Confidentiality

Personal Lists

The doctors at The Quarter Jack Surgery have for many years run personal lists, which they believe is the best way of delivering health care.   This enables you to deliver a relationship with one doctor and not to see a different face each time.   As the relationship develops, confidence grows and with it trust.  This is crucial when managing personal and family problems.  

However, the doctors may refer to another partner for an opinion from time to time, and usually most problems can be sorted out in the surgery setting, without the need to send you to a busy hospital.

---

Data Protection

When you register with the Practice your registration details are passed to Dorset Family Health Services Agency who will update their records accordingly and arrange for the transfer of your medical records from your previous doctor.   In addition, other parts of the National Health Service may have access to your personal information from time to time, for example if you are receiving hospital treatment the hospital will require details of your relevant medical history. 

The GPs are medical officers for a local private school with an IT link to the Practice.   Please be assured that any staff that has access to your medical records has a professional duty of confidentiality and a strict contractual duty of confidentiality.
 

Suggestions & Complaints

Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

Simply contact the Practice Manager and she will set all the necessary wheels in motion. Further written information is available on the complaints procedure from reception. We are continually striving to improve our service. Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated.

---

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.

So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. But sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

What does PALS do?

In particular, PALS will:

• Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
• Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
• Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
• Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
• Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
• Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
• Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.

Find out more
If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve , follow this link.