The Practice wants to communicate better with our patients to ensure that we always meet the Accessible Information Standard.  This will allow the practice to identify those patients that may need extra help from the staff, adaptations to correspondence sent to patients, methods of communication, accessing external assistance. In order for the practice to understand patients’ needs we need you to tell us what changes you require?

Once we are aware of the changes your required, we will endeavour to implement them as soon as possible to ensure we meet your needs. An alert will be placed on your clinical records to ensure all staff members are prompted and are able to respond correctly to your requirements.

If you need someone to support you at appointments, a British Sign Language Interpreter / advocate or support for those hard of hearing or deaf, either to via lip reading or the use of hearing aid / communication tools please let us know so we can arrange for this within the practice. The practice has a hearing loop on the reception desk, along with access to interpreter services both via an app on reception or on the telephone. We are now showing health promotion videos in our waiting room, which are both visual and with sound.

We have practice champions for the following, please ask at reception if you wish to speak to your champion:-  Dementia, Learning Disability, Carer, Cancer, LGBTIQA+.

The practice is committed to helping all our patients receive the best treatment and experience when accessing our services. So please inform us when you arrive for your next appointment or when you next visit the practice to allow us to make these changes for you.

Disabled Access

There is good wheelchair access to the entrance of the practice and all of our consultation rooms.

Disabled toilet facilities are available.

If you require help accessing the building, please press the intercom and a member of staff will come and assist you.

Should you have any other disability you need us to be aware of please let Reception staff know. All our staff members are happy to help you navigate your way through the surgery should you require any assistance.

If you feel you would like a chaperone present at your consultation please inform the receptionist who will be happy to arrange this for you.

This practice is committed to providing a safe and comfortable environment and to putting patients at ease wherever possible and strives to achieve good practice at all times. All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present during any consultation, examination or procedure. Clinicians at this practice will advise patients that a chaperone is necessary during any intimate examination; this is to safeguard both the clinician and you, the patient.

Where a chaperone is not available, the clinician will ask you to make an appointment and request the presence of a chaperone at the time of booking.

Staff members have received appropriate training to act as chaperones and a DBS check.

Family and friends are not permitted to act as chaperones as they do not have the knowledge required, nor do they have the necessary training.

NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is the organisation that decides how to spend the NHS budget on the majority of health services for 270,000 people registered with a GP in Salford. This includes the care and treatment you receive in hospital, maternity services, community and mental health services.

The Freedom of Information Act creates a right of access to recorded information and obliges a public authority to:

• Have a publication scheme in place
• Allow public access to information held by public authorities.

The act covers any recorded organisational information such as reports, policies or strategies, that is held by a public authority in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and by UK-wide public authorities based in Scotland. However, it does not cover personal information such as patient records, which are covered by the Data Protection Act.

Public authorities include government departments, local authorities, the NHS, state schools and police forces.

The act is enforced by the Information Commissioner who regulates both the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.

The surgery publication scheme

A publication scheme requires an authority to make information available to the public as part of its normal business activities. The scheme lists information under seven broad classes, which are:

• who we are and what we do
• what we spend and how we spend it
• what our priorities are and how we are doing it
• how we make decisions
• our policies and procedures
• lists and registers
• the services we offer

You can request our publication scheme leaflet at the surgery.

Who can request information?

Under the act, any individual, anywhere in the world, is able to make a request to a practice for information. An applicant is entitled to be informed in writing, by the practice, whether the practice holds information of the description specified in the request and if that is the case, have the information communicated to him/her. An individual can request information, regardless of whether he/she is the subject of the information or affected by its use. 

How should requests be made?

Requests must:

• be made in writing (this can be electronically e.g. email/fax)
• state the name of the applicant and an address for correspondence
• describe the information requested.

What cannot be requested?

Personal data about staff and patients covered under Data Protection Act.

For more information see these websites:

• Legislation GOV.UK
• Information Commissioners Office

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

The average pay for GPs working in Walkden Medical Centre in the last financial year (2021-2022) was £80,300 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full time GPs and 4 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.

We aim to keep our surgery clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff. We are proud of our modern, purpose built practice and endeavour to keep it clean and well maintained at all times.

If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please report these to our reception staff.

Our GPs and nursing staff follow our Infection Control Policy to ensure the care we deliver and the equipment we use is safe.

We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:

• Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We can discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems
• Carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working
• Provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control
• Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance
• Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available financial resources and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk
• Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings, towels etc., and ensure that these are laundered, cleaned or changed frequently to minimise risk of infection
• Make alcohol hand rub gel available throughout the building

Walkden Medical Centre will provide high quality, sustainable healthcare in an open, fair, kind, respectful manner.

We have allocated a named accountable GP for all of our registered patients. If you do not know who your named GP is, please ask a member of our reception team. Unfortunately, we are unable to notify patients in writing of any change of GP due to the costs involved.

How and why NHS Digital collects, analyses, publishes and shares data collected from GP practices for planning and research.

For more information, please see NHS Digital: General Practice Data for Planning and Research.

Introduction

This privacy notice lets you know what happens to any personal data that you give to us, or any that we may collect from or about you.

This privacy notice applies to personal information processed by or on behalf of the practice.

This Notice explains:

• Who we are, how we use your information and our Data Protection Officer
• What kinds of personal information about you do we process?
• What are the legal grounds for our processing of your personal information (including when we share it with others)?
• What should you do if your personal information changes?
• For how long your personal information is retained by us?
• What are your rights under data protection laws?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became law on 24th May 2016. This is a single EU-wide regulation on the protection of confidential and sensitive information. It enters into force in the UK on the 25th May 2018, repealing the Data Protection Act (1998).

For the purpose of applicable data protection legislation (including but not limited to the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) (the “GDPR”), and the Data Protection Act 2018 (currently in Bill format before Parliament) the practice responsible for your personal data is Walkden Medical Centre.

This Notice describes how we collect, use and process your personal data, and how, in doing so, we comply with our legal obligations to you. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to protecting and safeguarding your data privacy rights.

How we use your information and the law.

Walkden Medical Centre will be what’s known as the ‘Controller’ of the personal data you provide to us.

We collect basic personal data about you which does not include any special types of information or location-based information. This does however include name, address, contact details such as email and mobile number etc.

We will also collect sensitive confidential data known as “special category personal data”, in the form of health information, religious belief (if required in a healthcare setting) ethnicity, and sex during the services we provide to you and or linked to your healthcare through other health providers or third parties.

Why do we need your information?

The health care professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously (e.g. NHS Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in Centre, OOH, etc.). These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be electronic, on paper or a mixture of both, and we use a combination of working practices and technology to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records which we hold about you may include the following information:

• Details about you, such as your address, carer, legal representative, emergency contact details
• Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, surgery visits, emergency appointments, etc.
• Notes and reports about your health
• Details about your treatment and care
• Results of investigations such as laboratory tests, x-rays etc.
• Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you

To ensure you receive the best possible care, your records are used to facilitate the care you receive. Information held about you may be used to help protect the health of the public and to help us manage the NHS. Information may be used within the GP practice for clinical audit to monitor the quality of the service provided.

How do we lawfully use your data?

We need to know your personal, sensitive and confidential data in order to provide you with Healthcare services as a General Practice, under the General Data Protection Regulation we will be lawfully using your information in accordance with:

• Article 6, e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller;”
• Article 9, (h) processing is necessary for the purposes of preventive or occupational medicine, for the assessment of the working capacity of the employee, medical diagnosis, the provision of health or social care or treatment or the management of health or social care systems

This Privacy Notice applies to the personal data of our patients and the data you have given us about your carers/family members.

Risk Stratification

Risk stratification data tools are increasingly being used in the NHS to help determine a person’s risk of suffering a condition, preventing an unplanned or (re)admission and identifying a need for preventive intervention. Information about you is collected from a number of sources including NHS Trusts and from this GP Practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your de-identified information is only provided back to your GP as data controller in an identifiable form. Risk stratification enables your GP to focus on preventing ill health and not just the treatment of sickness. If necessary, your GP may be able to offer you additional services. Please note that you have the right to opt out of your data being used in this way, however you should be aware that your decision may have a negative impact on the timely and proactive provision of your direct care.

National screening programs

The NHS provides national screening programs so that certain diseases can be detected at an early stage. These screening programs include bowel cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, aortic aneurysms and a diabetic eye screening service.

The law allows us to share your contact information with Public Health England so that you can be invited to the relevant screening program.

More information can be found at: www.gov.uk/topic/population-screening-programmes.

Medicines Management

The Practice may conduct Medicines Management reviews of medications prescribed to its patients. This service performs a review of prescribed medications to ensure patients receive the most appropriate, up to date and cost-effective treatments.

Safeguarding

The practice is dedicated to ensuring that the principles and duties of safeguarding adults and children are holistically, consistently and conscientiously applied. Access to personal data and health information will be shared in some circumstances where it is legally required for the safety of the individuals concerned. For the purposes of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, personal and healthcare data is disclosed under the provisions of the Children’s Act 1989 and 2006 and Care Act 2014.

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:

• Data Protection Act 2018
• The General Data Protection Regulations 2016
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
• Health and Social Care Act 2012
• NHS Codes of Confidentiality, Information Security and Records Management
• Information: To Share or Not to Share Review

All of our staff receive appropriate and regular training to ensure they are aware of their personal responsibilities and have legal and contractual obligations to uphold confidentiality, enforceable through disciplinary procedures. Our staff have access to personal information where it is appropriate to their role and is strictly on a need-to-know basis. Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential.

We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), where the law requires information to be passed on and / or in accordance with the information sharing principle following Dame Fiona Caldicott’s information sharing review (Information to share or not to share) where “The duty to share information can be as important as the duty to protect patient confidentiality.” This means that health and social care professionals should have the confidence to share information in the best interests of their patients within the framework set out by the Caldicott principles.

Our practice policy is to respect the privacy of our patients, their families and our staff and to maintain compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and all UK specific Data Protection Requirements. Our policy is to ensure all personal data related to our patients will be protected.

All employees and sub-contractors engaged by our practice are asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. The practice will, if required, sign a separate confidentiality agreement if the client deems it necessary. If a sub-contractor acts as a data processor for Walkden Medical Centre an appropriate contract (art 24-28) will be established for the processing of your information.

In certain circumstances you may have the right to withdraw your consent to the processing of data. Please contact the Practice Manager in writing if you wish to withdraw your consent. In some circumstances we may need to store your data after your consent has been withdrawn to comply with a legislative requirement.

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we do this, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified. Sometimes your information may be requested to be used for research purposes – the surgery will always gain your consent before releasing the information for this purpose in an identifiable format. In some circumstances you can Opt-out of the surgery sharing any of your information for research purposes.

With your consent we would also like to use your information to:

We would however like to use your name, contact details and email address to inform you of services that may benefit you, with your consent only. There may be occasions were authorised research facilities would like you to take part on innovations, research, improving services or identifying trends.

At any stage where we would like to use your data for anything other than the specified purposes and where there is no lawful requirement for us to share or process your data, we will ensure that you have the ability to consent and opt out prior to any data processing taking place.

This information is not shared with third parties or used for any marketing and you can unsubscribe at any time via phone, email or by informing the Practice Manager.

Mobile Telephone

If you provide us with your mobile phone number we may use this to send you reminders about any appointments or other health screening information being carried out.

Who are our partner organisations?

We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with the following organisations;

• NHS Trusts / Foundation Trusts
• Out of Hours / Extended Hours services
• GP’s
• NHS Commissioning Support Units
• Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
• Private Sector Providers
• Voluntary Sector Providers
• Salford CCG / Salford Primary Care Together / Salford Council
• Social Care Services
• NHS England (NHSE) and NHS Digital (NHSD)
• Education Services
• Fire and Rescue Services / Ambulance Trusts / Police and Judicial Services

You will be informed who your data will be shared with and in some cases asked for consent for this happen when this is required.

We also work with third parties and suppliers (data processors) to be able to provide our service to you. These include (but are not limited to):

• Egton – clinical system provider (using the AWS highly secure cloud hosted system)
• NHS Greater Manchester Shared service – IT services
• Docman – cloud-based software platform that manages incoming clinical correspondence
• Informatica
• Optum – Scriptswitch
• AccuRx – text messaging service
• I Plato – text messaging service
• MyGP App – healthcare needs app (appointments/prescriptions)
• Vision 360
• Lexacom – Dictation Software
• Universe call recording (using a cloud storage system)
• Footfall – online consultation platform/website
• GP Connect – allows NHS111 to book you an appointment directly with our clinical system.
• REACT – in conjunction with National Services for Health Improvement Ltd.
• Medi2data

When we use a third-party service provider to process data on our behalf then we will always have an appropriate agreement in place to ensure that they keep the data secure, that they do not use or share information other than in accordance with our instructions and that they are operating appropriately. Examples of functions that may be carried out by third parties includes:

• Medical report processing and/or subject access report requests (our practice outsources medical reporting work to an NHS Digital accredited company called Medi2Data, who process medical reports and SARs on behalf of the practice via a secure, encrypted portal).

There may be occasions whereby these organisations have potential access to your personal data, for example, if they are solving IT problems. To protect your data, we have contracts and / or Information Sharing Agreements in place stipulating the data protection compliance they must have and to re-enforce their responsibilities as a data processor to ensure your data is securely protected at all times.

We will not disclose your information to any 3^rd party without your consent unless:

• there are exceptional circumstances (life or death situations)
• where the law requires information to be passed on as stated above
• required for fraud management – we may share information about fraudulent activity in our premises or systems. This may include sharing data about individuals with law enforcement bodies.
• It is required to be disclosed to the police or other enforcement, regulatory or government body for prevention and / or detection of crime

Data Protection Impact Assessments

The practice will complete Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) to help identify and minimise the data protection risks of a project and for processing that is likely to result in a high risk to individuals or any major project which requires the processing of personal data.

A DPIA must:

• describe the nature, scope, context and purposes of the processing.
• assess necessity, proportionality and compliance measures.
• identify and assess risks to individuals; and identify any additional measures to mitigate those risks.

Best practice dictates that the initial screening questionnaire should be started when:

• The project / process is being designed and the scope has been agreed;
• Before a system has been procured;
• Before contracts/MOUs/agreements have been signed.

The DPIA will assess the level of risk and consider both the likelihood and the severity of any impact on individuals. High risk could result from either a high probability of some harm, or a lower possibility of serious harm.

Not every new project, system or change in process will require a DPIA. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recommends that DPIAs are completed to comply with a change in law, introduction of new or intrusive technology or where person identifiable or sensitive information which was originally collected for a limited purpose is going to be collected for any new purpose(s) or reused in a new and unexpected way.

Where the DPIA identifies a high risk that we cannot mitigate, we must consult the ICO before starting the processing. The ICO will give written advice within eight weeks, or 14 weeks in complex cases. If appropriate, we may issue a formal warning not to process the data or ban the processing altogether.

National Data Opt-Out

NHS Digital Purposes For Processing Patient Data

Patient data from GP medical records kept by GP practices in England is used every day to improve health, care and services through planning and research, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care. The NHS is introducing an improved way to share this information – called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research data collection.

NHS Digital will collect, analyse, publish and share this patient data to improve health and care services for everyone. This includes:

• informing and developing health and social care policy
• planning and commissioning health and care services
• taking steps to protect public health (including managing and monitoring the coronavirus pandemic)
• in exceptional circumstances, providing you with individual care
• enabling healthcare and scientific research

Any data that NHS Digital collects will only be used for health and care purposes. It is never shared with marketing or insurance companies.

What Patient Data NHS Digital Collect

This collection will start from 1st September 2021. Patient data will be collected from GP medical records about:

any living patient registered at a GP practice in England when the collection started – this includes children and adults any patient who died after the data collection started, and was previously registered at a GP practice in England when the data collection started.

We will not collect your name or where you live. Any other data that could directly identify you, for example NHS number, General Practice Local Patient Number, full postcode and date of birth, is replaced with unique codes which are produced by de-identification software before the data is shared with NHS Digital.

This process is called pseudonymisation and means that no one will be able to directly identify you in the data. The diagram below helps to explain what this means. Using the terms in the diagram, the data we collect would be described as de-personalised.

The Data NHS Digital Collect

We will only collect structured and coded data from patient medical records that is needed for specific health and social care purposes explained above.

Data that directly identifies you as an individual patient, including your NHS number, General Practice Local Patient Number, full postcode, date of birth and if relevant date of death, is replaced with unique codes produced by de-identification software before it is sent to NHS Digital. This means that no one will be able to directly identify you in the data.

NHS Digital will be able to use the software to convert the unique codes back to data that could directly identify you in certain circumstances, and where there is a valid legal reason. This would mean that the data became personally identifiable in the diagram above. It will still be held securely and protected, including when it is shared by NHS Digital.

NHS Digital Will Collect

• data on your sex, ethnicity and sexual orientation
• clinical codes and data about diagnoses, symptoms, observations, test results, medications, allergies, immunisations, referrals and recalls, and appointments, including information about your physical, mental and sexual health
• data about staff who have treated you

NHS Digital Does Not Collect

• your name and address (except for your postcode in unique coded form)
• written notes (free text), such as the details of conversations with doctors and nurses
• images, letters and documents
• coded data that is not needed due to its age – for example medication, referral and appointment data that is over 10 years old
• coded data that GPs are not permitted to share by law – for example certain codes about IVF treatment, and certain information about gender re-assignment

Opting Out Of NHS Digital Collecting Your Data

More Information can be found at nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters or by calling 0300 303 5678.

If you do not want your identifiable patient data to be shared outside of your GP practice for purposes except for your own care, you can ‘Opt out.’ You can register an ‘Opt out’ at any time and you can also change your mind at any time.

You can ‘Opt out’ using any of the following ways:

• Visit nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters. Here you can ‘opt out’ on- line or print a postal form.
• Telephone 03003035678 to ‘opt out’ or request a form.
• Register with the NHS App.

Where a proxy user wishes to opt out for a child under 12, or for someone for whom you have Power of Attorney, only the print and post option can be used.

You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your confidential patient information is used.

NHS Digital

NHS Digital is a national body which has legal responsibilities to collect information about health and social care services. It collects information from across NHS providers in England and provides reports on how the NHS is performing. These reports helps plan and improve services to patients. This practice must comply with the law and send data to NHS Digital when it is told to do so by the Secretary of State for Health or NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

More information about NHS Digital and how it uses information can be found at:  https://digital.nhs.uk/home.

How long will we store your information?

We are required under UK law to keep your information and data for the full retention periods as specified by the NHS Records management code of practice for health and social care and national archives requirements.

More information on records retention can be found online at www.nhsx.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/records-management-code.

How can you access, amend move the personal data that you have given to us?

Even if we already hold your personal data, you still have various rights in relation to it. To get in touch about these, please contact us. We will seek to deal with your request without undue delay, and in any event in accordance with the requirements of any applicable laws. Please note that we may keep a record of your communications to help us resolve any issues which you raise.

Right to rectification

If considered appropriate, a retrospective entry can be made by a clinician if you have concerns regarding the accuracy of your clinical record.

Right to object

If we are using your data because we deem it necessary for our legitimate interests to do so, and you do not agree, you have the right to object. We will respond to your request within 30 days (although we may be allowed to extend this period in certain cases). Generally, we will only disagree with you if certain limited conditions apply i.e. safeguarding reasons.

Right to withdraw consent

Where we have obtained your consent to process your personal data for certain activities (for example for a research project), or consent to market to you, you may withdraw your consent at any time.

Right to erasure

In certain situations (for example, where we have processed your data unlawfully), you have the right to request us to “erase” your personal data. We will respond to your request within 30 days (although we may be allowed to extend this period in certain cases) and will only disagree with you if certain limited conditions apply. If we do agree to your request, we will delete your data but will generally assume that you would prefer us to keep a note of your name on our register of individuals who would prefer not to be contacted. That way, we will minimise the chances of you being contacted in the future where your data are collected in unconnected circumstances. If you would prefer us not to do this, you are free to say so.

Right of data portability

If you wish, you have the right to transfer your data from us to another data controller. We will help with this with a GP to GP data transfer and transfer of your hard copy notes.

Access to your personal information

Data Subject Access Requests (DSAR): You have a right under the Data Protection legislation to request access to view or to obtain copies of what information the surgery holds about you and to have it amended should it be inaccurate. To request this, you need to do the following:

• Your request should be made to the Practice – for information from the hospital you should write direct to them
• There is no charge to have a copy of the information held about you
• We are required to respond to you within one month
• You will need to give adequate information (for example full name, address, date of birth, NHS number and details of your request) so that your identity can be verified, and your records located information we hold about you at any time.

What should you do if your personal information changes?

You should tell us so that we can update our records please contact the receptionist as soon as any of your details change, this is especially important for changes or address or contact details (such as your mobile phone number), the practice will from time to time ask you to confirm that the information we currently hold is accurate and up-to-date.

Notifications

The Data Protection Act 1998 requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purpose for which they process personal and sensitive information.

This information is publicly available of the Information Commissioner’s Office website (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk

The practice is registered with the ICO.

Objections / Complaints

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at the GP practice, please contact the Practice Manager.

If you are still unhappy following a review by the GP practice, you have a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority: You have a right to complain to the UK supervisory Authority as below.

Information Commissioner:
Wycliffe house
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545745

Website: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

If you are happy for your data to be extracted and used for the purposes described in this privacy notice, then you do not need to do anything. If you have any concerns about how your data is shared, then please contact the Practice Manager

If you would like to know more about your rights in respect of the personal data we hold about you, please contact the Data Protection Officer as below.

Data Protection Officer:

The Practice Data Protection Officer is Salford GP DPO at Salford CCG. Any queries in regard to Data Protection issues should be addressed to her at:

Email: salccg.salfordgp-dpo@nhs.net

Postal: Salford DPO
St James’s House
Pendleton Way
Salford
M6 5FW

Changes:

It is important to point out that we may amend this Privacy Notice from time to time.  If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our Privacy Notice, please contact the Practice Data Protection Officer.

If you request work that is not provided for under the terms of the NHS Primary Care Services contract, your GP may be happy to undertake such work for you, but, as this is a private service, you will incur a charge for completion of your request. Our priority is NHS work. Non-NHS work is charged in line with British Medical Association Guidelines.

The NHS provides most health care free of charge. However there are a number of other services for which fees can be charged. These are mainly for services not covered by the NHS, such as medical reports for insurance companies.

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge their own NHS patients are:

• accident/sickness certificates for insurance purposes
• school fee and holiday insurance certificates
• reports for health clubs to certify that patients are fit to exercise
• private prescriptions for travel purposes

Examples of non-NHS services for which GPs can charge other institutions are:

• life assurance and income protection reports for insurance companies
• reports for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in connection with
• disability living allowance and attendance allowance
• medical reports for local authorities in connection with adoption and fostering

What will I be charged?

We will advise patients in advance if they will be charged, and what the fee will be. The surgery has a list of fees based on these suggested fees which is available on request.

Private work requests

All private work requests, such as medical reports, insurance forms etc. are all completed by Medi2data on behalf of Walkden Medical Centre.

Medi2data is an NHS digital accredited company which have developed a system called eMR, this enables them to create digital, GDPR compliant medical reports on our behalf.

This enables us as a practice to ensure we are using all our GP resource efficiently and reducing their administration time which would be in addition to their primary role as GP.

The turnaround time for reports is a lot quicker when done via medi2data which is better for our patients too.

If you wish to speak to a member of their team regarding a medical report, please contact them directly on 0333 3055 774 or email them at connect@medi2data.com

Gun Licence Applications

The practice no longer participates in the completion of any applications for gun licences under any circumstances.

We cannot recommend a particular provider that can help with this, but details of services can be found online by searching ‘firearms or shotgun medicals’.

All patients registered with a GP have a Summary Care Record, unless they have chosen not to have one. The information held in your Summary Care Record gives health and care professionals, away from your usual GP practice, access to information to provide you with safer care, reduce the risk of prescribing errors and improve your patient experience. Your Summary Care Record contains basic information about allergies and medications and any reactions that you have had to medication in the past.

Some patients, including many with long term health conditions, have previously agreed to have Additional Information shared as part of their Summary Care Record. This additional information includes information about significant medical history (past and present), reasons for medications, care plan information and immunisations.

Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

By including this additional Information in your SCR, health and care staff can give you better care if you need health care away from your usual GP practice:

• in an emergency
• when you’re on holiday
• when your surgery is closed
• at out-patient clinics, when you visit a pharmacy

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

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

Do I have to have one?

The purpose of SCR is to improve the care that you receive, however, if you don’t want to have an SCR you have the option to opt out, you can also change your mind at any time. You can choose any of the following options:

1. To have a Summary Care Record with Additional Information shared. This means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see an enriched Summary Care Record if they need to provide you with direct care.
2. To have a Summary Care Record with core information only. This means that any authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals will be able to see information about allergies and medications only in your Summary Care Record if they need to provide you with direct care.
3. To opt-out of having a Summary Care Record altogether. This means that you do not want any information shared with other authorised, registered and regulated health and care professionals involved in your direct care, including in an emergency.

If you wish to ‘opt out’ of the Summary Care Record or wish to have a Summary Care Record with core information only, please contact the Practice.

More Information

For further information visit the NHS Care records website.

Due to our planet being in a Climate Emergency Walkden Medical Centre are trying to be more sustainable

In 2021 we earned the bronze award under the ‘Green Impact for Health’ scheme and are now working towards the silver award.

We committed to support the National Green Impact Agenda to reduce carbon emissions in line with the 2030 United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.

Sustainability has now become one of key initiatives and in this effort, we already ensure:

• Reduced the use of paper by communicating via a paperless system where possible and stopped using a fax machine.
• Radiators are turned down where possible
• All staff are responsible for turning off lighting, electrical equipment which is all clearly labelled to act as a constant reminder.
• All lights have been replaced with LED lighting.
• We provide our staff with fairtrade coffee and plastic free Rainforest Alliance tea bags.
• We use Eco friendly washing up liquid and avoid products that contain palm oil.
• We discourage the use of single use plastic.
• We recycle plastic, cardboard, toner cartridges, paper, food and batteries. Only confidential waste goes to the shredder.
• Our New Patient registration packs have been reviewed and can now be completed on-line. However, should a paper registration be required this has now been condensed and is printed double sided.
• The practice is reducing polypharmacy and over prescribing as well as switching inhalers to dry powder where appropriate.
• Our health education and promotion messages are now delivered to patients via the waiting area screen to reduce the use of leaflets.
• We promote a series of health and wellbeing campaigns each year covering topics for most seasonal and long-term health issues.
• Reduce thermostat temperature on boiler by 2 degrees
• Top up insulation in loft space to a depth of 270-300mm.

Our next aims are to continue the work we have started, as follows:

• We are in the process of doing a travel survey in the hope of encouraging staff to walk, cycle and car share.
• We are going to make the Green Impact a standing item on the agenda for meetings.
• We will be asking about sustainability at interviews.
• We will try to source all our food and drink responsibly and maintain our commitment to the use of Fair-trade products.
• We also intend to encourage staff to have a meat free Tuesday’s and encourage healthy eating as well as sharing food days.
• We are now asking our suppliers about their own environmental policies.
• We are reviewing our office supplies and making many switches which include purchasing sustainable pencils and paper.
• We aim to help the NHS reach their target of being Net Zero by 2045 and we hope as our patients you will help and encourage us.
• Install new boiler optimisation controls to allow for weather compensation

Please feel free to ask us about our pledge and what you can do to help us.

What is a Primary Care Network?

A primary care network is a group of practices who work together to focus on local patient care. They’ve been around since 2019 and 99 per cent of practices across England now work as part of one.

With increased demand and a shortage of clinical staff, practices find they can provide greater, more personalised care for patients when they can work together on certain services or issues.

Walkden and Little Hulton (PCN) has10 GP practices, who work together, with other local partners, to provide a range of extra services side by side; ones that meet Walkden and Little Hulton’s needs. Nobody else’s.

Our primary care network brings together the experience and unique skills of its practice managers, clinical staff, non-clinical staff and patient representatives, from each practice to plan out and deliver additional capacity and build resilience where it is needed most.

Together, we are working on

• Workforce
• Information and technology
• Digital innovation
• Financial and operational infrastructure
• Education, training and development needs
• Communications and engagement

Each practice still operates independently, but by working together, it means we can do more as a Primary Care Network for the residents of Walkden and Little Hulton.

Practices in Little Hulton and Walkden PCN

• Dearden Avenue Medical Practice
• Cherry Medical Practice
• Manchester Road East MP
• Orchard Medical Practice
• Cleggs Lane Medical Practice
• The Limes Medical Practice
• Dr Loomba and Partners
• The Gill Medical Centre
• Ellenbrook Medical Centre
• SPCT Little Hulton
• Walkden Medical Centre

For further information see the Walkden & Little Hulton PCN website www.walkdenandlittlehulton.nhs.uk.

We invite you to join our Patient Engagement Network

Walkden & Little Hulton Primary Care Network is looking for people from all walks of life across our area to tell us how we can make local GP services better and improve health issues that matter most to you.

How do I join the Patient Engagement Network?

We’d like to hear as many opinions as possible. We’d like to contact you by email every now and again to:

• Take part in short 5-minute surveys
• Share ideas and stories about your experiences with our services
• Join live video discussions about popular health topics with our clinicians

It’s up to you what you respond to. All your views are kept in the strictest confidence.

If you are interested in joining, please complete the form at www.walkdenandlittlehulton.nhs.uk/patient-engagement-network

Help us to help you

We aim to provide the best possible service to our patients and hope you will 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 other’s needs and co-operation between us.

Doctor’s Responsibilities

• You will be greeted courteously
• You have a right to confidentiality
• You have the right to see your medical records subject to the limitations of the law
• You will be seen the same day, if your problem is urgent
• You will be seen by your doctor whenever possible
• You will be informed if there will be a delay of more than 20 minutes for your appointment
• You will be referred to a consultant when your GP thinks it necessary
• You will be given the result of any test or investigation on request or at your next appointment
• Your repeat prescription will be ready for collection 48 hours after your request
• Your suggestions and comments about the services offered will be considered sympathetically and any complaint dealt with quickly

Patient’s Responsibilities

• Please treat all surgery staff with the same respect – we are all just doing our job
• Do not ask for information about anyone other than yourself
• Tell us of any change of name or address, so that our records are accurate
• Only request an urgent appointment if appropriate. Home visits should only be requested if you are too ill to attend the surgery and night visits should be for emergencies only – the doctor on-call will be at work as usual the next day
• Please cancel your appointment if you are unable to attend
• Please be punctual but be prepared to wait if your own consultation is delayed by an unexpected emergency
• Please allow sufficient time for your consultant’s letter of the results of any tests to reach us
• You will be advised of the usual length of time to wait
• Use the tear-off slip to request your repeat prescription whenever possible. Please attend for review when asked, before your next prescription is due
• Do let us know whenever you feel we have not met our responsibility to you
• We would, of course, be pleased to hear when you feel praise is due

The practice fully supports the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy towards harassment and abuse of staff, patients, or other visitors.
This includes (but is not limited to) sexism, racism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and ageism, or harassment or abuse on the basis of disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.

The aim of this policy is to tackle the increasing problem of violence against staff working in the NHS and ensures that doctors and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused, and is also for the protection of other patients, their families and visitors.

We understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint. We ask you to treat your doctors and their staff courteously and act reasonably.

All incidents will be followed up and you will be sent a formal warning after a second incident or removed from the practice list after a third incident if your behaviour has been unreasonable.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or verbal abuse, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the practice list and, in extreme cases, the police will be contacted if an incident is taking place and the patient is posing a threat to staff or other patients.