Our Responsibilities To You
YOUR RECORDS ARE SAFE WITH US. The doctors and staff at Elm Hayes have a legal duty to maintain the highest level of confidentiality about patient information.

We ask for information about yourself so that you can receive the best possible care and treatment. We keep this information, together with details of your care, to ensure that your doctor or nurse has accurate and up to date information it also may be needed if we see you again.

We will preserve your right to confidentiality at all times. Any enquiries we received about you by another person (with a genuine reason) will only be given if we have your written permission, whenever we can we shall remove details that identify you as an individual this applies to other professionals (solicitors, insurance companies) and members of your family. If you would like to know more on how your information is used in the NHS please ask the receptionist for a copy of “Your Health Record Protecting Your Information” leaflet.

You will be treated as an individual and given courtesy and respect at all times. You have the right to see your health records, which will be kept confidential, subject to any limitations in the law.

Your Responsibility To Us
We ask that you treat doctors, nurses and all practice staff with the same courtesy and respect. This courtesy is also requested for their families.

If you wish to see your medical records please make a request in writing to the Practice Manager, Richard Blunden. If your doctor decides that seeing your records might put your health at risk, you may only be shown part of or your records your request may be declined. You may be charged a fee for the administration and time involved.

Please let us know if you change your name or address and telephone numbers, especially if ex-director so we can contact you if necessary.

Confidentiality and Access to Records

All surgery staff are trained to deal with any information in total confidentiality. Your health records remain confidential but you have the right to see them. Should you wish to do so please apply in writing to the Practice Manager.

We comply fully with the Access to Medical Records legislation. If you require a copy of your notes there will be a charge to cover the photocopying and printing costs in line with legislation.

Your medical records are held in the strictest of confidence. Information is not passed on without your consent unless it is within the confines of the NHS, by legal framework, or it is in the public interested. Anonymised patient data may be shared for the purpose of public health and audit or research. This practice is registered under the Data Protection Act. It is a practice and legal requirement that all staff both current and past maintain confidentiality with regard to patients’ medical records.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges the practice to produce a publication Scheme as a guide to the “classes” of information the practice holds, a description of how it could be obtained, an explanation of charges and an explanation of the types of information that the GP holds but cannot make available and why.