Practice Policies & Patient Information
Accelerated Access
ACCESS TO RECORDS
Please note – this will not affect patients who have previously requested, and been granted, access to their online record.
For all other patients, information on how to obtain access is available on our website:
About Our Surgery – Barwell & Hollycroft Medical Centres (barwellmedicalcentre.co.uk)
From the 31st October 2023 all new patients will be given online access unless you OPT OUT during the registration process.
How will this work for young people (13 to 15 year olds) who have been given access
This change to records access will only apply to people aged 16 years or older. If a young person is Gillick competent they may already have access to their records so it is still necessary to screen information for these patients.
People with online accounts set up before their 16th birthday will receive access to records entered after their 16th birthday when they turn 16.
Proxy access will not change.
Why have I not been allowed access or there are parts missing?
It is our job to keep patients safe. If there are reasons to believe that some information may be harmful to patients, there is safeguarding information or we think that patient safety is at risk we may stop you from having access. Things like:
- severe mental health issues,
- domestic violence (we may withhold your access if you have discussed this with a GP and we think there is a risk the perpetrator may get access to your phone and see this information),
- if there have been concerns raised about abuse or safeguarding issues
- coercion in the past to control a patient.
We may hide certain parts of your online record, or very rarely block access completely, if we have concerns. We would be happy to explain this to you if you would like to discuss it.
If you have asked for access and this has been declined after preliminary assessment, we will write to you to inform you that your request is rejected. If you feel that this is incorrect and that there should be nothing harmful on your record then please inform us so that this can be looked into in more depth.
The Opt in approach is not what the government are saying is happening, why is this practice different?
We have sought advice from the BMC who believe that the risk to patient safety with a mass switch on, and release of data, is too high. We believe that there is not enough understanding of what information is held by us and not enough scrutiny into how it could endanger some of our most vulnerable patients. Below is our up to date Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) that shows how we have come to the conclusion that patients should opt into receiving their data, rather than automatically being granted access.
DPIA-Access-to-Records-BMC-V1-1.pdf
Access to Medical Records
All patients registered with us have a right to have access to their medical records. Barwell and Hollycroft Medical Centre have offered this service for many years, however on the 31st of October 2023 NHS E have asked that all patients with the NHS app will have automatic access. With the support and advice from the BMA (British Medical Association), Barwell and Hollycroft Medical Centres have maintained an opt in process.
Our aim is to protect patients who do not want to have their medical record on their phone without asking for it first. This could be for a number of reasons such as; domestic violence, safeguarding, coercion and other patient vulnerabilities.
From the 31st October, when you register at the practice you will now be given access to your medical record unless you “OPT OUT” . If you already have access to your record at the surgery nothing will change on the 31st October 2023.
Once registered getting access to your medical record is simple and there are many ways that this can be requested:-
In Practice (ID required)
Appointment system
At Barwell and Hollycroft Medical Centre our appointment system is always under review to try and meet demand and to keep patients happy.
In order to try and keep up with demand, which has gone up dramatically since the beginning of the pandemic, we run a triage on the day system.
Routinely we are offering over 500 GP appointments a week for our population of over 14,400 patients with over 400 nursing appointments weekly.
On top of these appointments we have our PCN (Primary Care Network) staff working alongside us. These consist of
Paramedics
Pharmacists & Pharmacist technicians
Mental Health Facilitators
Nurse Associates
Social Prescribers
Health Coach
Physio therapists
All of which offer appointments in practice.
We have also teamed up with our local practices as a collective to be able to offer “Extended Access” which provides appointments outside of the usual GP opening hours.
How to get an appointment & what appointment do I need?
Do I need a GP appointment? For many minor illness and ailments the answer is generally no, we ask that patients seek advice from their local pharmacists who will be able to provide over the counter medications initially. They can often help with;
Coughs & Colds
Hayfever
Rashes & stings
Our team of Receptionists may ask to make a referral into this service on your behalf where appropriate, they have been trained on what the local pharmacists can see, and if they are a prescribing chemist they may ask that they refer you for things such as UTIs or Chest Infections as the pharmacist will be able to give antibiotics if needed.
The pharmacist couldn’t help and asked me to call the GP:-
No problem, the Reception staff will ask you a series of questions. This is not to be nosey, this is so that they can get you to the most appropriate person in the practice.
For example if you have back pain then the Physio will be able to see you usually within 2 weeks, they will be able to order tests where needed such as xrays etc, and they will be able to get you to secondary care physio therapy quicker then the GP as they will have done the initial assessment.
Once the Receptionist has a understanding of the issue they will sign post you to the most appropriate appointment. Either a Physio, Nurse, Paramedic or GP etc. They may ask that you send in a photo of the issue for the clinician to review prior to your appointment.
Our on the day appointments open at 8am. GPs will take the medical history over the phone and if a face to face is needed they will arrange a time that suits you to be seen that day.
We offer pre-bookable appointments (the wait can be up to 3 weeks for these depending on which GP you wish to speak to).
Extended access appointments may be offered where available, these are at Centre Surgery in Hinckley or Newbold Verdon.
Nurse appointments can be booked online or via the practice – Please be aware that blood tests must be requested by a clinician or the hospital prior to booking. Any inappropriate bookings will be cancelled.
Urgent appointments when all of our routine appointments are taken the practice has an on call or duty doctor. The reception has a template that they must fill out when a patient requests an urgent appointment. This allows the duty doctor to easily triage which appointments they need to speak to and which can be asked to wait. Please be as open and detailed as possible with the staff trying to take your information. This duty GP deals with all urgent requests from EMAS, patients, hospitals etc, all medication requests from the day and urgent letters and results. If your appointment is not urgent for that day you may be offered an alternative appointment.
Home Visits : We request all home visits to be requested by 10am. Only those who are clinically housebound are able to have a house visit. The duty GP allocates home visits to clinicians that are in that day or where appropriate to the Acute Visiting Service. Please call the surgery in the morning and speak to one of the reception staff who will help you.
To Cancel your appointment please call the practice and listen to the options there is a facility to leave a message with the admin team, alternatively send a AccuRx message or speak to one of our team. If you have online access you can cancel this appointment online. To change the appointment please speak to one of the team.
If you have a query anything that you does not need an appointment, request a sick note, enquire about a result or referral, or any other admin query please use the online services and AccuRx form and this will be dealt with.
We do understand that patients can get frustrated, we are here to help and do our best in very difficult times. Please be kind to all of our staff. Any violence or aggression towards them may end up in your removal from the practice list.
Care and Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission make sure hospitals, care homes, dental and GP surgeries in England provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care, and encourage them to make improvements. Further information is available from their website http://www.cqc.org.uk/ .
Complaint Procedure
Complaints leaflet(4) to download our complaints Procedure.
Confidentiality
Any information that we hold on any patient is treated with confidentiality. Infor- mation will not normally be disclosed to other members of the family/friends/carers without your explicit consent. We may need to share your personal information with
other NHS organisations where it would be appropriate for providing you with on-going healthcare.
In some circumstances there are statutory obligations to disclose information to others (such as public health issues, safeguarding concerns) which may not require your
consent. However you will be consulted about these in advance unless there is an over-riding public interest in not doing so.
Please contact the Practice Business Manager for more information or if you have any questions about this.
First Contact
First Contact Information
First contact can get you the right information & support so that you remain living safely & independently in your own home.
First Contact Plus
Click on the link above to access the website and see what services there are to help you.
Help available on:
- Improving Health
- Falls
- Feeling Safe
- Living independently
- Money, Debt and Benefits
- Work, Learning and Volunteering
- Families and Relationships
- Your Home
GP Net Earnings
The average pay for GPs working in Barwell & Hollycroft Medical Centre in the last financial year before Tax and National Insurance was £61,855. This is for 7 part-time GPs and 4 Locums who have worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
How we share your Data
Provision of Information to Third Parties
The practice may share your personal information with other NHS organisations where this is appropriate for your healthcare.
In other circumstances we may approach you for specific consent to release personal information to third parties.
In some circumstances there are statutory or ethical obligations to disclose information to others (such as public health issues) which may not require your consent. However you will be consulted about these in advance unless there is an over-riding public interest in not doing so.
How we use your Medical Records
We ask you for information so that you can receive proper care and treatment.
We keep this information, together with details of your care, because it may be needed if we see you again.
We may use some of this information for other reasons: for example to help us protect the health of the public generally and to see that the NHS runs efficiently, plans for the future, trains its staff, pays its bills and can account for its actions. Information may also be needed to help educate tomorrow’s clinical staff and to carry out medical and other health research for the benefit of everyone.
Sometimes the law requires us to pass on information: for example, to notify a birth.
You have a right of access to your health records. All requests for access must be in writing using the form provided by the practice.
Infection Control
Our lead nurse and nursing team are in charge of our infection control here at Barwell and Hollycroft Medical Centres.
We strive to deliver up to date evidenced based practice, complying with national guidelines (NICE, CQC, Epic 3, and Public Health).
We have recently updated our IPC policy and this can be provided on request, please speak to our nursing team who can support you with your query
Our Policies
Privacy Notices
SMS Text Reminders
You can now register to receive information by text message on your phone regarding appointments and health care.
If you wish to register for this messaging service please fill out the consent form.
Suggestions and Complaints
We try to do our best for all our patients at the Practice but sometimes things do go wrong for whatever reason. If you feel like you need to make a suggestion/complaint then please contact our Reception via telephone in the first instance.
Teaching and Training
GP Registrar
GP registrars are doctors who have qualified from medical school, they have done their Foundation year 1 & 2 working often in hospitals, they are then asked to pick a speciality. Our Registrar Doctors have picked GP as their speciality which is then a further 3 years training before they can qualify as a GP. Their time with us can be from 4 months to over 12 months if working less than full time, depending on where they are in their training. Whilst here they are learning more about family medicine under our supervision. Each trainee has a supervising GP daily who is there to support and to go through cases at the end of each session.
We are a dedicated training practice who have an experienced team of GPs willing to help support our registrars. Dr D Jackson and Dr McGreal are programme directors at different local medical schools in the area, so the practice is a popular choice for trainees to attend.
Video Surgeries
We may sometimes ask whether patients mind having their consultation with the doctor or medical student recorded. This is so that it can be watched back with a more senior doctor to observe and teach consultation skills. This is a very important part of a student’s and doctor’s training as the willingness of patients to allow this is much appreciated. We will never record any consultation without your permission.
Joint Surgeries
We may occasionally ask whether patients mind having their GP registrar consultation observed by another GP. This enables the GP registrar to get feedback on their consultations and sometimes involve the patients in this process.
Under 16’s
The duty of confidentiality owed to a person under 16 is as great as the duty owed to any other person. Young people aged under 16 years can choose to see health professionals, without informing their parents or carers. If a GP considers that the young person is competent to make decisions about their health, then the GP can give advice, prescribe and treat the young person without seeking further consent.
However, in terms of good practice, health professionals will encourage young people to discuss issues with a parent or carer. As with older people, sometimes the law requires us to report information to appropriate authorities in order to protect young people or members of the public.
GUIDE TO ACCESSING SERVICES for YOUNG PEOPLE
(13 to 16 years old)
When you are young, your parents are usually involved in your health care. They may make decisions for you, and speak to health workers on your behalf. But as you get older you have more rights. You can decide if you want your parents to be involved or not.
This leaflet explains your rights once you are thought to be old enough to make your own decisions about your health care information.
Patients under the age of 16 should normally be accompanied by an adult when seeing a doctor or collecting medicines. However, under certain circumstances, patients below this age may be seen by a doctor, for example, if parents know that the child is at the surgery. Young people may also see a Doctor without parental knowledge to discuss sexual health matters, including contraception.
Who is this leaflet for and what’s it about?
This leaflet is for you if you’re under 16. It explains that anyone who looks after your health has to keep information about you private. This may be doctors, nurses, pharmacists or other health workers.
The leaflet tells you only about how things work in the health service, not other organisations such as your school or social services. If you want to talk to a health worker about something personal, they must keep this information confidential, even if you are under 16. This may be information about:
Sex
relationships
pregnancy
contraception
drugs and alcohol, or
feeling down.
Sometimes health workers do need to share information about you to give you good care. They may share information about you with other health workers who are looking after you – for example, health workers at another hospital or clinic if you have agreed to go there. This is to make your care safer, easier and faster.
They will only share information that is needed to give you the best care. If there are particular things that you don’t want to be shared, tell your health worker. If they think you are at risk of serious harm or you are in danger, they may have to tell
another adult about it to be able to help you. But even then, they should tell you they are going to do this and explain who they will tell and why.
Sometimes the law allows the health service to share information about you without you agreeing to it. This would only happen in very serious situations – for example, if you have an illness that puts other people at risk, such as meningitis.
How do I get a doctor?
If you’re over the age of 16, you can register with a GP by yourself. You can find a list of local GP’s in your area on the NHS website. If they are accepting new patients, they will ask you to fill in a registration form. Some GP’s also ask to see a proof of identity like a passport or proof of address like a mobile phone bill.
If you’re under the age of 16, your parents or carers should register you at a doctor’s surgery, but it doesn’t have to be same one as them or the rest of your family. If you don’t want your parents to know, you can still register by yourself but you might be asked some questions to make sure you’re okay.
How do I make an appointment?
You can make an appointment by calling your GP surgery and speaking to the receptionist or going there in person. The receptionist will probably ask you who the appointment is for and why. This is to make sure that you see the right person at the right time.
If it’s something personal then you don’t have to tell them why – just say it’s for something personal. You can also ask to see a male or female doctor if this would make you feel more comfortable.
Can I make appointments without speaking to someone?
If you’re struggling with anxiety or feeling worried, try explaining this when you make the appointment to see if they can help in any way. Also, perhaps try to take a trusted friend or family member with you for support. It can take a while to build yourself up to seeing someone, but it’s so important because then you’ll be able to get help to feel better.
Check out the DocReady website which has great tips on preparing yourself for a
GP appointment. http://www.docready.org/#/home
Can I see a doctor by myself?
Yes. There is no reason why you can’t ask to see the doctor by yourself. They might want to find out why and might encourage you to tell your parent or carer. But they should try to understand how you feel if you don’t want to.
What happens if I don’t like my doctor?
Most doctors are great at their job and care about their patients a lot. But, there are times when people either don’t get on with or feel uncomfortable with their doctor. You can always ask to see someone else. You may not be able to do this straight away and might have to wait for another appointment, so it’s better to say as early as possible.
CONFIDENTIALITY
What does confidentiality mean?
It means keeping information safe and private.
The health service keeps all your health information confidential. This includes:
• anything you say
• information someone writes about you, and
• details of any treatment you have had
You can talk to health workers about anything to do with your health.
Will my parents be given information about me?
Usually, health workers are not allowed to tell your parents anything you have talked to them about, unless you have agreed to this. But the health worker may suggest that you speak to your parents or an adult you trust. A health worker may want to send out information to you.
If you don’t want your parents to see this, you can:
ask them to post it to a friend’s address
say you’ll pick it up, or
ask them not to send anything.
If you’re feeling nervous or stressed, take a look at our anxiety and stress page for ways to cope. Or visit https://www.myselfreferral-llr.nhs.uk/
What if my parents want to look at my health records?
Your health records include information about your health and any treatment you have had. Your records can be written on paper, held on computer or both. Usually your parents can’t see your health records, unless you agree to this. If there something in your health records that you don’t want your parents to see, tell a health worker.
If your doctor doesn’t think you can make decisions about your health care, your parents may be allowed to see your health records without you agreeing to it. But this would only happen if the doctor thought it was best for you.
Can I see my own health records?
Yes. You should be able to see your records in a way that you can understand. Any codes or words you don’t understand should be explained to you. You may want to know about treatment you’ve had, or check that information about you is correct.
It’s your choice whether to look at your health records. You may have to pay to see them. But you will be told about this first. To find out more about seeing your health records, ask to speak to the Practice Manager Sarah Gibson.
Who else can see my records?
Sometimes, people who inspect child protection services may ask to look at the records of young people who have been involved with these services. This is to make sure that children are protected from harm. These inspectors must keep your personal information safe and private, unless they think you are in danger.
What if I’m unhappy about how my information has been kept or used?
If you think that what you’ve told a health worker hasn’t been kept private or that something in your health records is wrong, please tell one of the health workers who has been involved in your care, or ask your parent or another adult you trust to do this for you.
If you’re still unhappy, it’s okay to make a complaint. Please ask to speak to either Sarah or Luci, who will listen to your complaint and guide you through the process.
CONTRACEPTION
Most methods of contraception won’t protect you against catching or passing on a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Condoms are the only method that protects against both STIs and pregnancy. Protect your own and your partner’s health by using condoms as well as your chosen method of contraception.
Where to get free contraception?
You can get free contraception and condoms from:
•most GP surgeries – talk to your GP or practice nurse
•community contraceptive clinics
•some genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
•sexual health clinics – these offer contraceptive and STI testing services
•some young people’s services
Find your nearest sexual health service, including contraceptive clinics. Many of these places offer information, testing and treatment for STIs, including chlamydia. If you’ve been exposed to the risk of pregnancy, you may also be at risk of catching an STI. https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/sexual-health-services/find-a-sexual-health-clinic/
There are lots of contraceptive methods to choose from. You should use a method that suits you, not just because your friends are using it. Don’t be put off if the first method you use isn’t quite right for you – you can try another.
Will they tell my parents?
Contraception services are free and confidential, including for people under 16 years old. This means the doctor or nurse won’t tell your parents or anyone else, as long as they believe you’re mature enough to understand the information and decisions involved.
There are strict guidelines for healthcare professionals who work with people under 16. If they believe there’s a risk to your safety and welfare, they may decide to tell your parents.