Practice Policies & Patient Information
Complaint Procedure
If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
How to complain
As a practice, we strive to provide an excellent service and standard of care
If, unfortunately, you have concerns and want to raise a complaint, we ask that you put this in writing to the Practice Manager.
Please see our full Complaints Procedure for further information.
What we will do
We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within twenty working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:
- Find out what happened and what went wrong.
- Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
- Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
- Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.
Complaining on behalf of someone else
We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so.
What happens if I prefer to complain directly to the commissioning organisation?
In these circumstances, you should contact the ICB complaints department by either
Telephoning 0114 305 1000
or by email to [email protected]
Please note, the email address covers all areas of South Yorkshire (Rotherham, Doncaster, Barnsley and Sheffield), therefore when submitting a complaint, please include the specific area that your complaint is in reference to, i.e. Rotherham.
Changes from 1st July 2023
From 1 July 2023 the way members of the public make a complaint about primary care services to the commissioner is changing. Rather than contacting NHS England, complaints will be made to directly to the local integrated care board (ICB)
Members of the public will still be able to make a complaint to the provider. This is NOT changing.
Members of the public with ongoing complaints received on/after 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that the ICB is now handling their complaint with confirmation of their case handler.
Members of the public with any ongoing complaints received before 1 July 2022 will receive a letter from NHS England informing them that their complaint is being retained by NHS England with confirmation of their case handler.
Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?
If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and the ICB and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.
To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033
Need help making a complaint?
If you want help making a complaint, Healthwatch Hounslow can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.
Alternatively, POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.
Data Choices
Your Data Matters to the NHS
Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.
How your data is used
Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital. It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.
Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.
You have a choice
You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.
Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?
No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.
What do you need to do?
If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.
To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters
GP Net Earnings
It is a contractual requirement for all GP Practices to publish the mean net earnings of the Partners, Salaried GPs and Locums who have worked in the practice for over six months, on their Practice website.
2022/23:
The average pay for GPs working in Blyth Road Medical Centre in the last financial year was £84,225 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 1 full time GP and 1 part time GP who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
2021/22:
The average pay for GPs working at Blyth Road Medical Centre in the last financial year 2021/22 was £70,595 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full time and 1 part time Partner who worked at the practice for more than 6 months.
2020/21:
The average pay for GPs working at Blyth Road Medical Centre in the last financial year 2020/21 was £73,967 before tax and national insurance. This is for 1 full time and 1 part time doctor who worked at the practice for more than 6 months.
2019/20:
The average pay for GPs working in Blyth Road Medical Centre in the last financial year 2019/20 was £116,429 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full time GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
2018/19:
The average pay for GP’s working in Blyth Road Medical Centre in the last financial year 2018/19 was £84,068 before tax and national insurance. This is for 2 full time GP’s who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.
Named GP
The practice is required by the government under the terms of the latest GP contract to allocate all patients with a named accountable GP. The named GP will be responsible for patients overall care at the practice. However, this does not mean patients will always have access to see this GP and it does not prevent patients from seeing any other Doctor in the practice.
If you wish to know the name of your accountable GP, please ask the receptionist next time you are in surgery. Please note: there is no need to telephone the surgery for this information. If you have a preference as to your named GP, the practice will make reasonable efforts to accommodate this request.
Dr Geoff Avery and Dr Sarah Avery are currently the named GP for all patients.
Practice Policies
Your Information and How We Use It
Rotherham Health Record Privacy Notice
Click on the link below for information on how your data is being processed to support vital Coronavirus planning and research
Transparency Notice for data for pandemic planning and research (COVID19)
Data Protection Policies
Information Governance & Data Protection Policy
Data Protection & Confidentiality Policy
Patient Access to Medical Records
How we use your information leaflet
Practice Leaflet
Infection Control Policies
Good infection prevention and control are essential to ensure that people who use health and social care services receive a safe and effective care. Effective prevention and control of infection must be part of everyday practice and be applied consistently by everyone.
Good management and organisational processes are crucial to make sure that high standards of infection prevention and control are developed and maintained.
If you have any concerns regarding infection prevention measures here at the Surgery please contact a member of the practice team immediately.
Standard Infection Control Policy
Text Message 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.
New Data Protection Regulations from May 2018 (GDPR)
Under the new data protection regulations introduced from 25th May 2018, we will continue to contact patients via text messages regarding the delivery of care if they have provided consent to do so.
If practices are sending messages about recommended treatment for the management of a specific health issue, then this is defined as providing appropriate care for patients, not marketing purposes.
If you would like ot opt out of any future contact via text messaging, then please complete the form and indicate in the marked section.
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.