Data Protection

As a patient at Brentfield Medical Centre, we will hold your clinical records. These will be held in the strictest confidence and we have stringent measures to ensure data security. Under the Data Protection Act 1998 you are entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you.

You may do this by contacting a member of staff. There will be a nominal charge for this service. Kindly ask for details at reception. Should there be a need to share information about you with other NHS agencies, there are strict protocols to ensure the safety of person identifiable information which complies with the Data Protection Act and Caldicott regarding confidentiality.

Brentfield Medical Centre will be uploading patient National Summary Care Records to the National Spine (this will make your records available to all NHS staff involved in your care). Any patients who do not wish to share their records through the National Spine should inform the practice in writing expressing their wishes. You may change your mind at any time.

Freedom of Information

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt by 1st January 2009.

Model Publication Scheme - further information

Comments & Suggestions

Brentfield Medical Centre is committed to providing the highest possible quality of healthcare to all our patients. To ensure we meet this commitment, we value feedback from our patients.

If you have any comments, suggestions or complaints about any of our health services you can:

1. Drop into the practice to pick up a form
2. Email the practice on: bre-brentfieldmc@nhs.net
3. Download a form from our website (coming soon)
4. Write to: Caroline Kerby, Managing Partner 10 Kingfisher Way, London, NW10 8TF

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The Health Service Ombudsman

The Health Service Ombudsman has published a booklet that describes the ‘six principles for remedy’ in relation to complaints handling and involves:

1. Getting it right
2. Being customer focused
3. Being open and accountable
4. Acting fairly and proportionately
5. Putting things right
6. Seeking continuous improvements

If you remain unhappy after everything has been done to try to resolve your concern or complaint you have the right to approach the Ombudsman.
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Write: Millbank Tower, Millbank, London SW1P 4QP.

PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service)

The NHS employs over a million staff in thousands of locations. It is a large and complex organisation providing a broad range of services. It is not surprising that sometimes you or a loved one may feel bewildered or concerned when using the NHS. And this can be at times when you are feeling at your most vulnerable and anxious.

So, what should you do if you want on the spot help when using the health service? The NHS expects all members of staff to listen and respond to you to the best of their ability. But sometimes, you may wish to talk to someone employed especially to help you. The Patient Advice and Liaison Service, known as PALS, has been introduced to ensure that the NHS listens to patients, their relatives, carers and friends, and answers their questions and resolves their concerns as quickly as possible.

PALS also helps the NHS to improve services by listening to what matters to patients and their loved ones and making changes, when appropriate.

What does PALS do?

In particular, PALS will:

• Provide you with information about the NHS and help you with any other health-related enquiry
• Help resolve concerns or problems when you are using the NHS
• Provide information about the NHS complaints procedure and how to get independent help if you decide you may want to make a complaint
• Provide you with information and help introduce you to agencies and support groups outside the NHS
• Inform you about how you can get more involved in your own healthcare and the NHS locally
• Improve the NHS by listening to your concerns, suggestions and experiences and ensuring that people who design and manage services are aware of the issues you raise
• Provide an early warning system for NHS Trusts and monitoring bodies by identifying problems or gaps in services and reporting them.

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Find out more

If you would like more information about PALS, the functions it is intended to provide and the standards it should strive to achieve , follow this link.

We pledge that you will be able to: 

• Be seen for your urgent medical problem on the same day
• See a Healthcare Professional within 24 hours
• See a GP within 48 hours
• Book an appointment up to 4 weeks in advance
• See a nurse when you need to  

Our Responsibility to You

• We will provide you with a high quality service
• You will be greeted courteously
• You have a right to confidentiality
• You will be referred to a consultant when your GP or nurse thinks it is necessary
• You will be given the result of any test or investigation upon request or at your next appointment
• Your suggestions and comments about our services will be considered sympathetically and any complaint dealt with quickly.

Your Responsibility to Us

• Please treat our staff with respect
• Do not ask for information about anyone other than yourself
• Notify us of any change of name, address, telephone number etc. as soon as possible so that we can maintain your record accurately
• Please allow sufficient time for your consultants letters etc. to reach us.