Practice Policies & Patient Information
Chaperone Policy
All patients have the rights to a chaperone during their appointments.
If you would like to have a chaperone present during an examination or consultation, please arrange this with any member of our clinical team.
Cheshire Care Record
Sharing your health and social care information to give you better care.
The Cheshire Care Record is a collaboration between all GP, hospital, community, mental health and social care services provided across Cheshire.
If you have already told your GP that you don’t want your health data to be shared, you may wish to reconsider and ask your GP to share your data locally so that a Cheshire Care Record can be created for you.
Whether you are visiting your GP, attending hospital, or being seen in your own home or health centre by a community nurse or social worker, we want you to get the best care. We can only do this if all the health and social care professionals involved in your care have access to the information they need to make informed decisions with you.
For more information you can visit website Cheshire Care Record or download the Cheshire Care Record Leaflet
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
CQC Report
Please visit the link below to view our CQC Report:
GDPR Childrens Privacy Notice
What is a privacy notice?
| A privacy notice is a document which helps your doctor’s surgery tell you how it uses information (also known as personal data) it has about you, such as your name, address, date of birth and all the notes the doctor or nurse make about you when you come to see us. It also tells you how we make sure your information is kept safe. |
Why do we need one?
| We want to make sure your personal data is safe and looked after, and that everybody at the Practice is following the laws which keep your information secure. These laws are called the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018). |
Why do we collect information about you?
| We help to look after your health. To do this, we collect and keep information about you such as your name, address and telephone number so that we know how we can contact you, the name of the person who will generally bring you to your appointments. Each time you visit, we will write down what you tell us, what your family shares about you, things we tell you and any medicines or treatments we give you; that way we can look back at what we have done to make sure we are treating you in the best way. |
What do we do with it and how we keep it safe?
| We keep the information we collect about you. This information is called your Health Record. Anyone involved in your care at the Practice can see what has been collected. This helps us make the right decisions about your care when you are poorly. We might need to share this information with others, such as a hospital so the doctors and nurses there also have access to your information to treat you and help us keep you healthy. |
| We undergo training every year to make sure we know how to look after your data. Staff are only allowed to look at your information if they are involved in your care and must keep all your information safe. We are only allowed to give your information to authorised people. |
Who do we share your data with?
| We may share the information we record about you with others involved in your care. We routinely share information with school nurses, but not directly with school unless it is important for them to know. We might need to share this information with other medical teams, such as hospitals, if you need to be seen by a special doctor or sent for an X-ray. |
| Your parents/guardians should get a copy of any letters sent by your doctor about your care. Some of you may decide that you do not want information being shared with your parents/guardians, we advise you to speak with a member of our team if you have any questions about this. |
| If you have a social worker, we will share it with them too. That way they are kept up to date on what we are doing for you. |
| We may have to share information with the police, the courts and other organisations and people who may have a legal right to see your information. |
| If you tell us something that makes us worried about your safety or the safety of someone else you know, we might have to share this with other people outside of the practice – even if you don’t want us to. This is part of our job to keep you and others safe. |
| Sometimes our surgery might be asked to take part in medical research that might help you or other people in the future. We will always ask you or your parent(s) or adult with parental responsibility if we can share your data. |
What if you don’t want to share?
| You can tell us that you don’t want to share your information. It is called ‘opting out’ and every patient has a right to do so. You can choose to opt out of sharing your confidential information for research and planning, it is called National Data Opt Out. There may still be times when your information is used, for example when there is risk to your health or the health of other people. |
How long do we keep your information for?
| We will keep a copy of your information in our Practice for as long as you are registered as a patient. If you leave the Practice, we will make sure that a copy of any information we hold about you is passed to your new GP so they can continue with your care. The practice must follow the NHS Records Management Code of Practice 2021. This is a document that tells us how long we can keep records for. Once the records have been kept for the time needed, they will be safely deleted/ destroyed. |
Can I have a copy of my medical records?
| Yes. You or your parent/guardian need to contact us to specify what information you would like to access. This could include a particular part of your medical record, an X-ray, or a report. If your parent/guardian is making the request on your behalf, we will verify their identity to ensure that we share your information appropriately, and obtain your consent, if necessary. |
What are your rights over your personal data?
| You have the following rights over your data we hold: |
| · You can see what information we have on you. Other people can ask on your behalf, however we will check they are who they say they are to make sure we are not sharing your information with anyone who should not see it.
· If there is anything incorrect in your record, you or someone on your behalf can ask us to correct it, including finding any missing information. However, the law says we cannot remove it, even if you ask us to. · If we have asked for permission to share your information with someone, you or someone on your behalf can tell us that you have changed your mind. As soon as we are told, we will not share the information. · If you would like to talk to us about not sharing your information, even if this means you do not want us to share your information with your parent(s) or adult with parental responsibility, please let us know. We will be happy to help. |
What if you have a question or if you are not happy with how we process your data?
| If you have a question or if you are not happy about the way your information is managed, you can either email us on danebridge.surgery@nhs.net visit the Practice or call us on 01606 544544 and speak to a member of our staff who will be happy to talk to you and answer any questions or worries you might have . We will do our best to help you. You can also ask your parent or adults with parental responsibility to speak to us on your behalf. If you are still not happy after speaking with us, you can contact the Data Protection Officer (DPO) by email at dpo.healthcare@nhs.net or you can telephone the DPO team on 07946 593082. |
| If you are still not happy with the advice you have received you can contact an organisation called Information Commissioner’s Office (IC0) by visiting www.ico.org.uk and select ‘Raising Concern’ or call them on 03031231133. |
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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 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. 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. 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: This information will be used to: 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. 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. 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: The organisation can release information from your medical records to relevant organisations, only with your explicit consent. These include: 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: 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. 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: We also rely upon: 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. 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: You have the right to have any factual inaccuracies about you in your medical record corrected. Please contact the surgery with your request. 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. 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 Since 1 November 2023, if you have online access to your medical records, you will have access to your full records (from 1 November 2023). 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. 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. The NHS Records Management Code of Organisation 2021 identifies will replace the 2016 version. specific retention periods which are listed in Appendix II: Retention Schedule. Please see https://www.nhsx.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/records-management-code/records-management-code-of-organisation-2021/ for a copy of the 2021 NHS retention period policy. If you have any concerns about how your data is managed, please contact the Organisation’s Business 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 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. Any queries about data protection issues should be addressed to: Sharon Forrester-Wild Emal: DPO.healthcare@nhs.net Tel: 07946 593082 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 2025.
Introduction
Why do we collect your information?
What information do we collect?
How do we keep your information safe and secure?
Why do we share your information, and who do we share it with?
Data processors
Data sharing schemes
Mandatory disclosure of information
Permissive disclosure of information
Don’t want to share your information?
Legal basis for processing your personal data
Your data rights
Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to object
Right to withdraw consent
What should you do if your personal information changes?
How long will we store your data?
How can you complain?
Further information
Data Protection Officer
Changes to our privacy policy
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.
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.
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.
Online access to records
The NHS wants to give people better ways to see their personal health information online. We know that people want to be able to access their health records. It can help you see test results faster. It also lets you read and review notes from your appointments in your own time.
We’re now letting you see all the information within your health record. If you are over 16 and have an online account, such as through the NHS App, NHS website, or other GP online services and apps, you will now automatically be able to see all future information entered on your medical record.
This means that you will be able to see records from your appointments, as well as test results and any letters that are saved on your records. This only applies to records from your doctor (GP), not from hospitals or other specialists, although you will be able to see any letters that hospitals or specialists send to your doctor (GP). You will only be able to see information from 4th October 2023 or from the date of your online registration.
Your doctor may talk to you to discuss test results before you are able to see some of your information on the app. Your doctor may also talk to you before you are given full record access to make sure that having access is of benefit to you. If you are concerned that seeing your records is not right for you, you should speak to your practice.
These changes only apply to people with online accounts. If you do not want an online account, you can still access your GP health record by requesting this information via reception. The changes also only apply to personal information about you. If you are a carer and would like to see information about someone you care for, speak to reception staff.
The NHS App, website and other online services are all very secure. You’ll need to make sure you protect your login details. Do not share your password with anyone as they will then have access to your personal information.
If you do not want to see your health record, or if you would like more information about these changes, please speak to your GP or reception staff.
If you wish to register for an online account you can do this online with the NHS app About the NHS App – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
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.
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
Research Statement
Danebridge Medical Practice is a research active practice. This means we actively support and conduct different types of research with the intention of improving outcomes for patients. New treatments, technologies, care approaches and devices all need to be carefully and safely tested in real life healthcare environments. Clinical research in these environments is separately funded and adds value to patient care.
The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the importance of clinical research, which was crucial to the development of vaccines and treatments that have saved millions of lives globally. Clinical research is essential for discovering new treatments for diseases, as well as new ways to detect, diagnose, and reduce the chance of developing the disease and by improving the efficiency and efficacy of care it can be a vital tool in tackling waiting list backlogs and reducing the pressure on the NHS.
You may be approached or invited to consider taking part in research from time to time. Participation in research is completely voluntary and your decision to take part or not will not affect your clinical care in any way.
Danebridge Medical Practice works with the NIHR Clinical Research Network North West Coast, who provide support to enable us to offer research to our patients. Every research study is different, and patient involvement varies- depending on the type of study. You will be provided with information on the study to help you decide whether you want to be part of it or not. Below are some examples of what you may be asked to do for a research study:
- Complete a questionnaire
- Take part in an interview
- Use a new therapy / device / website
- Take a treatment under supervision
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. The CQC now has a remit to assess how care organisations are supporting and using health and care research to improve population health. The 2021 CQC Strategy specifically refers to the value of research in population care. If you do not wish to be approached for research please contact the practice.
Who is involved?
Dr Rebecca Mitchelson, GP Partner is the research lead for Danebridge Medical Practice. Dr Mitchelson will be supported by other clinicians, including Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Doctors, General Practice Assistants, Clinician Pharmacists / Technicians, Practice Nurses and support colleagues.
Our Current studies
- Treadon Study
- DaRe2THINK
- ORCHID
Patient Research Links:
- Join Dementia Research connects registered volunteers with dementia researchers across the UK who are looking for people to join their studies: Join dementia research
- Research for The Future has opportunities to get involved in research across all health conditions as well as for healthy volunteers: Research for the Future
- NIHR Evidence makes health and care research findings informative, accessible, relevant and ready for use for all: https://evidence.nihr.ac.uk/
Useful links for organisations to look at:
Best Patient Care, Clinical Research and You staff guide Best Patient Care, Clinical Research and You – NHS R&D Forum
Embedding Research in Health and Care Services https://express.adobe.com/page/pV98Q9HG5cZCW/
20th March 2025
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
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.