a third party, which also includes other family members, without prior written consent.

Practice Management Anna Morton has overall responsibility for the running of the Practice and would be pleased to hear your views and suggestions regarding the services we offer. You can write to her at the Practice or email her on [email protected].

Anna is assisted in her role by our Team Leader Operations, Nina Hammond, who oversees the smooth running of reception and dispensary, in addition to managing the premises.

Receptionists & Dispensers

Kor, Sam, Deborah, Alison, Ruth, Gail, Kim, Emma, Sophie, Claire, Emma & Chloe are here to help you. They answer the telephones; make appointments, deal with enquiries, dispense medication and undertake various administration tasks. They work to guidelines which have been agreed by the doctors and are not in a position to offer medical advice.

Jim delivers repeat medication once a week to patients. If you are interested in receiving medication direct to your door, please ask for details about this service at reception.

Administrators

Abby is our Office Team Leader and Sandra, Maddie, Jess and Emma are our administrators. Between them they undertake a variety of essential administrative duties including appointment maintenance, stock control, processing referrals, correspondence and requests for medical reports. ***

Community Team

The following healthcare professionals may also be involved in providing care to you and your family, either at the surgery or in your own home:

District Nurses (direct telephone number - 01980 625340) Patients who are confined to their homes and who require nursing assistance may arrange with the doctor for a district nurse to call. Following a hospital admission the nurse will normally call on patients who are newly discharged and who still require nursing treatment at home.

Midwives (direct telephone number - 01722 425185) The midwives hold weekly antenatal clinics at both surgeries to guide you through your pregnancy, prepare you for motherhood and promote good health for yourself and your baby.

Health Visitors (direct telephone number - 01980 633175) A health visitor gives expert advice on health - particularly for expectant mothers, children, older people and people with disabilities. They run child health clinics by appointment and also have a drop-in session for new mothers and babies. Together with the doctor they run the child health surveillance programme. Please check with reception for details of your nearest drop-in clinic.

Appointments The Practice operates an appointment system every week day from 08.30 am. Times may vary between surgeries and we aim to make available the best choice of appointments possible. There is also a walk-in service from 08.30 am on Monday mornings at both surgeries. If you arrive at the surgery before 11.00 am you will be seen by a GP or Nurse Practitioner. This service works on a first come, first served basis. Please understand that although you will be seen, you may need to wait. Additional walk-in clinics run during the week from 09.00 am – 11.00 am at Upavon surgery. Booked appointments are 10 minutes long and can be booked ahead. You can arrange to see a doctor at either surgery by calling in, or telephoning Upavon Surgery on 01980 630221 or Durrington Surgery on 01980 652378. The first available appointment will be offered to you. You can also book telephone appointments with clinicians. Some appointments are kept for ‘on the day’ and medically urgent problems. These can be booked by telephone from 08.00 each morning. However, to ensure the most appropriate appointment is arranged for you, the receptionist may book a telephone appointment with a Nurse Practitioner or one of the doctors. The clinician will telephone you that day to discuss your concerns and may be able to address these there and then. Alternatively, they may arrange for you to attend the Practice for further tests or an appointment. We regret, we are unable to be specific at as to when phone calls are made. The appointment system works on a "one appointment, one patient" basis. If you have a complicated matter to deal with you may wish to ask for a double appointment. If you cannot keep your booked appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. We offer appointment reminders by text (SMS) that enable you to reply ‘CANCEL’ if you no longer wish to attend. This allows other patients to use the appointment and therefore reduce wastage. Whilst every effort is made to keep to appointment times, occasionally a patient with serious problems, or an emergency, means that a doctor will run late. We ask for your understanding and patience if this is the case. Please respect the privacy of other patients when waiting at reception. Evening Appointments There are late evening appointments every Monday from 18.30 to 19.30 hours at our Durrington Surgery. Appointments must be made in advance. Home Visits If you require a home visit, please telephone your nearest surgery with the details before 10.00. Only emergency visits will be arranged after this time. Please give the receptionist as much information as possible to enable the doctor to allocate priority to home visits. Please remember that several patients can be seen at the Practice in the time that it takes to do one home visit. Holidays During holiday periods or when your doctor is on study leave, there may be a delay in appointments but we try to keep this to a minimum.

Getting your Medication

The doctors, and Sister Cathy Richards, are able to write prescriptions for all patients and provide you with medication if you live within certain parts of our practice area. If a clinician prescribes medication during a consultation, you will either collect your medication from reception or be given a prescription to take to a chemist of your choice. Please let the receptionist know when a prescription has been issued for you. You can also request that your prescription is sent electronically to a chemist of your choice, however please be aware that it’s not always possible for the pharmacy to download this straight away. However, if you are taking regular medication from your doctor or hospital, you do not always need to see a doctor to obtain a repeat supply of your medication. You will be issued with a computer slip attached to your prescription detailing your medication and we ask that you give this re-order form to your preferred surgery for your repeat medication. You need to order your medication BEFORE you run out as we need 2 working days to process your request. You can order repeat medication:  Online: Visit www.avonvalleypractice.com and select the prescription page  In person: Drop the completed slip into the collection box at reception. If your preferred surgery is closed you can post it through the secure letterbox (not to be used for samples – thank you). You can also drop your slip into the box at Netheravon shop.  By post: Please send the computer slip to your preferred surgery and address the envelope to the ‘Dispensary’  By fax: Fax the computer slip using 01980 630393  By phone: This service is ONLY available to patients who are aged over 80, house bound, a carer or aged 12 to 15 inclusive If we have your consent to contact you by SMS, we will inform you when your medication is ready for collection. IMPORTANT - Please tell us which collection point you prefer to use:  Upavon Surgery from 0800 to 1730, Monday to Thursday and from 0800 to 1830 on Fridays  Netheravon Shop during shop opening times – where we kindly request you collect your medication within 48 hours, whenever possible  Durrington Surgery from 0800 to 1930 Mondays and from 0800 to 1830, Tuesday to Fridays In certain circumstances, we offer a FREE delivery service for dispensed medications (excluding refrigerated items and controlled drugs). Please ask at reception for more details about this service. Please be aware that your prescription or medication will be available within two working days, unless suppliers are short of stock. If you are collecting medication or prescriptions for others, the receptionists may ask for proof of identity. Where prescription payment exemption applies, proof of this and completion of the back of the prescription will be required. Page 7

Carers

Introduction A carer is someone who, without payment, provides help and support to a partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour who could not manage without their help.

Anyone can become a carer; carers come from all walks of life, all cultures and can be of any age. Many carers do not consider themselves to be a carer, they are just looking after someone and getting on with it. This could be due to age, physical or mental illness, addiction or disability.

A considerable number of carers also work outside the home and are trying to juggle jobs with their responsibilities as carers. The majority of carers cope alone and do not realise that help is available.

Are You A Carer? If you let a receptionist, nurse or doctor know that you are a carer, you can ask for this information to be recorded on your medical notes. You can do this by completing the patient health questionnaire, asking for a carers form at reception or sending a letter to us.

Please also ask a receptionist if they can take any special needs into account for your appointment.

The person you care for can also let the Practice know that he or she is happy for us to share health information with you about their condition. This needs to be done in writing.

Carer Support Wiltshire Carer Support Wiltshire offers carers in Wiltshire access to information and advice about anything to do with caring, as well as support to them as individuals. They also provide opportunities for short breaks and social activities, in addition to someone to listen when needed.

If you would like a free carers information pack please call 0800 181 4118 (free phone) or visit www.carersinwiltshire.co.uk

The Practice can refer you to Carer Support Wiltshire. One of their representatives will contact you directly.

Did you know you can get a Carers’ Library Card which enables you to loan books for 6 weeks and make free reservations! Just pop in to your local library.

How do I?

Receive SMS (text) messages If you would like the Practice to contact you by text message for the purposes of appointment reminders, medication collections, actions from test results, health promotion and general updates, please complete a consent form available from reception or visit our website.

Find out my test results The doctor, nurse or other health care professional carrying out the test will advise you when your results are likely to be available.

It is then your responsibility to obtain these results. You can do this using your online account or telephoning the Practice.

Different tests take different times to process. Some may take up to 2 weeks. If anything serious is found, the laboratory will usually telephone to let us know and either ourselves or the Out of Hours service will contact you as quickly as we can to discuss it with you.

The doctor will review your results and give the receptionists specific instructions regarding any follow-up that may be required and what information they would like conveyed to you.

The receptionist may tell you what the result is, they may ask you to make a telephone or face-to-face consultation with the doctor, or it may be that the doctor telephones you direct.

Request transport If you need assistance to attend an appointment at one of the surgeries, you can contact the Link Scheme. This service is run by volunteers who will arrange a driver for you. Although there is no fare, they do ask for a donation. To access the scheme in Upavon, please telephone 01980 630818 and in Durrington, please telephone 01980 594857. You can also call these numbers if you are interested in becoming a volunteer.

Ask for a sick note All sick notes will state an illness, or relevant condition, and the length of time the sick note is covering. They can be collected from reception.

If you are off work for up to 1 week (5 working days) you do not need a sick note. This means you can either write a letter to your employer or, if you prefer, there is a form called a Statutory Sick Pay Form or Employees Statement Of Sickness (form SC2) which can either be collected from your preferred surgery or downloaded from our website.

Once you have been off sick for more than 1 week you can obtain a sick note from a doctor by making an appointment at one of our surgeries or by arranging a telephone consultation.

If you have been in hospital a sick note can either be issued by the hospital doctor or by a telephone consultation with a doctor who will have been informed by the hospital of your stay. It is not normally necessary for the doctor to see you in person. Page 9 If you have not been seen by a doctor for your current problem and it is not a continuing condition, it may be necessary for you to be seen by a doctor in person. If we have consent to contact you by SMS, we will inform you when your certificate is ready for collection.

Change my personal details Please let us know as soon as possible if your details change. This includes your name, address and telephone numbers. You may wish to use the form on our website to do this or collect a form from reception.

When changing your name and address we will also require proof of identity to prevent fraud. Our reception team can provide details of the documents needed for this purpose, which will be photocopied and retained on your record.

For a change of address, only one form per household is needed. The identity provided for this purpose should be for the individual returning the form to us and needs to be delivered in person.

Make a complaint Our aim is to give you the highest possible standard of service and we try to deal swiftly with any problem which may occur. If, however, you feel that you need to make a complaint about any aspects of your experience with us, please write, email or telephone us.

You may also wish to seek support from NHS England:

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

 By email: Using [email protected].

 By phone: On 0300 3 11 22 33

You can also contact NHS England if you are dissatisfied with a response from the Practice regarding a complaint. Alternatively you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, telephone 0345 015 4033.

Opt out from the Summary Care Record Visit http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/scr/library/optout.pdf to download an opt-out form. Please return the completed form to us. For more information about your Summary Care Record, please see Appendix A at the back of this leaflet.

Make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act Our publication scheme, together with further information about Freedom of Information is available from our website. However much of the information such as the name of the Practice, team members and opening times are detailed in this leaflet. If you wish to make a request for information you will need to do so in writing by email, fax or post to the Practice Manager. Please provide a clear description of the information you require, your name and contact details. If you need advice or assistance in making a request, please contact the office team.

Summary Care Record – what this means for you

Do you know what the NHS Summary Care Record is? We offer our patients the choice of having a Summary Care Record. The NHS Summary Care Record helps deliver better and safer care, giving you more choice about who you share your healthcare information with.

The Summary Care Record contains basic information about:

 any allergies you may have  unexpected reactions to medications  any prescriptions you have recently received

The intention is to help clinicians in A&E (Accident & Emergency) departments and ‘Out of Hours’ health services to give you safe, timely and effective treatment. Clinicians will only be allowed to access your record if they are authorised to do so and, even then, only if you give your express permission. You will be asked if healthcare staff can look at your Summary Care Record every time they need to unless it’s an emergency, for instance if you are unconscious. You can refuse if you think access is unnecessary.

You do not have to have a Summary Care Record, although you are strongly recommended to consider this choice. If you are happy for a Summary Care Record to be set up for you then you need take no further action.

If you want to opt-out, please visit http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/scr/library/optout.pdf to download an opt-out form (form SD02). Please return the completed form to us.

If you currently have a Summary Care Record and wish to permanently delete it, please visit http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/scr/library/deletion.pdf to download the form. Please return the completed form to us.

Children under the age of 16 Patients under 16 years will not receive the opt-out form, but will have a Summary Care Record created for them unless their GP Practice is advised otherwise. If you are the parent or guardian of a child aged 15 or under, please either make this information available to them or decide and act on their behalf.

For more information visit www.nhscarerecords.nhs.uk or call the following number if you cannot find the answers to your questions - 0300 303 5678.

Further information can also be found within Appendix A, when we address some of the most frequently asked questions on this subject.

Data Protection Act - Patient Information

Introduction We need to hold personal information about you on our computer system and in paper records to help us to look after your health needs. Your doctor is responsible for their accuracy and safe-keeping.

Doctors and Practice staff have access to your medical records to enable them to do their jobs. From time to time information may be shared with others involved in your care if it is necessary.

Anyone with access to your record is properly trained in confidentiality issues and is governed by both a legal and contractual duty to keep your details private. All information about you is held securely and appropriate safeguards are in place to prevent accidental loss.

In some circumstances we may be required by law to release your details to statutory or other official bodies, for example if a court order is presented or in the case of public health issues. In other circumstances you may be required to give written consent before information is released – such as for medical reports for insurance purposes, solicitors etc.

What is the Data Protection Act? This Act governs the processing of personal data about all living people in the UK. It sets out principles for information handling which all data controllers must comply with. Its remit includes access to health records of living people and patients' rights to have inaccurate information corrected.

Within the Data Protection Act a health record is defined as a record consisting of information about the physical or mental health or condition of an identifiable individual made by, or on behalf, of a health professional in connection with the care of that individual.

At the Practice the data controllers are the health care professionals who help to look after your health needs, such as your doctor.

The Act also gives patients who now reside outside the UK the right to apply for access to their former UK health records and, as a general rule, a person with parental responsibility will have the right to apply for access to their child’s health record.

Telephone calls and faxes To ensure your privacy we will not disclose information over the telephone or fax, unless we are sure that we are talking to you. Information will not be disclosed to family, friends, or spouses unless we have your prior written consent. We do not leave messages with others or on answer phones without your consent.

How do I access my health records? Under the Data Protection Act you are able to access your health records as follows:

 Collect a form from reception or download this from the Practice website: Patient Authority Consent Form, Access to Health Records under the Data Protection Act 1998 (Subject Access Request).

 Complete the form and return it to us for the attention of the Practice Administrators.

 Your request will be dealt with promptly, within 21 days. In exceptional circumstances it may take longer, in which case you will be informed and an explanation provided.

 Your doctor will check your health records in accordance with the Data Protection Act. If the doctor is in agreement with your request, one of our Administrators will contact you to inform you of the costs and set a date for you to view the relevant records once the appropriate fee has been paid.

Only in exceptional cases will access be denied.

How do I access the health records of someone I represent?

 Collect a form from reception or download from the Practice website: Patient Representative Authority Consent Form, Access to Health Records under the Data Protection Act 1998 (Subject Access Request)

 Ask the patient to complete the form and return it to us for the attention of the Practice Administrators

 If you require access to health records of a deceased person, please ring 01380 728899 or email [email protected]

What should I do if I live abroad? When a patient moves abroad, their health records are transferred to the regional registration department where they are retained for a minimum of 10 years.

If this applies to you, please contact NHS England, PO Box 16738, Redditch, B97 9PT, email [email protected] or telephone 0300 3 11 22 33

Have you informed us if your name, address or telephone number has changed? Please speak Areto a youreceptionist records upto updateto date? your records.

CCTV Policy and Code of Practice

Introduction Closed circuit television (CCTV) is installed at the Practice premises for the purposes of staff, patient and premises security. Cameras are located at various places on the premises and images from the cameras are recorded.

Definitions Data Controller - This is the controller of the data and the system, as defined in the Act. In this case the Controllers are Dr Green and Partners. 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 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, 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. Images may be provided to the 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 also be included within the requested image. This may be necessary to protect the identity of 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 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.

Making an Access Request

 Download access form: CCTV Application for Data Access, from our website or ask for a form from reception.  Ensure the form is fully completed, using a separate sheet of paper if necessary, and return it together with the fee of £10 (non-refundable).  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.  Send the completed application to: Avon Valley Practice, 43 Fairfield, Upavon, Wiltshire, SN9 6DZ.

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.

Complaints These must be made in writing and addressed to the Practice Manager.

Where the complaint is by a third party, and the complaint or enquiry related to someone else, the written consent of the Data Subject is required. Where this is not possible, full justification must be given.

All complaints will be acknowledged within 3 working days, and a response provided within 21 days.

Zero Tolerance As a Practice our surgeries are places where everyone visiting, or working at, the premises can expect to be treated with respect, in a calm and courteous manner.

We operate a zero tolerance policy towards individuals whose behaviour makes patients, or staff, feel threatened either verbally or physically. Offenders risk prosecution or exclusion from the Practice.

Improving Communication

In order to make contacting us as quick and easy as possible, there are a variety of ways to keep in touch.

To access one or all of these services, you will first be required to complete a consent form which is available at reception or from our website: www.avonvalleypractice.com

1. Online – for appointments, repeat prescriptions and test results You can order your medication and book appointments via our online service; including accessing your test results – no need to telephone! To do this you will first need to obtain a username and password from reception. Please note that one form of identification, to include a photograph, is required to obtain this service when we will also need to see you in person. 2. Two way text messaging – you can now text back You can now reply to text messages sent from the Practice by following the instructions in the message. For example, cancelling an appointment or declining an invitation to an annual review. Being able to respond in this way will hopefully be more convenient and have the added benefit of reducing the number of missed appointments at the Practice. 3. Emailing – a quicker way of contacting you Where possible, we would like to send emails to ensure a prompt delivery. However if you do not have access to a computer, please don’t worry as we will continue to write to you by letter when necessary. 4. Leaving messages on your answerphone - which you can respond to We will leave messages on your answerphone at home as long as you have given us your authority to do so, via the appropriate consent form. 5. Telephoning Please ensure we have your up-to-date telephone number so that when we return your call, we can get through to you without delay. We try our best to answer your calls as quickly as we can and have made the appointment system as flexible as possible to reduce the time it takes to respond to your requests.

Text messaging, emails and voicemails (using a landline) may be used for the purpose of appointment reminders, results, action needed following test results, referrals, health promotion, private work, medication and Practice updates.

We are also trying to communicate better between health care professionals in different departments and agencies. To help us achieve this, Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has promoted sharing of medical records using the IT clinical system known as ‘SystmOne’, because the majority of LOCAL health care providers now use this computer programme.

Sharing medical records allows other health care professionals to access your information to provide you with better care. Please read Appendix A at the back of this document for Frequently Asked Questions.

Please remember that other health care professionals can ONLY access your medical records with your EXPLICIT consent. This means they have to ask you first! However, you can opt out by completing the relevant form and returning it to the Practice. Page 16 Have your Say

Being part of the local community means our patients are central to everything we do. Between us we face many challenges in the coming years, with the opportunity to develop and improve the services we provide.

In November we held a meeting when all patients were invited to take part and express their opinions on issues which matter to them most. Feedback from this meeting can be viewed on our website with paper copies available from reception.

Communication is an ongoing, two-way process and we regularly ask for feedback in a number of ways. This includes participation in our Friends & Family survey when we ask you to indicate how likely you may be to recommend Avon Valley Practice to your friends and family in need of similar care and treatment. But it doesn’t stop there…

E-mails, notes through the letter box or simply a quick word with one of our team work just as well. Your opinion really is valuable and enables us to meet the diverse needs of the community we serve.

Please talk to us whatever the topic may be, we encourage you to do so! As a friendly, professional team we love hearing your suggestions and ideas, which play a genuine part in our planning process. Of course it’s great to hear when things go well, but for those occasions when things unintentionally go differently to how you would like them to, please give us the opportunity to provide an explanation and help put them right. It’s by working together that we can make your Practice the best it can be.

As new patients to the Practice you will gradually get to know our team and the different ways we can help. We’ll all do our best to assist you on the spot but if there’s anything extra you may wish to discuss our Patient Engagement Officer, Kim, can be contacted through reception and will get in touch at the earliest opportunity.

Thank you.

In Summary

To ensure the most Please be prepared to answer questions the appropriate appointment is receptionists may ask you. They will only ask you booked for you questions that have been agreed with the doctors to ensure you receive the best medical care. To receive reminders about Complete the consent form included in your registration your appointments pack and give us your mobile phone number. Forms are also available from reception. To book appointments Collect your username and password from reception. If online you use an iPhone or iPad you can also download the app. To order your medication Collect your username and password from reception. If online you use an iPhone or iPad you can also download the app. To collect your medication Allow 2 working days, however if we have consent to contact you by text message we will often send you a SMS to tell you your medication is ready for collection. To get your test result Collect your username and password from reception. If online you use an iPhone or iPad you can also download the app. To view your full medical Collect your username and password from reception. If record online you use an iPhone or iPad you can also download the app. Then make a request from your online account. If you would like someone We need your written consent. We can then provide else, e.g. your husband or online access. wife, to access your medical records - for example to If we do not have this, our receptionists will not be able to obtain a test result or book disclose this information to family, friends, or spouses. an appointment To change your name or Download a form from our website or visit your preferred address surgery. Remember we will need to verify your identification, so please bring it with you. If you need transport to get Please ring the Link Scheme on 01980 630818 for to hospital or to the Practice Upavon. For Durrington it’s - 01980 594857. If you are a carer Please tell us. If you are 75 years old or You should have been informed of your named GP and more attended a health check. If not, please contact us. When the Practice is closed Call 111 or visit Salisbury Walk-in Centre.

Only go to A&E if you have a critical or life threatening situation, which may include a loss of consciousness, severe breathing difficulties, deep wounds such as stab wounds, severe chest pain or heavy loss of blood.

For issues not covered in this pack, you are always welcome to ask – we are happy to help