We keep records about your health to enable you to receive the care and treatment you need, now and in the future. This information is personal to you and all our staff have a duty to keep it confidential. This confidentiality means that only the information which is essential is used and will only identify you where it is absolutely necessary.

Health records are kept both on paper and in computer files. The purposes for which some of the information in your health record may be used include:

• Review or survey by doctors, nurses and other health professionals of the care they provide to ensure it is of the highest standard.
• Management of the National Health Service, for example planning local health service, investigating complaints, reviewing how effective health services are.
• Education and training of doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals.

Approved research and audit into health service monitoring and promoting the health of the public. For some types of research we might need to get in touch with you to confirm details or fill out a questionnaire.
Should you not wish your records to be used as described above, please notify us in writing addressing your letter to the Practice Administrator. Where appropriate we may also provide your details to the local authority Social Services Department to enable them to provide you with appropriate social care, and, on rare occasions, it may be necessary to give information to the courts, following receipt of a 'Court Order' requiring disclosure.

As doctors, nurses and health professionals we are encouraged to share with you the information we record. You of course, also have a legal right of access to your own health records, subject to certain limitations laid down by Parliament and an administrative cost. If you wish, your relatives, friends or carers be kept up-to-date with the progress of your treatment, please write to the Practice Manager in the first instance.

What We Can Reasonably Expect From You

To treat the doctors and staff with the same courtesy and respect you would wish to be shown to you.

To inform us of any change of your name, address or telephone number promptly.

To be punctual for appointments and let us know in good time if you are unable to attend.

To request repeat prescriptions in good time and allow 2 working days for them to be processed.

To use the Out-of-Hours service for emergencies only.

To make requests for home visits only when it is strictly necessary.

To request home visits before 10.30 am if possible.

To act upon the advice of the health professionals and take medication as prescribed.

To attend a new patient health check shortly after registering with the practice.

To be treated as an individual and to give you courtesy and respect at all times.

To offer you an appointment on the same day for an urgent problem.

To offer an appointment with the doctor of your choice for non-urgent problems.

To provide you with access to your medical records – subject to any limitations of the law and subject to a charge.

To offer advice on disease prevention and health promotion.

To process repeat prescriptions within 48 hours.

To maintain your confidentiality and not disclose information to a third party without your consent. This includes not releasing results by telephone to another person without prior consent from you.

To continue the training and education of both our staff and ourselves as clinicians so that we may remain up-to-date in knowledge and skills and are able to maintain the level of care we offer.

To ensure that if there is a breakdown in our relationship to the extent that you are asked to leave the Practice, you will be provided with an explanation as to why we feel this is necessary.

To only remove people from our list when no other solution is possible.

To ensure that if you feel the need to make a complaint, this will not detrimentally affect the standard of service you receive from us.

Not to allow prejudice against anyone on the basis of their gender, disabilities, age, race or religion.

Marine Avenue Medical Centre aims to provide the best possible health care for its patients. However there may be circumstances when it would be considered reasonable, or in the best interests of the patient, to remove patients from the list. In this respect the Partners at Marine Avenue Medical Centre re-affirm their commitment to do everything possible to protect staff, patients and visitors from unacceptable behaviour and their zero tolerance of any incident that causes hurt, alarm, damage or distress.

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