Confidentiality & Medical Records

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

Further information on how we use your medical records is detailed in our Patient Privacy Statement

Freedom of Information

Information about the General Practioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

Access to Records

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Applications for access can be made by completing this form and returning it to the practice. Alternatively you can seek advice from the practice in person or by telephone on 01224 492828. 

No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

More information on accessing your medical records is available here.   

Complaints

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.

Violence Policy

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.

How we use your medical records

• This practice handles medical records in line with laws on data protection and confidentiality
• We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment
• We may also share medical records for medical research and to check the quality of care provided to you
• We share information when the law requires us to do so
• For more information on how we use your data please see our Patient Privacy Statement

Access to Records

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Applications for access can be made by completing this form and returning it to the practice. Alternatively you can seek advice from the practice in person or by telephone on 01224 492828. 

No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

More information on accessing your medical records is available here.   

Woodside Fountain Health Centre is an NHS Grampian building and therefore we are subject to NSH Grampian policies and procedures.

The NHS in Scotland is now totally smoke-free. That’s because our job is to protect people’s health, whether patient, visitor or staff. To do this we need to make sure our grounds are the healthiest environments they can be.

That means we can’t allow smoking anywhere, on any NHS grounds.

That means you can’t smoke outside hospitals, health centres or GP surgeries, or in NHS car parks or gardens.

Q. Why can’t I smoke outside?

The NHS exists to look after people’s health. Even smoking outside can harm those visiting and working in NHS buildings. For example, every time you smoke, you breathe out second-hand smoke. 85% of second-hand smoke is invisible and odourless, yet it can spread through open windows, doors and ventilation shafts, harming those inside.

Q. Can I use e-cigs on NHS grounds?

E-cigarettes are not allowed in NHS Buildings or on the majority of NHS grounds. This is because they are not currently regulated as a tobacco product or a medicine in the UK, and we can only recommend products that are known to be safe and effective. E-cigarettes can also mimic the look of smoking, which may make it harder for others not to smoke.

If you wish to get help and advice to stop smoking

The best thing is to find out what’s right for you. You can get free advice from:

• your GP
• your local pharmacist
• Smokeline – call free on 0800 84 84 84