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Equal Opportunity Policy For Patients

It is the aim of Kingsmead Healthcare to ensure that no patient receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origins or is placed at a disadvantage by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

It is the aim of the practice that patients are not discriminated against, either at the time of registration or any time thereafter, on the grounds of any having one or more ailments, either acute or chronic. To this end there is an Equal Opportunity Policy and the Practice will aim at all times to carry out its organisational duties to patients in accordance with this policy.

We are committed to giving you the best service possible. This will be achieved by patients and practice working together.

You will be treated as an individual in the care and attention you receive and with courtesy and respect.

We ask that you extend the same respect and courtesy to all doctors and staff.

Following consultation, you will receive the most appropriate care by the most suitably qualified persons. No care or treatment will be given without your consent. Urgent referrals are made the same day and routine ones within five working days.

Please follow the medical advice offered and take any medication as advised. If in doubt, please ask.

You have the right to see your health records, subject to legal rules and regulations. The Health Authority has the right to ask for your health records at any time.

If you are aware of any incorrect information in your medical records, please inform us in writing. This will then be appended to your records.

The team of people involved in your care is very large. If you need to know, the practice will provide you with the contact name(s) and address (es).

If you change your name and address, please let us know immediately. This is very important for any continuity of care that you may receive from or on behalf of your GPs.

Please do everything you can to keep your appointments, whether at the practice or a hospital, and inform the reception as soon as possible if you are unable to attend. An appointment is for one person only.

By not cancelling your appointment, you are depriving another patient of the chance to be treated sooner. Please be punctual as delays cause inconvenience to other patients and those providing the service. Inform the reception staff of your arrival.

It is our responsibility to decide whether, when and where you should be seen. To help us do this, reception staff will need to ask you some questions. These are designed to help and not to obstruct.

Please do not ask for a home visit unless the patient cannot be brought to the surgery. Give time if you need a home visit. State your name, the name of the patient if different, address at which the visit is to be made, the symptoms as you see them, and the contact phone number.

We provide cover for emergencies at all times. Please ring the practice and you will be directed accordingly. Your call will result in:

a. Advice, which may include waiting for the new surgery session

b. An urgent consultation at the surgery

c. An urgent consultation at an Out-of-Hours Centre

d. A home visit if medically required

e. Immediate referral to a hospital

Please do not call a GP out-of-hours unless it is an emergency which cannot wait until the next regular surgery session.

Please remember that everybody is entitled to some rest and relaxation after a hard day’s work.

If you need to telephone the practice, please keep pen & paper ready to note down details. If you are in any doubt, phone again.

We aspire at all times to improve services, and therefore, welcome any useful suggestions or feedback that you may have. We operate a complaints system, and if you are not happy with any service you have received from us, please let us know. If you have a complaint, ask for a complaints form from the reception and send it back in a sealed envelope addressed to the Practice Manager. You will be sent an acknowledgement slip within two working days and a detailed reply within two weeks.

You have the right to leave the list at any time and register yourself with another GP. We also have the right to remove you from our list at any time.

This is normally done when the patient/practice relationship has broken down and where the patient is seen as abusing out-of-hours services, not complying with advice given, or where he/she threatens or commits violence. All cases of threatened and actual violence are automatically reported to the police for action. Medical records are routinely returned to the Health Authority within two working days of the request. Urgent requests are dealt with the same day.

The practice values your comments and suggestions for improving the access and general quality of services available to all patients. You can pass your suggestions and comments to your GP or practice staff at the time of consultation or in writing.