Healthy.io - GP Practice Privacy Policy for ACR Project August 2024
https://lp.healthy.io/minuteful_info/.
Urine albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), also known as urine microalbumin, helps identify kidney disease that can occur as a complication of diabetes. If kidney disease is diagnosed early in people with diabetes, appropriate treatment can be given and its effects can be closely monitored.
Healthy IO in conjunction with Mid & South Essex ICB and Brentwood PCN practices are supporting a new ACR project for patients with diabetes (and/or other conditions)
The data is being processed for the purpose of delivery of a programme, sponsored by NHS Digital, to monitor urine for indications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) which is recommended to be undertaken annually for patients at risk of chronic kidney disease e.g., patients living with diabetes. The programme enables patients to test their kidney function from home. We will share your contact details with Healthy.io to enable them to contact you and send you a test kit. This will help identify patients at risk of kidney disease and help us agree any early interventions that can be put in place for the benefit of your care. Healthy.io will only use your data for the purposes of delivering their service to you. If you do not wish to receive a home test kit from Healthy.io we will continue to manage your care within the Practice. Healthy.io are required to hold data we send them in line with retention periods outlined in the Records Management code of Practice for Health and Social Care. Further information about this is available at: https://lp.healthy.io/minuteful_info/.
Confidentiality & Medical Records
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:
- To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
- To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.
Freedom of Information (FOI)
Information about the General Practioner's and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.
Access to Records
In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records.
Such requests should be made in writing to the Patient Records Officer (Mrs J Wood) at the Surgery main address and may be subject to an administration charge.
Pleasure ensure you give and state your full consent to allow release of your patient records/notes with your signature, name in capitals and date stated clearly applied on the letter. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.
Please also note there can be a delay in this process as some records and notes may contain sensitive information where one of the GP partners would review such notes before authorising release to the patient requesting the notes.
Complaints - see main page for information re complaints and the process we work to
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.
To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.
Rights & Responsibilities
What we will do for you:
- Treat you courteously and professionally
- Hold all information in the strictest confidence
- Refer you to a Consultant acceptable to you when your GP thinks it necessary
- Under normal circumstances, give you an appointment with your own Doctor within 3 working days
- The Nurses and are available to speak to you on the telephone, during the working day, by arrangement with Reception staff
- Deal with your written requests for a repeat prescription within 2 full working days
- Give you a full and prompt reply to any complaint you may make about our service
Please help the Receptionists to help you:
- By treating our staff with courtesy and respect
- By not requesting urgent appointments for things that can wait. It is unfair to patients who are emergencies
- If you cannot keep your appointment, please cancel. It may then be given to someone else
- By using the correct repeat prescription slip, identify the items required and do not add items that have not been prescribed for you
Please do not abuse our services:
- By asking for Home visits when you are able to get to the Surgery
- By calling the Doctors out after hours for routine matters, or at night for problems that can wait until the morning
- By not attending appointments made for you at the hospital. If you are unable to attend, please inform us or the hospital as soon as possible
- Take responsibility for your own health
- Follow advice from the Doctors and Nurses
- Take medication properly
- Keep follow-up appointments
- Attend screening procedures
Thank you for giving your attention to these points. Your co-operation is greatly appreciated by all of us at the Practice.
Customer Service Pledge
All staff at New Folly Surgery Team are committed to giving you the best treatment and care possible. We are dedicated to providing a high quality service, which meets patients’ requirements.
We aim to:
- Treat you courteously and professionally
- Hold all information in the strictest confidence
- Refer you to a Specialist acceptable to you when your GP thinks it necessary
- Under normal circumstances give you an appointment, when possible with your own Doctor, within 3 working days
- Ensure where possible a Nurse(s) is available to speak to you on the telephone during the working day, by arrangement with Reception staff
- Deal with your written/on-line requests for a repeat prescription within 72 hours or 3 full working days
- Give you a full and prompt response to any complaint you may make about our service in line with the Practice and MSE ICB complaints policy.
Violence Policy
The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.