If you are requesting a copy of your medical records, please complete the attached form. Requests take up to 30 days.

Subject Access Request Form (SAR)

Proxy Subject Access Request Form

Click here to view our Chaperone Policy

Click here to view our Clinical Governace Policy

Click here to view our Complaints Leaflet

Click here to view our Complaints Procedure

The practice operates an equal opportunities policy as follows:

• We value our patients equally
• We will offer equal opportunities to all patients regardless of sex, marital status, age, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief
• We will not tolerate any discrimination against any patient for any of the above reasons; any such discrimination will be considered as a disciplinary offence

The UK Equality Act 2010 says that LGBT+ people must be treated fairly and without discrimination.

North Street Medical Care provides equality of services and care to everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation. We are an open, non-judgemental and inclusive place for people that identify as LGBT+.

LGBT+ stands for lesbian, gay bisexual, transgender and the + simply means that we are inclusive of all identities, regardless of how people define themselves.

We have a zero tolerance for racist, homophobic, ageist, disablist, transphobic, sexist or antireligious language and actions.

We ensure confidentiality to all staff and service users, unless they personally choose for their beliefs or sexuality to be open themselves. Confidentiality can be a matter of personal safety rather than purely about privacy.

Further guidance and advice for our LGBT+ patients is available here:

www.stonewall.org.uk/help-and-advice

Information and support for LGBT+ communities and their allies. Contact Stonewall’s Information Service FREEPHONE 0800 0502020 Lines are open 9:30 – 4:30 Monday to Friday.

NHS England require that the net earnings of Doctors engaged in the Practice is publicised, and the required disclosure is shown below. However 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 judgment about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other Practice.

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

The average pay for GPs working in North Street Medical Centre in the 2023/24 financial year was £83,417 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 5 full time GPs and 5 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

Click here to view out Health and Safety Policy

Click here to view our Infection Control Policy

North Street Medical Care – Statement of Purpose

Safe:

1. We aim to provide the best possible quality service for all our patients within a safe and confidential environment.

2. We aim to use our established systems to assist all our staff in implementing safeguarding processes in all we do to keep our patients safe. This includes recognising and acting on risk or anticipated risk.

3. We aim to acknowledge, reflect upon and apologise for when things go

wrong and to learn from such occasions and share actions to continuously

improve safety.

Well led:

4. Our practice has and implements a clear vision of its values within an established governance framework and by regularly monitoring and updating our policies. Partners have defined roles and responsibilities to enable leadership to be clearly and effectively implemented.

5. As an established training practice, we aim to learn, improve and innovate through effective leadership and in interaction between staff, patients and peers.

6. We aim to support our staff and to embed assurance systems and performance measures within a systematic educational programme that includes clinical and internal audit, openness and transparency.

Effective

7. We aim to work together as a primary health care team of clinicians and non-clinicians including the involvement of allied health professionals in the care of our patients when it is in their best interests to do so.

8. We aim to promote good health and well-being to our patients, including health promotion and preventative care, always through education and information giving and always considering consent and joint decision making.

9. We aim to provide high quality, evidenced based health care to our patients participating in audit, national benchmarking, peer review and research as tools to both monitor and effect good patient outcomes.

10. We aim to ensure that all members of the practice team have the right skills, training and support to be able to carry out their duties competently.

Responsive:

11. We aim to plan and deliver services to meet our patients’ needs ensuring flexibility, choice and a timely access.

12. Services provided will take into account the needs of our practice population including those requiring urgent care, continuity of care or who have particularly complex or vulnerable health needs and continuity of care.

13. We aim to encourage our patients to involve themselves in feedback about our services, good or bad, including the patient representative group, the annual survey and online feedback.

Caring

14. We aim to show our patients privacy, dignity and courtesy at all times whatever their ethnicity, religion, cultural, social or personal attributes or the nature their health problem.

15. We aim to provide a welcoming, non-judgmental environment for our patients using kindness, empathy and respect at all times.

16. We aim to communicate and work with our patients to involve them in decisions regarding their health care, including having choices about the options available which include empowerment to manage their own health.

The national opt out 2022

You can choose whether your confidential patient’s information is used for research and planning. To find out more visit nhs.uk/your-nhs-matters.

You do not need to do anything if you are happy about your confidentiality patient information is used. You can change your choice at any time.

Type 1 opt-out: medical records held at your GP practice

You can tell your GP practice if you do not want your confidential patient information held in your GP medical record to be used for purposes other than your individual care. This is commonly called a type 1 opt-out.  This opt-out request can only be recorded by your GP practice.

Type 2 opt-out: information held by NHS Digital

Previously you could tell your GP practice if you do not want NHS Digital to share confidentiality patient information that they collect from across the health and care service for purposes other than your individual care. This was called a type 2 opt-out.

The type 2 opt-out was replaced by the national data opt-out. Type 2 opt-outs recorded on or before 11 October 2018 have been automatically converted to national data opt-outs.

Read more about the collection and conversion of type 2 opt-outs

Patients who can choose to set a national data opt-out

Anyone who has an NHS number and has registered for care or treatment with the NHS in England can set an opt out if they wish to, even if they don’t currently live in England

Patients who can set an opt-out choice for themselves

If a patient is aged 13 or over, they can set their own opt-out choice using the online service, the telephone service, the nhs App, or ‘print-and-post’ completing a form by hand and sending it in.

Patients who can set an opt-out choice on behalf of someone else

Someone can set an opt-out choice on behalf of a patient, by proxy, if:

• They are the parent or legal guardian of the patient, who is a child aged 12 or under

• They have a formal legal relationship with the patient, for example they have legal power of attorney or are a court-appointed deputy

They can only do this using the ‘print and post’ service.

Changing an opt-out choice

An opt-out choice can be changed at any time by the patient or their proxy.

Using the online service

Patients can set their own opt-out choice by visiting www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters using any internet enabled device. So that the service can confirm their identity, they will need to provide:

• Their NHS number, or their postcode (as registered with their GP practice)

• Their mobile phone number or email address provided previously at a GP practice or other NHS service

The online service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Using the NHS app

Patients who have registered for the NHS App using NHS login can set a national opt-out using the app.

Using the telephone service

Patients can set their own opt-out choice by calling 0300 303 5678.

Calling this number should cost no more than calls to a normal landline number.

The telephone service is available 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, aprt from on English or public bank holidays.

Using ‘print and post’

If a patient is unable the online or telephone service, or would prefer not to, they can complete a paper form and post it.

The form can be downloaded from www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data matters or requested by calling the telephone service on 0300 303 5678.

Patients in prison or secure settings

There are special arrangements for patients in prison or other similar secure settings, known as detained and secure estates. A health and care professional can help register a patient’s opt-out choice. See Guidance for detained and secure estates.

Confirmation

During the process of setting their opt-out choice, the patient can choose their preferred communication method:• Email• SMS text• Letter

Once the process has been completed, the patient will receive a confirmation that their national data opt-out choice has been set.

More information

See 3. Setting an opt-out in the national data opt-out operational policy guidance for full details.

Click here to view our Prescribing Policy

North Street Medical Care 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 (ECLIPSE)

North Street Medical Care use the following organisations to process personal data on our behalf. They are contractually required to manage your information securely.

Click here to view our Safeguarding Adults Policy

Click here to view our Safeguarding Children Policy

Click here to view our SMS Communications Policy

There is a new 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.

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. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by looking at our interactive map or by asking your GP

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 a form and bring it along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.

More Information

For further information visit the NHS Care records website or the HSCIC Website

NHS Summary Care Record with additional
information
If you are registered with a GP practice in England you will have a Summary Care
Record (SCR), unless you have previously chosen not to have one. It includes
important information about your health:

• Medicines you are taking
  
• Allergies you suffer from
  
• Any bad reactions to medicines

You may need to be treated by health and care professionals that do not know your
medical history. Essential details about your healthcare can be difficult to remember,
particularly when you are unwell or have complex care needs. Having an SCR
means that when you need healthcare you can be helped to recall vital information.
SCRs can help the staff involved in your care make better and safer decisions about
how best to treat you.

You can choose to have additional information included in your SCR, which can
enhance the care you receive. This information includes:

• Your illnesses and health problems
• Operations and vaccinations you have had in the past
• How you would like to be treated – such as where you would prefer to receive
  care
• What support you might need
• Who should be contacted for more information about you

What to do next
If you would like this information adding to your SCR (or the SCR of someone you
are a carer for), then please complete this form, for return to the relevant GP surgery

Click here to view our Zero Tolerance Policy