Subject Access Request

You have a right under the Data Protection Act 1998 to access/view what information the surgery holds about you, and to have it amended or removed should it be inaccurate. This is known as ‘the right of subject access’.

If we do hold information about you we will:

  • Give you a description of it
  • Tell you why we are holding it
  • Tell you who it could be disclosed to, and
  • Let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form

If you would like to make a ‘subject access request’, please contact the practice directly on d.partners@nhs.net

Accessing someone else’s information

Accessing someone else’s information

As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.

To requests proxy access:

  • collect a proxy access form from reception from 10am to 6pm

Linked profiles in your NHS account

Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.

The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.

Data Protection Officer

The NHS Act 2006 and Health and Social Care Act 2012 invests statutory functions on GP Practices to promote and provide the health service to improve quality of services, reduce inequalities, conduct research, review performance of services and deliver education & training. To do this we will need to process your information in accordance with current data protection legislation to:

Protect your vital interests;

  • Pursue our legitimate interests as a provider of medical care, particularly where the individual is a child or vulnerable adult
  • Performs tasks in the public’s interests
  • deliver preventative medicine, medical diagnosis, medical research; and
  • Manage the health and social system and services.

Should require any further information on GDPR or Data Protection Act, this can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) website:

You can also contact the practice’s Data Protection Officer. When contacting the Data Protection Officer please ensure that you include the details of the practice.

Data Protection Officer: Mr James Carroll

Tel No: 0191 404 1000 Ext 3436

Email address: STSFT.DPOSunderlandpractices@nhs.net

Accountable GP

Allocation of Accountable GP? What does this mean?

All patients in the practice will have an allocated accountable GP who will be responsible for your overall care at the practice. This will normally be your regular GP.

If you are unsure who this GP is or have a preference as to which GP this should be, please contact the surgery and your records can be amended accordingly.

The accountable GP for patients 75 and over will work with relevant associated health and social care professionals to deliver a multi-disciplinary care package that meets the needs of the patient. Patients 75 and over will have regular health reviews and check ups, either by GP or Practice Nurse depending upon their medical needs.

GP Earnings

NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised, and the required disclosure is shown below. However, it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with any other practice.

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 this practice in the last full financial year was £169,062 before Tax and National insurance. This is for 3 full time GPs and 3 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than six months.

Complaints and Concerns

Practice Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors, or staff, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

Please email any complaints to: d.partners@nhs.net – FAO the Practice Manager.

How to Complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible – ideally, within a matter of days or at the most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily.

If it is not possible to do that, let us have details of your complaint:

  • Within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem

Or

  • Within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Written complaints should be addressed to the Practice Manager, Henny Carmichael, or Dr Stephenson, Senior Partner. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the Practice Manager to discuss your concerns, who, will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are specific as possible about your complaint.

What We Shall Do

We shall acknowledge your written complaint within three working days. In respect of a verbal complaint we shall endeavour to respond to the complaint on the spot or within two working days. Complaints vary and we will give the appropriate time to investigate the complaint to be in a good position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.

When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:

  • Find out what happened and what went wrong.
  • Make it possible for you to discuss the problem 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

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note signed by the person concerned will be needed unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

If you are dissatisfied with our Response

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and the opportunity to improve the practice.

But this does not affect your right to approach the:

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
LONDON, SW1P 4QP

Or email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

The Patient Advisory Liaison Service is also available to help with any issues relating to primary care and they can be contacted on FREEPHONE: 0800731232

Chaperones

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation or examination. Please request this at the time of booking, or speak to your GP or Nurse.