Making a Complaint - Confidentiality - Management of Records - Violent Patient Programme
Complaints
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 helpfully as possible.
To pursue a complaint please contact Rachel Bentley, the Practice Manager, who will deal with your concerns as set out in the Welsh Government's 'Putting Things Right' Complaints Protocol .
What to expect when you make a complaint
When you make a complaint you will be contacted within two working days, we will investigate your complaint openly and honestly and will respond to you within 30 working days wherever possible. If the investigation is expected to take longer, we will contact you to explain why, and you will receive a regular update.
Getting help to raise your concern
If you need help to raise a concern, Llais – your voice in health and social care can help you do this.
Llais is an independent body and its free Advocacy service and can provide information, advice and support to members of the public who may wish to raise a concern.
Llais can support you to raise a concern and give advice on the most appropriate course of action. You can contact your local Llais office at the following address:
Advocacy Service
Llais – West Wales
Suite 5, First Floor
Ty Myrddin
Old Station Road
Carmarthen
SA31 1BT
Tel: 01646 697610
e-mail:
[email protected]
To access Llais’ website go to
Your voice in health and social care | Llais (llaiswales.org) (opens in new window)
Public Services Ombudsman For Wales
If you are unhappy with the way we have handled your complaint, please let us know so that we can discuss this with you. Additional steps can be taken to try and answer all of your questions. However, if you are still not happy, you can report it to the Public Services Ombudsman For Wales but only if your complaint has already been investigated by the surgery.
Address: Public Services Ombudsman For Wales. 1 Ffordd Yr Hen Gae, Pencoed, CF35 5LJ
Telephone: 0300 790 0203
Email: [email protected]
Information about 'Putting Things Right'
More information and resources in alternative formats and languages can be found on the Welsh Government putting things right website (opens in new tab).
Putting things right guidance in alternative formats (opens in new tab)
Putting things right guidance in foreign languages (opens in new tab)
Confidentiality & Medical Records
The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will only 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 social services. This requires your consent.
- When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases.
- Anonymised patient information may also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care. This information would be unidentifiable information.
If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.
Welsh GP Record
What is in my Welsh GP Record? It is a summary of important information from your full GP medical record which is available to selected Health Professionals in Out of Hours and certain Secondary Care providers:
• Your name, address and contact details
• Current medication and medication you have been prescribed in the last two years
• Allergies or any adverse reactions
• Current problems or diagnosis
• Results of any recent tests you have had in the previous year, for example, blood tests and x-rays
It does not include any private discussions you may have had with your GP.
More information is available here.
Management of Records
Records and Information Management are key elements within the Information Governance Agenda, which steer the design and maintenance of appropriate policies and procedures. Records management will help ensure that we have the right information at the right time to make the right decisions. Organisations are required to create and manage records appropriately as set out in the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Various standards and legislation govern the use of records within an organisation. These can include, but are not limited to administrative records, paper and electronic documents, emails, audio and video recordings, X-rays and CCTV footage.
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.