This organisation 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 everyone 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 present. i. e. a member of staff. Wherever possible we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking your appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way. Where this is not possible we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However occasionally it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment.

Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our chaperone policy. If you would like to see a copy of our Chaperone Policy or have any questions or comments regarding this please contact the practice manager.

The doctors and staff at the ValIance Centre aim to give the best possible treatment and service.We realise however that even with the best
intentions, problems can arise. If you have a comment or complaint about the service you have received here, you can either request a comment or complaint form from the reception, alternatively you can ask to speak to Mrs. Martina Cunningham or Mrs. Suzanne Nixon from the managerial team, who will try in the first instance to resolve any problems.

If you choose to send in a written comment or complaint we promise to respond within two working days and give a full written explanation
within ten working days. (We follow the national guidelines) If you are not happy with the explanation you receive and wish to take it further, you should write to:

PALS team
Freephone 0800 015 1462
Room 3, 1st Floor
Higher Openshaw Primary Care Centre
Ashton Old Road
Openshaw
Manchester
M11 1JG

Or you can telephone the PALS team on 0800 015 1462, you can also email the team on sue.curzon@manchester.nhs.uk
Your NHS also offers support, which is listed below:
ICAS – Independent Complaints Advocacy Service. For advice on how to complain and support to make a complaint.

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working in Dr Cunningham & Partners in the last financial year was £56,903 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full time GPs and 4 part time GPs and 0 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.

All of our patients are allocated a named GP but can see any GP at the practice. Feel free to ask who your named GP is when you next contact the surgery.

• All patient will be treated as individuals in a caring and confidential manner by all staff.
• To be seen by the doctor or health care professional of your choice whenever possible.
• To be seen the same day if your problem is deemed to be medically urgent.
• If you have undergone tests, the doctor or nurse will tell you how and when to contact surgery to check on the result. The receptionist/admin staff will tell you the result and/or pass on instructions given by the doctor.
• To be kept informed on waiting times, delays and cancellation.
• Your repeat prescription will be ready for collection within 48 hours of your request.
• We will provide you with the information about how to make suggestions or complaints about the care we offer. We strive to improve services, so welcome any comments.
• The doctors and staff work closely as a team and aim to give you the highest quality of care. We aim to meet these standards that we see as our responsibilities to you, and we need your help in achieving this.

All employed in the National Health Service have a legal duty to keep all information regarding a patient, strictly confidential. We only ever use any information if it is in the interest or may benefit the patient. We are unable to discuss any information with relatives, friends or carers without the patients consent.

Any other service or organisation who requests, information from us, are also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. If you agree, your relatives, friends or carers will be kept up to date with the progress of your treatment. We are registered with the Data Protection register which is under the Data Protection Act 1998.

A patient may have access to their medical records in accordance with the access to Health Records Act 1990. Ask for a leaflet at reception, which will explain how to make a request.

Should you have any concerns, please let us know, we are here to help.

• Please let us know any change to your name, address and telephone number.
• Please do everything you can to keep appointments and arrive on time. Tell us as soon as possible if you need to cancel an appointment so that it can be given to somebody else.
• Please ask for a home visit only when the person is too ill to visit the surgery, and whenever possible request this before 10.00am
• Should you wish to leave a message for your doctor, this can be done through the receptionist or by contacting the surgery on 0161 272 9616, then select option 2. This saves you and the doctor an appointment. Please avoid telephoning for non-urgent matters when the lines are busiest before 11.00am.
• Please re-order drugs in good time before your supply has ran out, and try to re-order as many items as possible at once. Please tell us if you are requesting drugs not prescribed before or drugs prescribed infrequently as this may result in delays.
• Hundreds of tests are performed each week. Please accept responsibility to contact us for the results. Once you have your results and only if the doctor advises should you make an appointment. When your tests or investigations are performed at the hospital the results are obtained by contacting the Consultants secretary. This will avoid unnecessary telephone calls and appointments in surgery.
• If you still feel you need to see a Doctor to discuss details of Hospital consultations or tests, please check that your doctor has received the reports before you make an appointment.
• Remember that you are responsible for your own health so please follow our advice.
• Please extend the same courtesy and politeness to us as you would expect to receive.
• Please read our practice leaflet to enable you to get the best of our services and use the member of the team best able to help you. If you do not understand the information you have been given, or are unsure of anything, please ask us.

Aggressive or Abusive Patients

It has become necessary for the health centre to introduce a Zero Tolerance Policy for aggressive or abusive patients. Any patient verbally abusing health centre staff/doctors will be informed that the incident will be recorded in the Incident book and may be reported to the police. This information is then passed on to Manchester NHS Primary Care Trust.

Any further episodes will result in immediate removal from the GP’s list.