All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation.

Please let us know at the time of requesting an appointment or speak to your GP.

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the NHS and government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please Contact The Practice online.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staf

Considering Surgery Abroad? (Read this first!)

If you choose to have private surgery outside of the NHS and the UK (i.e. you are not referred by an NHS organisation) it is highly likely that the NHS (including your GP surgery) will NOT be able to carry out any related follow-up testing, monitoring or complication management (other than emergency care) once you are back in the UK. It is the individual responsibility to ensure that appropriate non-NHS follow up care is in place for your return to the UK.

It is not the responsibility of a general practice to provide follow-up to private surgery which has been carried out abroad. The NHS does not fund the follow-up to private surgery abroad and therefore GP Practices are not funded to provide this follow up care.

NHS clinicians would not have the backup or support from the surgeon or specialists as they do under an NHS referral and this after care would be outside of the expertise of a general practitioner. The GMC ‘Good Medical Practice’ states that GPs should remain within the limits of their competence.

Additionally, the medical insurance provider MDU states that a UK based GP would leave themselves open to criticism by relying on advice from a specialist based overseas. Overseas providers are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as Doctors in the UK, work to different guidelines and there also might be language barriers which make shared care inappropriate and unsafe.

We would strongly recommend you discuss your decision with your GP before committing to a package of care abroad.  

Some useful information may be found here:

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System Advice
https://improvinglivesnw.org.uk/our-work/healthier-communities/information-for-patients-considering-privately-funded-treatment-abroad/

Going Abroad for Treatment (NHS link)
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/going-abroad-for-medical-treatment/

Treatment Abroad Checklist (NHS link)
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/treatment-abroad-checklist/

Going abroad for medical treatment (NHS link)
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/going-abroad-for-treatment/going-abroad-for-medical-treatment/

There is unobstructed access for disabled patients, and wheelchairs are available at the main entrance. All parts of the building are accessible to wheelchairs and there is a specially adapted toilet for the use of people with disabilities.

Disabled patients may park outside the main entrance in the designated area, other people are asked to use the car park provided. If there are any problems with entry to the building, please telephone reception on 01945 773671 from outside and a member of staff will come to assist you.

A portable hearing loop system is available for use throughout the surgery.

It is our aim to recognise and encourage the valuable and enriching contribution that people from all backgrounds and experiences bring. We believe that all individuals should be treated based on merit and without prejudice. We provide a service to our patients that promotes equality of healthcare and freedom from discrimination on grounds of age, cultural background, class, disability, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, faith, working status, language, and an individual’s health status.

We believe in fairness and equity and value diversity in all its dealings, both as a provider of health care and an employer. We aim to embed its equality and diversity values into everyday practice, policies and procedures so that equality and diversity becomes the norm for all.

We welcome feedback at the health centre whether it be good, bad or just a general suggestion.

Please see our Feedback page for details about how to leave feedback or how to make a complaint.

Thank you.

Information about the GPs and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

There are seven classes of information:

• Who we are and what we do
• What we spend and how we spend it
• What our priorities are and how we are doing
• How we make decisions
• Our policies and procedures
• Lists and registers
• Services the practice offers

For more information, please review the Information Commissioner’s Office guide on the Freedom of Information Act. In addition to this, you can read our Publication Scheme.

Upwell Health Centre takes privacy seriously and we want to provide you with information about your rights, who we share your information with and how we keep it secure.

Please use the links below to find more information about the practice and data protection.

• Transparency
• CCTV
• Telephone Recording
• Case Finding
• Information Sharing Norfolk and Waveney
• Processing Activities Log
• Processors List

Information Commissioner’s Office Registration

Upwell Health Centre and Welle Ltd. are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office as a Data Controller, our registration numbers are:

• Upwell Health Centre: Z6132652
• Welle Ltd. (Pharmacy): Z2309363

Questions or Queries

If you have any questions or wish to make a request in relation to your information, please contact us at:

Upwell Health Centre
Townley Close
Upwell
WISBECH
Cambs PE14 9BT

Alternatively, you can email our DPO at [email protected].

Upwell Health Centre is committed to the prevention and control of infection for all patients and staff within the practice. Infection control is everyone’s responsibility and is carried out in many ways. For example:

• Cleaning of the premises.
• Disinfection of equipment.
• Hand washing at all points of contact.
• The safe disposal of waste and sharps.
• Using protective equipment when needed (gloves or aprons).
• Limiting the use of unnecessary antibiotics.

The infection control lead for Upwell Health Centre is Jackie Croxford (nurse manager). If there are any concerns or issues regarding infection control, please contact Jackie at the practice.

Upwell Health Centre use the following organisations to process data on our behalf. They are contractually bound to manage your information securely.

All registered patients have a named GP who will have overall responsibility for the care and support that our surgery provides to them. Patients are still free to see whichever doctor or nurse practitioner they choose however, we feel that once you have chosen a doctor it is best to see that person as consistently as possible.

If you are unsure of your named GP you can contact our receptionists who will inform you of this.

Cancellation of appointments

If you have an appointment with any of the healthcare staff and are unable to attend for any reason, please contact us to cancel your appointment, Even a few minutes notice gives us time to reallocate resources.

Mobile phones

Please switch off your mobile phone before going in to see the doctor or nurse as it may interfere with sensitive electronic medical equipment.

No smoking

Smoking is prohibited in law in all areas and grounds of the practice. Smoke detectors are fitted in all areas.

Parental supervision

Please note that parents or guardians are responsible for the supervision of children inside Upwell Health Centre and in the grounds or car parks.

UPWELL HEALTH CENTRE POLICY ON PRIVATE PRESCRIPTIONS

We are aware that given current NHS waiting times, some of our patients opt to see a private doctor, this statement clarifies our position on prescriptions and shared care.

If you are seen privately by a doctor for a single episode of care any short-term medication required should be paid for by the patient as part of the package of care e.g. pain killers, antibiotics, and should be prescribed by the private provider.

A private consultation may identify a longer term condition which needs medication. If you ask us to take over the prescribing of the medication recommended by a private doctor, we will need to be satisfied that prescribing is appropriate, responsible and what we would prescribe for another NHS patient with the same diagnosis. Whenever we prescribe medicine for you we are taking full responsibility for your care, even if the medicine is recommended for you by another doctor.

Therefore we will not prescribe medication in the following circumstances:

• We have not received adequate communication from the private doctor to explain the reasons you need the medication and that they have discussed the safety of the medication.
• The medication is not prescribed on the NHS
• The medication is only suitable for specialist-only prescription and we do not have the specialist expertise to safely monitor the medication.
• The use of the medication is not compatible with national or local prescribing guidelines.
• The medication is not licenced in the UK for your condition.
• We don believe the medication is appropriate or necessary for you.
• You are seen by a private GP without a GP referral (ie we can’t be sure the doctor is fully aware of your medical history)
• We will not be able to facilitate applications to local commissioning boards with regards to funding for any medications prescribed privately. Your private practitioner should facilitate this.

Please note the same rules apply for another NHS doctor asking GPs to take over prescribing of medication.

We will not consider taking on Shared Care prescribing with a non-NHS provider unless the following conditions are met:

• The prescribing is in line with GMCs Good Medical Practice guidance
• The private provider is based in the UK
• The shared care provider is acting under an NHS contract
• Norfolk & Waveney ICB has commissioned GP to provide this service as an additional service and we have agreed to take on this service
• Written evidence that the provider indemnifies Upwell Health Centre for any prescribing issues that may come to light in perpetuity and provides written evidence of this.

f the above conditions are met, then the surgery will review the information before reaching a decision on taking on the Shared Care & prescribing.

The above are essential safeguards for our prescribing clinicians. The GMC advises us in “Duties of a Doctor” to prescribe in the best interest of the patient and only within our level of competence.

It is important to consider all potential costs when accessing private healthcare and this includes medication costs.

UPWELL HEALTH CENTRE

There is a central NHS computer system called the summary care record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had. Over time it will build to include information about other health issues considered important to your wellbeing.

Why do I need a summary care record?

Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.

This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your summary care record.

How do I know if I have one?

Over half of the population of England now have a summary care record.

Enhanced summary care record

If you wanted to ‘enhance’ your record it would include the following information:

• Significant medical history (past and present)
• Reason for medication
• Anticipatory care information (important in the management of long term conditions)
• Communication preferences
• End of life care information
• Immunisations

You can opt in for an enhanced summary care record at any time.

Children under the age of 16

Patients under 16 years will have an enhanced summary care record created for them unless their GP surgery is advised otherwise. If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16 then you should make this information available to them if they are old enough to decide for themselves if they want a summary care record.

Whatever you decide, you can change your mind at any time.

If you are a family member or carer of a person and you have concerns that they may not have the mental capability to make this decision, please contact the Practice.

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete the <a href="https://www.upwellhealthcentre.nhs.uk/summary-care-record-opt-out/.

More information

For further information please visit the HSCIC Website.

Upwell Health Centre is an approved practice for the purposes of specialist GP training. We will frequently have a GP trainee working here. These are doctors who have chosen to specialise in general practice and are spending some time with us prior to becoming GPs themselves.

The GP trainee will have their own surgeries and take a share of visits and on call duties. You may be asked if your consultation with the doctor can be videotaped for teaching purposes. You are free to decline but remember anything you say will be kept confidential by any doctor seeing the tape. All of your current GPs had to go through this training before they came here. If, after the consultation, you have changed your mind you may ask for the tape to be erased.

From time to time, we have medical students from Cambridge University or student nurses visiting the practice. This is a very important part of their training and also keeps us up to date with new developments in medicine and nursing. If you object to a student being present during your consultation, please let us know when requesting your appointment.

• Records Management and Data Quality
• Video, Photography and Audio Recording
• Confidentiality and Information Sharing
• Information Risk and Change Management
• Information Disclosure (Including Subject Access Request)
• Information Rights and Transparency
• Information Governance Policy
• Information Security and Cyber Security
• Information Incident
• DPS10 Online Access
• National Data Opt Out
• Freedom of Informatiom

Please see here for our Activity Log

The Upwell Health Centre applies the NHS zero tolerance approach toward violent patients. Any patient who has been violent or threatened violence to a GP or a member of their staff will be immediately removed from the practice list in accordance with NHS (Choice of Medical Practitioner) December 1999 Regulations.