Our Policies

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Our Standards

• Please refer to our Privacy Notice on confidentiality for details of how we process your information
• For other policies, please view below, and contact us for more information including written guides. 

Chaperones

Our Practice is committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of every-one is of paramount importance.

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. This chaperone may be a family member or friend.

On occasions you may prefer a formal chaperone to be present.

Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our chaperone policy.

If you wish to have a member of the Practice staff present during your consultation please mention this to our Reception Staff when booking your appointment, or to the doctor at your consultation, and it will be arranged.

Consent for Childrens Treatment (Under the Age of 16)

Where it is considered appropriate by parents, or where an adolescent does not wish the presence of an adult, a child may give the legal consent to their own treatment.

Under these circumstances, the clinician must be satisfied that the child has a full understanding of the advice and treatment being provided. Our practice protocol for enquiries is for young people aged 13 and over to be treated as adults so our reception staff follow this as a first line response for retaining patient confidentiality.

Freedom of Information - Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the Practice to produce a Publication Scheme.

A Publication Scheme is a guide to the 'classes' of information the Practice intends to routinely make available. Details are available through our Reception Staff who will signpost.

Interpreters

If required, an interpreter can be organised for the patient during a consultation with the doctor. The usual method is a telephone interpreter which can require a longer appointment time. It is helpful for our Reception Staff to have prior notice in order to be able to arrange this.

Text Messaging

We use text messaging for reminders and patient messages and aim to keep your mobile number up to date and gain your consent regularly to do this. Read our SMS Text Messaging Policy for more information and speak to any of our staff if you are concerned

Zero Tolerance

We will treat our Patients with respect, courtesy and will not discriminate against them in any way on the grounds of age, sex, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin or disability, sexual orientation, religion or religious or philosophical belief.

Physical violence and verbal abuse is a growing concern. GPs, Practice Nurses and other Practice staff have the right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. We ask that you treat your GP and Practice staff properly – without violence or abuse.

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance.

Anyone either phoning or attending the Practice who abuses any staff member or patient, be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will risk removal from the Practice list and be reallocated with the assistance of NHS Bristol

In extreme cases we may summon the Police to remove offenders from the Practice premises.