All Polices

Prescribing for ADHD, and shared care, in children.

We are often asked to prescribe medication for children with a diagnosis of ADHD, who are currently diagnosed by, and seen outside the local NHS commissioned service for children.  Cheshire and Merseyside ICB commission a service for ADHD in children with our local community paediatric team.  This team oversees the child, the condition and the prescribing of the regulated medicine associated with this condition.  Those who seek a diagnosis outside of that NHS commissioned service for children and have follow-up appointments with private providers need to be aware that we do not prescribe in this situation or agree to a shared care agreement with the private provider. Therefore, all prescribing is retained by the specialist.  The reason for this is multi-factorial and includes the concern regarding some providers as highlighted in the Panorama report, as well as the need for that specialist service initiating the medication to see and review the child regularly up until the age of 18 years minimum.  The NHS service for ADHD provides a robust, clearly defined and safe shared care policy which in our opinion is lacking within some private organisations. As a practice we realise this is not ideal for our patients who are trying to seek help in managing their condition,  however we do not think moving outside the commissioned service is the answer.   We want to see a better local ADHD service commissioned for children up to adulthood and so we continue to put pressure on the ICB for that local service for our patients.

June 2024

Sedatives For Scans / Procedures Performed By Organisations External To Danebridge Medical Practice

We are unable to prescribe sedatives, such as diazepam, for any procedure or scan being undertaken outside of Danebridge Medical Practice, this includes MRI scans and dental procedures.

If you feel you need sedation in such circumstances, please speak to the team undertaking the procedure or scan, as they are responsible for providing this if needed.

Sedatives are medicines which make patients sleepy and relaxed. There are several reasons why healthcare practitioners at Danebridge Medical Practice do not prescribe these medicines for procedures outside of our practice:

  • GPs are not trained to provide the correct level of sedation for a procedure / scan. Providing too little sedation won’t help you, providing too much sedation can make you too sleepy, which could lead to the procedure being cancelled. Too much sedation can dangerously affect your breathing. After taking a sedative for a procedure or scan, you will need to be closely monitored to keep you safe.
  • Although diazepam makes most people who take it sleepy, in some rare situations it can have an opposite effect and make people aggressive or agitated.
  • Scans and hospital procedures are often delayed, therefore the team performing he procedure or scan should provide the sedation, to ensure you become sleepy and relaxed at the right time.

Feel free to show this policy to your hospital team or dentist.

Further Information

For more information, please see the following patient information leaflet published by the Royal College of Anaesthetists:

http://rcoa.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/2022-06/12-SedationExp2021web.pdf (link checked October 2022)

The following links provide further information:

Sedation, analgesia and anaesthesia in the radiology department – Royal College of Radiologists

https://www.rcr.ac.uk/system/files/publication/field_publication_files/bfcr182_safe_sedation.pdf (link checked October 2022)

Safe Sedation Practice for Healthcare Professionals: Standards and Guidance – Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

https://www.aomrc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Safe_sedation_practice_for_healthcare_procedures_update_0521.pdf

Medication Requests for Flying

June 2023

We are occasionally asked by patients to prescribe sedating medication for flying.

We regret that henceforth we are not able to facilitate these requests on the grounds of patient safety and our need to prioritise the delivery of NHS care on the basis of patients’ clinical needs.

Sedating medication, e.g. benzodiazepines such as diazepam, can render someone either paradoxically aggressive, or less able to follow instructions in an emergency, thus putting crew and other passengers at risk.

Sleeping tablets similarly have no indication for flying, and again could make a passenger difficult to rouse or transfer if there was a genuine in-flight emergency. Sometimes passengers mix these medications with alcohol, with deleterious consequences. We would not wish you to to be barred from a flight or face prosecution, or find yourself incapacitated due to the unpredictable effects of said medication. The drug driving legislation which came into effect in recent years would also potentially prohibit onward driving from an airport.

Flight anxiety should be treated by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – a form of counselling, which has long lasting benefits and is safe. Airline carriers offer excellent courses for free, so do speak with your flight provider to arrange to go on a course well in advance of when you know you will be flying.

It is not within the remit of the NHS to render someone fit to travel on a voluntary holiday or business trip, and due to the inexorable demands currently facing general practice, we make no apology for prioritising NHS care for patients on the basis of their clinical need.

We acknowledge there may be occasion when you have previously received a prescription for this purpose. We regret that we will be unable to agree to such requests henceforth. This is a joint decision, unanimously made by all senior clinical staff within the practice.

Patients are reminded that they are able to arrange a consultation at a private travel clinic should they wish to pursue the option of in-flight medication further, but we cannot accommodate their request and so would politely ask that they respect this universal practice policy from June 2023.

Zero Tolerance

The NHS has a zero-tolerance policy towards all violence and aggression.  This policy is for the protection of all NHS colleagues, but also the protection of other patients, their families, visitors etc.  In order to ensure that this zero-tolerance approach is adhered to, it is essential to have robust policies and procedures in place.  In General Practice, this will need to cover a variety of situations in which incidents could occur.  Generally speaking, the majority of patients behave in acceptable or manageable way, however the incidence of excessively aggressive or violent attacks in the GP practice is increasing.

The practice recognises that there can be contributory reasons for patients behaving in difficult or challenging ways, however where this tips over into aggression or violence, the practice will adopt a zero-tolerance approach.

Danebridge Medical Practice aims to provide high quality healthcare and we will treat all patients with respect and dignity.  In return we expect all our colleagues to be treated with respect.  We will not tolerate abusive language or threatening behaviour against any team member.  Such behaviour may result in the offender being denied access to the service and / or further measures as appropriate.

In order for the practice to maintain positive relations we would like to ask all patients to note the types of behaviour that would be found unacceptable:

  • Verbally abusive, offensive or intimidating in their behaviour
  • Threatening or subjecting others to physical violence
  • Causing damage / stealing from the Practice’s premises, colleagues or patients
  • Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently
  • Banging on desks or shouting loudly in an intimidating manner
  • Any form of harassment, including those related to race and sex
  • Making excessive demands and / or maintaining certain expectations and failing to accept that these are unreasonable (e.g., wanting an immediate appointments and becoming aggressive when this is not possible)
  • Insisting that a colleague is dismissed
  • Insisting that treatment is carried out on demands
  • Constantly requesting a different clinician or health care professional.

Removal from the practice list

In rare circumstances, the trust between the healthcare professional and a patient may break down, and the clinician may find it necessary to end the professional relationship. For example, this may occur if a patient has been violent, has stolen from the premises, or has persistently acted inconsiderately or unreasonably.”

If patients have been violent to any team members or have threatened colleagues’ safety, the incident will be reported to the Police.  Patients may also be referred to the Special Allocation Service, which provides primary care medical services in a secure environment.

Even in these circumstances, the practice will inform the patient of the reasons leading to removal from the practice list, unless one or more of the following apply:

  • it would be harmful to the mental or physical health of the patient
  • it would put practice team or patients at risk
  • it would not be reasonably practicable to do so.

The practice will record this in the patient’s records and set out the circumstances leading to removal. Family members should not be struck off GP lists, unless there is a threat to the practice from the ex-patient as a result of keeping these patients on.

Patients Rights and Responsibilities

Patients at this practice are entitled to:

• Be provided with services in a courteous, civil and co-operative manner.
• An explanation of, and advice on, their medical condition and any proposed treatment.
• A referral for specialist medical opinion or other second opinion in appropriate circumstances after discussion.
• Confidentiality of medical records maintained by the practice subject to the provisions for disclosure imposed or allowed by law.
• Access to their own personal health records, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). (Please contact the Practice Manager if you wish to view your records.)
• Have any formal complaint against the practice investigated and dealt with fairly, and according to the practice complaints procedure.
• Request (either in writing or verbally) to be seen by a particular doctor. We shall endeavour to comply with this request, but need not do so if the preferred doctor is not able to, or has reasonable grounds for refusing.
• Patients aged 16-74 who have not been seen at the practice for three years can request a health check with a nurse or healthcare assistant.
• Patients who are over 75 can request an annual health check with a nurse or healthcare assistant.

Patients’ Responsibilities

The practice would like you to:

• Behave with civility and courtesy at all times.
• Inform the practice if you change your telephone number or name and address.
• Please make appointments that you know you can keep, and arrive on time. If for some reason you are unable to keep your appointment please make sure you inform the practice as soon as possible.
• Ask for a GP home visit only if you are too ill to go to the surgery. If possible telephone before 10.00am.
• Read your practice booklet or visit our website www.danebridge.org.uk. This will help you get the best from the services available.
• Be patient if the doctors are running late – on another occasion it might be you who needs the extra time.
• Not to ask for another member of the family to be seen at your appointment without making prior arrangements.

The practice will not accept:

• Rudeness, threats or aggressive behaviour directed towards practitioners, staff or other patients.
• Repeated abuse of its facilities including emergency or out-of-hours service.

No Smoking Policy

Please be aware that all our sites operate a strict non-smoking policy and smoking is not permitted anywhere within our buildings nor immediately in front of the entrance ways.

 

Many thanks for your cooperation.

GDPR Privacy Notice

This privacy notice explains why Danebridge Medical Practice, hereafter known as ‘the Organisation’, collects information about you, how it is kept secure and how that information is used.

This notice will explain:

  • Why we collect your information, what is collected and how we use it
  • How we keep your information safe and secure
  • Why we share your information and who with
  • How to opt out of sharing your data
  • Your data rights under UK GDPR 2021
  • How long we can legally keep your information
  • The lawful basis for processing your personal and sensitive information
  • How to complain

Introduction

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became law on 25 May 2018.  This regulation protects the personal and sensitive data of a living individual.  It is currently known as the UK GDPR 2021 after the United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020.

As your registered GP organisation, we are the data controller for any personal and sensitive data we hold about you.  We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with:

  • Data Protection Act 2018
  • The GDPR 2016 and UK GDPR 2021
  • The Human Rights Act 1998
  • Common Law Duty of Confidentiality
  • Health and Social Care Act 2012
  • NHS Codes of Confidentiality, Information Security and Records Management
  • The Caldicott Principles

Why do we collect your information?

Healthcare professionals within the NHS and who provide you with care are required by law to maintain your medical records with details of any care or treatment you received.  This information will be used to aide clinicians to make decisions, either individually or jointly, about your health and to make sure it is safe and effective.  Other reasons include:

  • Looking after the health of the public
  • Development of future services to better serve the organisation population
  • We will share pseudonymised data so the NHS has access to statistics to its performance and activity
  • To help us investigate patients’ concerns, complaints or legal claims
  • Allow clinicians to review their service of care to ensure it is of the highest standards, and provide a basis of further training of care is not as expected
  • Patient medication reviews undertaken by a healthcare professional
  • Research Ethics Committee approved research (patient consent will be required)

What information do we collect?

The healthcare professionals who provide you with care maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received previously or elsewhere (eg NHS hospital Trust, another GP surgery, Out of Hours service, Accident & Emergency Department, etc).  These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare.

Information we hold about you may include the following:

  • Your personal details, ie address, next of kin, contact details, details of those with proxy access, email address
  • Contact you have had with the surgery, ie appointments including what kind of appointment, who it was with and what happened during
  • Reports about your health, treatment and care
  • Results of investigations, ie laboratory test results, x-rays, scan results, etc
  • Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for your, or information provided to the surgery by you (including information you provide via our surgery website).
  • Recordings of telephone conversations between you and the organisation.

How do we keep your information safe and secure?

Every member of staff who works for an NHS organisation has a legal obligation to keep information about you confidential.  We maintain our duty of confidentiality by conducting annual training and awareness, ensuring access to personal data is limited to the appropriate staff and information is only shared with organisations and individuals that have a legitimate and legal basis for access.

We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it.

We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances, or where the law requires information to be passed on, for example:

  • We believe you are putting yourself at risk of serious harm
  • We believe you are putting a third party (adult or child) at risk of serious harm
  • We have been instructed to do so via court order made against the organisation
  • Your information is essential for the investigation of a serious crime
  • You are subject to the Mental Health Act (1983)
  • UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities needs to be notified of certain infectious diseases
  • Regulators use their legal powers to request your information as part of an investigation

Our organisation policy is to respect the privacy of our patients, their families and our staff, and to maintain compliance with the UK GDPR and all UK specific Data Protection Requirements. Our policy is to ensure all personal data related to our patients will be protected.

All employees must sign a confidentiality agreement as part of their condition of employment.  We also ensure that data processors who support us are legally and contractually bound to operate and prove security arrangements are in place where data which could or does identify a person are processed.

Third party processors include:

  • Companies which provide core IT services and support to the organisation and its clinical systems
  • Systems which manage patient facing services (PFS) – NHS app, MyGP, the organisation website, data hosting service providers, appointment booking systems, electronic prescription services, document management services, text messaging services etc
  • Clinical systems EMIS Web
  • For more information, please see ‘Data Processors’ below

We will email or text you regarding matters of medical care, such as appointment reminders and, if appropriate, test results, unless you have separately given the organisation your explicit consent not to do so.  We maintain our duty of confidentiality to you and will only use or share information with others if they have a genuine need for it.  We will not share your information to a third party without your permission, unless there are exceptional circumstances, ie life and death, or where the law requires us to share your information.

Why do we share your information, and who do we share it with?

Confidential patient data will be shared within the healthcare team at the organisation, including nursing staff, administration staff (prescription, secretaries, reception, finance) and with other healthcare professionals to whom a patient is referred.

Data processors

The organisation uses data processors to perform certain administrative tasks for us, particularly where these involve large numbers of patients.  Details of the data processors are listed below:

  • Companies that provide IT services and support, including our core clinical systems which manage patient facing services (such as our website and service accessible through the same), data hosting service providers, systems which facilitate appointment bookings or electronic prescription services, prescribing decision support services, document management services.
  • The systems that are contracted to maintain and store on our behalf are:
    • EMIS Web
    • Docman clinical systems
    • Blinx PACO GP
    • Scriptswitch
  • National screening programmes – The NHS provides national screening programmes so that certain diseases can be detected at an early stage. These screen programmes include:
    • bowel cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, aortic aneurysms, diabetic eye screening
  • Where research involves accessing or disclosing identifiable patient information, we will only do so with your explicit consent and with approval from the Research Ethics Committee, or where we have been provided with special authority to do so with consent.
  • The Medicines Management Reviews service performs a review of prescribed medication to ensure patients receive the most appropriate up to date and cost-effective treatments. If you decide to object to this, please contact the Organisation Manager; however, be aware that the result may cause a delay in the timely provision of your direct care.
  • Risk stratification – The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has granted permission for personal data to be used for the purposes of risk stratification. This is because it would take too long to carry out a manual review of all patients.  The following information is used for risk stratification:
    • Age
    • Gender
    • NHS number
    • Diagnosis
    • Existing long-term condition(s)
    • Medication history
    • Patterns of hospital attendance
    • Number of admissions to A&E
    • Periods of access to community care

This information will be used to:

  • Decide if a patient is a greater risk of suffering from a particular condition
  • Prevent an emergency admission
  • Identify if a patient needs medical help to prevent a health condition from deteriorating
  • Review and amend the provision of current health and social care services.

Data sharing schemes

To ensure optimal care delivery, we may share relevant data with carefully selected third parties when it directly supports your treatment or aids in preventing a medical condition. Such data sharing is conducted under strict legal and regulatory controls to safeguard your privacy and rights. These third parties could include specialists, laboratories, or external healthcare services involved in your care pathway. We ensure that all data exchanges comply with the highest standards of data protection.

Several data sharing schemes are active locally, enabling healthcare professionals working outside of the surgery to view information from your GP record.  A list of these schemes can be obtained by writing to the Business Manager and asking for the information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

  • Summary Care Record – NHS England have also created a Summary Care Record which contains information about medication you are taking, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medication that you have had in the past.

The shared record means patients do not have to repeat their medical history at every care setting.

Your record will be automatically setup to be shared with the organisations listed above, however you have the right to ask your GP to stop your record from being shared or only allow access to parts of your record.

Your electronic health record contains lots of information about you.  In most cases, particularly for patients with complex conditions and care arrangements, this means that you get the best care and means that the person involved in your care has all the information about you. The shared record means patients do not have to repeat their medical history at every care setting.

  • GP Connect is a secure NHS service that allows authorised healthcare professionals to access important information from your GP record to support your care. This helps improve communication between services and ensures you receive safe, consistent treatment—particularly when you’re seen outside of your usual GP practice, such as in urgent care or hospital settings, or whilst being under a care home.

The information shared via GP Connect may include your basic details, medical history, current medications, test results, and allergies. Only the information necessary for your care is accessed, and only by staff directly involved in your treatment. All data is shared using secure systems that comply with strict NHS data protection and privacy standards.

Your data is protected by robust security measures, and access is logged and audited to ensure your privacy is respected. You have the right to know how your information is used, and you can ask to view, correct, or limit the sharing of your data. If you have any questions or concerns, our data protection team is here to help.

Using services supported by GP Connect means your data may be shared to improve your care. For more details, please refer to our full privacy policy or speak to a member of the practice team.

Mandatory disclosure of information

We are sometimes legally obliged to disclose information about patients to relevant authorities.  In these circumstances the minimum identifiable information that is essential to serve that legal purpose will be disclosed.

The organisation will also have a professional and contractual duty of confidentiality.  Data will be anonymised if possible before disclosure if this would service the purpose for which the data is required.

Organisations which we are legally obliged to release patient data to include:

  • NHS Digital (eg the National Diabetes Audit)
  • Care Quality Commission (CQC)
  • Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
  • General Medical Council (GMC)
  • His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs HMRC)
  • NHS Counter Fraud
  • Police (mandatory or vital interest requests)
  • The Courts
  • UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
  • Local Authorities (Social Services)
  • The Health Service Ombudsman
  • Medical defence organisation – in the event of actual or possible legal proceedings

Permissive disclosure of information

The organisation can release information from your medical records to relevant organisations, only with your explicit consent.  These include:

  • Your employer
  • Insurance companies
  • Solicitors
  • Local Authorities (the Council)
  • Police (non-mandatory requests)
  • Community services – district nurses, rehabilitation services, telehealth and OOH hospital services
  • Child health services which undertaken routine treatment or health screening
  • Urgent care organisations, minor injury units
  • Community hospitals
  • Palliative care hospitals
  • Care homes
  • Mental health Trusts
  • NHS hospitals
  • Social care organisations
  • NHS commissioning support units
  • Independent contractors, ie dentists, opticians, pharmacists
  • Private sector providers
  • Voluntary sector providers
  • Local ambulance Trust
  • Integrated Care Board
  • Education services
  • Fire and Rescue services

Don’t want to share your information?

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time for any instance of processing, provided consent is the legal basis for the processing.  Please contact your GP Organisation for further information and to raise your objection.

You have a choice about whether you want your confidential patient information to be used in this way. If you are happy with this use of information you do not need to do anything. If you do choose to opt out, your confidential patient information will still be used to support your individual care.

Your organisation has systems and processes in place to comply with the National Data Opt-out and apply your choice to any confidential patient information they use or share for purposes beyond your individual care.

To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit https://www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/ or telephone 0300 3035678.  On the webpage you will:

  • See what is meant by confidential patient information
  • Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
  • Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
  • Understand more about who uses the data
  • Find out how your data is protected
  • Be able to set or change your opt-out setting
  • Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
  • See the situations where the opt-out will not apply, i.e. where here is a legal requirement or where it is in the public interest to share (go to more exemptions for further information)

You can also find out more about how patient information is used at:

https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/ (which covers health and care research).

https://understandingpatientdata.org.uk/what-you-need-know (which covers how and why patient information is used, the safeguards and how decisions are made)

You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.

Data Protection Impact Assessments

In primary care settings, protecting patient data and ensuring privacy is a fundamental obligation. One important tool used to uphold this responsibility is the Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA). A DPIA is a structured process that helps identify and minimise the data protection risks of a project, particularly when new technologies or processes involving personal data are introduced. It is an essential part of ensuring that any handling of patient information complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

DPIAs are typically required when data processing is likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms. In primary care, this might include the introduction of a new electronic health record system, sharing patient information with external providers, or deploying new tools for remote consultations. By carrying out a DPIA early in the planning stages, primary care organisations can assess how personal data will be collected, stored, used, and shared, and ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect that data.

The purpose of a DPIA is not only to protect patients’ privacy, but also to promote transparency and accountability in how data is handled. It ensures that patients’ rights are respected and that any potential impact on their privacy is fully considered and mitigated. DPIAs are reviewed and updated regularly as services evolve, making them a key part of continuous improvement in data protection practices within primary care.

Legal basis for processing your personal data

We need to know your personal, sensitive, and confidential data so that we can provide you with healthcare services and advice.  Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) there are different reasons why we may process your data, however we mostly rely upon:

Article 6(1)(e): Official Authority; and

Article 9(2)(h): Provision of health

For much of our processing, in particular:

  • Maintaining your electronic GP record
  • Sharing information from, or allowing access to, your GP record, for healthcare professionals involved in providing you with direct medical care
  • Referrals for specific healthcare purposes
  • The NHS data sharing schemes
  • Our data processors
  • Organising your prescriptions, including sending them to your chosen pharmacist
  • Some permissive disclosures of information

We also rely upon:

  • Article 6(1)(d): Vital interests – to share information with another healthcare professional in a medical emergency
  • Article 6(1)(c): Legal obligation – Mandatory disclosure of information to NHS Digital and CQC, etc
  • Article 6(1)(a): Consent – Certain permissive disclosures of information, ie insurance companies
  • Article 9(2)(j): Research – for accredited research undertaken in the surgery, with your explicit consent.

Your data rights

The UK GDPR allows you to ask for any information the organisation holds about you, including your medical records.  It also allows you to ask the organisation to rectify any factually inaccurate information and object to how your information is shared with other organisations (opt-out).

Data being used or shared for purposes beyond individual direct care does not include your data being shared with insurance companies or used for marketing purposes and data would only be used in this way with your specific agreement.

Right of access

The organisation holds both personal and sensitive data (health records) about you.  If you need to review a copy of your historical medical records, you can contact the surgery to make a ‘Subject Access Request’.  Please note, if you receive a copy, there may be information that has been hidden. Under UK GDPR the organisation is legally permitted to apply specific restrictions to the released information.  The most common restrictions include:

  • Information about other people (known as ‘third party’ data) unless you provided the information, or they have consented to the release of their data held within your medical records
  • Information which may cause serious physical or mental harm to you or another living person. For some Subject Access Request cases, a GP will perform a ‘serious harms test’.  If the GP has any cause to believe that specific information will cause you or someone else serious harm, it will not be released.

Right to rectification

You have the right to have any factual inaccuracies about you in your medical record corrected.  Please contact the surgery with your request.

Right to object

If you do not wish to share your information with organisations who are not responsible for your direct care, you can opt-out of the sharing schemes.  For further information about opting out, please visit Your NHS Matters.

Right to withdraw consent

Where the organisation has obtained your consent to process your personal data for certain activities, (eg preparation for a subject access request for a third party), you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Your access to your future health records

If you have online access to your medical records, you will have access to your full records.  This means you will have access to free texts, letters, and documents once they have been reviewed and filed by the GP.  Please note that this will not affect proxy access.

If you move organisation, access to your full medical records will commence from the date you register with the new organisation.

There will be limited legitimate reasons why access to prospective medical records will not be given or will be reduced and they are based on safeguarding.  If the release of information is likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health to you or another individual, the GP could refuse or reduce access to prospective records; third party information may also not be disclosed if deemed necessary.  On occasion, it may be necessary for a patient to be reviewed before access is granted, if access can be given without a risk of serious harm.

What should you do if your personal information changes?

It is important that you tell the person treating you 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 for this to be amended. You have a responsibility to inform us as soon as possible of any changes so our records are accurate and up to date for you.

How long will we store your data?

The NHS Records Management Code of Practice can be accessed at:

https://transform.england.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/records-management-code/

How can you complain?

If you have any concerns about how your data is managed, please contact the Organisation’s Manager in the first instance.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy and data sharing issues, you can contact the ICO at:

The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Tel: 0303 123 1113    Web: www.ico.org.uk

Further information

If you have any concerns about how your data is shared or would like to know more about your rights in respect of your personal data held by the organisation, please contact the Data Protection Officer.

Data Protection Officer

Any queries about data protection issues should be addressed to:

Sharon Forrester-Wild

Emal: DPO.healthcare@nhs.net

Tel: 07946 593082

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. This policy will be reviewed April 2026.

GP Net Earnings

HS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised, and the requirement 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 the doctors spend working in the practice and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with 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 Danebridge Medical Centre in the 2022/23 financial year was £85,747 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 2 full time GPs, 13 part time GPs and 2 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

Complaints, Compliments, Comments and Suggestions

Complaints

As a Practice we all try hard to provide the best possible service for our patients with the resources available. If you are dissatisfied with any of our services, please speak to the Patient Services Manager in the first instance.

If you are dissatisfied with the response, please put your complaint in writing, addressed to Dr Mike Mullin, Executive Partner, or Amanda Skelding-Jones, Business Manager. We will look into your complaint and send you a written acknowledgement within three working days. Once your complaint has been investigated we will then write to you again with an explanation or suggest a meeting.

We feel it is much better for grievances to be tackled as soon as possible and, ideally, directly between the parties involved, as misunderstandings can be more readily resolved in this way.

If you don’t want to make a complaint to the practice, you can contact the commissioner of the service NHS Cheshire & Merseyside integrated care board;

Writing: Patient Experience Team  No 1 Lakeside, 920 Centre Park Square, Warrington, WA11QY;

E-mail enquiries@cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk

Telephone 0800 132 996

Comments and Suggestions

We welcome comments and suggestions about our services and have a suggestion box in the waiting room for this purpose.

Alternatively, please ask to speak to either the Patient Services Manager or Business Manager or write to them at Danebridge Medical Practice, 29 London Road, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5HR

 

The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the health and social care regulator welcomes comments about the operation of NHS services and can be contacted 03000 61 61 61 or by emailing enquiries@cqc.org.uk or by using their online form which can be found at www.cqc.org.uk