Vernon Park Surgery aims to give a friendly and professional service to all our patients. However, if you have any concerns about any aspect of our service, please let us know.

Speak to whomever you feel most comfortable – your GP, our practice manager or our reception staff will be happy to help.

In the majority of cases, concerns can be resolved quite easily. However, if you feel we have not dealt with the issues you have raised as you would wish, you can write to :

NHS England Customer Contact Centre,

Via email- england.contactus@nhs.net

Please write ‘For the attention of the Complaints Manager’ in the subject line

By post

NHS ENGLAND

PO Box 16738

Redditch

B97 9PT

By telephone 0300 311 22 33

(Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, excluding English Bank Holidays)

The Surgery has a Consent Policy. If you require to see this please ask at Reception.

Vernon Park Surgery is committed to providing fair, safe and inclusive healthcare for all. We follow NHS principles and the Equality Act 2010 to ensure no patient, carer or staff member is discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

We work to make our services accessible to everyone. The practice offers step-free access, accessible facilities and support for patients with mobility, visual, hearing or communication needs. Translation and interpretation services, including BSL, are available on request.

If you need information in a different format or require additional support to access our services, please speak to a member of the team. We welcome feedback to help us improve accessibility and equality for all.

Fair Processing Notice

Vernon Park Surgery has a legal duty to explain how we use any personal information we collect about you, as a registered patient, at the practice. Staff at this practice maintain records about your health and the treatment you receive in electronic and paper format.

What information do we collect about you?

We will collect information such as personal details, including name, address, next of kin, records of appointments, visits, telephone calls, your health records, treatment and medications, test results, X-rays, etc. and any other relevant information to enable us to deliver effective medical care.

It is important that you tell us if any of your details such as your name or address have changed or if any of your details such as date of birth is incorrect in order for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.

How we will use your information

Your data is collected for the purpose of providing direct patient care; however, we can disclose this information if it is required by law, if you give consent or if it is justified in the public interest. The practice may be requested to support research; however, we will always gain your consent before sharing your information with medical research databases where the law allows.

In order to comply with its legal obligations, this practice may send data to NHS Digital when directed by the Secretary of State for Health under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Additionally, this practice contributes to national clinical audits and will send the data that is required by NHS Digital when the law allows. This may include demographic data, such as date of birth, and information about your health which is recorded in coded form; for example, the clinical code for diabetes or high blood pressure.

Processing your information in this way and obtaining your consent ensures that we comply with Articles 6(1)(c), 6(1)(e) and 9(2)(h) of the General Date Protection Regulations (GDPR).

We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used, with the following organizations or receive information from the following organizations:-

You will be informed who your data will be shared with and in some cases asked for explicit consent for this to happen when this is required.

We may also use external companies to process personal information, such as for archiving purposes. These companies are bound by contractual agreements to ensure information is kept confidential and secure.

Maintaining confidentiality and accessing your records

We are committed to maintaining confidentiality and protecting the information we hold about you. We adhere to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security, as well as guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You have a right to access the information we hold about you, and if you would like to access this information, you will need to complete a Subject Access Request (SAR). Please ask at reception for a SAR form and you will be given further information. Furthermore, should you identify any inaccuracies, you have a right to have the inaccurate data corrected.

Risk stratification

Risk stratification is a mechanism used to identify and subsequently manage those patients deemed as being at high risk of requiring urgent or emergency care. Usually this includes patients with long term conditions, e.g. cancer. Your information is collected by a number of sources; this information is processed electronically and given a risk score which is relayed to your GP who can then decide on any necessary actions to ensure that you receive the most appropriate care.

 Invoice validation

Your information may be shared if you have received treatment to determine which Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is responsible for paying for your treatment. This information may include your name, address and treatment date. All of this information is held securely and confidentially; it will not be used for any other purpose or shared with any third parties.

Opt-outs

You have a right to object to your information being shared. Should you wish to opt out of data collection, please contact a member of staff who will be able to explain how you can opt out and prevent the sharing of your information; this is done by registering to opt out online (national data opt-out programme) or if you are unable to do so or do not wish to do so online, by speaking to a member of staff.

Retention periods

In accordance with the NHS Codes of Practice for Records Management, your healthcare records will be retained for 10 years after death, or if a patient emigrates, for 10 years after the date of emigration. Further Information The practice has prepared a series of Privacy Notices providing more information in relation to how we process your data. For more information please visit our website

www.vernonparksurgery.nhs.uk

Should you have any questions about our privacy policy or the information we hold about you, you can:

1. Contact the practice’s Data Protection Officer (DPO), Ruth Quinn nhsgm.gmgpdpo@nhs.net
2. The practice is the data controller for the data held about its patients. You can write to the data controller at Vernon Park Surgery , 30-32 Brinnington Road, Brinnington, Stockport, SK1 2EX.
3. Ask to speak to the practice manager, Ilham Yasser

Complaints

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed at this Practice, please contact the Practice Manager.

If you are still unhappy after we have responded to your concerns, you can then complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) via their website (www.ico.org.uk).

Our ICO registration number is  ZA457726

Changes to our privacy policy

We regularly review our privacy policy and any updates will be published on our website, in our newsletter and on posters to reflect the changes

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in Vernon Park in the 2021/22 financial year was £86,600 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 1 full time GP  and 1 locum GP who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.”

Privacy Notice – NHS Digital (Data Provision Notice)
NHS Digital is the secure haven for NHS patient data, a single secure repository where data collected from all branches of the NHS is processed.

NHS Digital have the power under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (section 259) to issue a Data Provision Notice.

Recently a Data Provision Notice was issued for Research and Planning. This Data Provision Notice is valid from 1st September 2021.

1) Data Controller contact details

Vernon Park Surgery
30-32 Brinnington Road
Stockport
Cheshire SK1 2EX

Data Protection Officer DPO service management -PCIG consulting limited administered by PCDC

Purpose of the processing To provide the Secretary of State and others with information and reports on the status, activity and performance of the NHS. The provide specific reporting functions on identified.
Lawful basis for processing The legal basis will be:-
Article 6(1)(c) “processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.” Complying with the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
And
Article 9(2)(g) “reasons for processing for substantial public interest’
Recipient or categories of recipients of the shared data The data will be shared with NHS Digital according to directions which can be found at https://digital.nhs.uk/article/8059/NHS-England-Directions-

Please also see issued Data Provision Notices: https://digital.nhs.uk/about-nhs-digital/corporate-information-and-documents/directions-and-data-provision-notices/data-provision-notices-dpns

Rights to object You have the right to object to the data being transferred and in order to do this you should complete an opt out form and send this to the Practice.

Right to access and correct You have the right to access the data that is being shared and have any inaccuracies corrected. There is no right to have accurate medical records deleted except when ordered by a court of Law.
Retention period The data will be retained for active use during the processing and thereafter according to NHS Policies and the law.
Right to Complain. You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, you can use this link
https://ico.org.uk/

There are National Offices for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, (see ICO website)

We are actively supporting clinical research studies within primary care.

The NHS Constitution states that Research is a core function of the NHS. Clinical Research is a major driver of innovation and central to NHS practice for maintaining and developing high standards of patient care. Ultimately, clinical research means patients get access to new treatments, interventions and medicines. Investment in research means better, more cost effective care for patients.

National Institute for Health Research

In 2006, the Department of Health set up The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to improve the health and wealth of the nation through Research. The NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) was introduced to provide the infrastructure to the NHS to allow high quality research to be set up and delivered efficiently and effectively.

Vernon Park Surgery is part of a network of local practices participating in research activities under the banner of CRN Greater Manchester. To find out more about the work of the NIHR Clinical Research Network go to their website

What are the Benefits of GP practices taking part in research?

• It offers patients access to new treatments
• It brings new dimension to practice and added skills to those involved
• It provides national gold standard training for research
• It offers mentorship and support to those involved in research within practice

How can you help and take part?

There are various ways a patient can become involved in studies at Vernon Park Surgery.

• A doctor or nurse may talk to you about a particular study and ask whether you would be interested in participating
• You may be sent information through the post if we feel you may be a suitable participant
• You may read information about a current study in the patient waiting room or on the surgery website and wish to take part by contacting your GP or the Research Nurse

All clinical research carried out at our surgeries is thoroughly checked and approved by ethical committees thus ensuring it is appropriate and safe to perform. Your participation is entirely voluntary and can be withdrawn by yourself at any time without any explanation required.

You are under no obligation to participate in any research project

Your care and your relationship with your doctor will not be affected in any way if you decided not to take part in a research study

You will always receive clear information about what taking part in a research study would involve. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and obtain further details about a study. 

If you do agree to take part in a study, you will be asked to sign a consent form. This will clearly state which parts of your notes (if any) may be looked at for the purposes of the research study. Nobody from outside this practice will be given your contact details or have access to your medical records without your prior consent.

Verbal or physical assaults on staff will be taken very seriously and police assistance sought. This will result in your immediate removal from our list.

The practice operates a zero tolerance policy. Anyone who abuses the doctors, staff or other patients verbally or physically or behaves in a threatening manner will be removed from the practice list.