Please read our Assistance Dogs and Other Animals Policy.

Under the new Health and Social Care Act, GP practices will soon be required to supply data to the Health & Social Care Information Centre.

This differs from the information provided to form a Summary Care Record and is sent to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) and will be used to plan and improve services for all patients

Information will be extracted electronically from the Practice in a form that can identify you. The Practice has to provide this information. However, individual patients can instruct us to stop the transfer of their data. If you choose to opt out of having your data uploaded, you need to let us know and your electronic notes will be coded to stop the data being sent.

There are important differences between allowing the NHS to use your information for planning and research and the Summary Care Record (SCR). The SCR may be used by any health professional in the country to provide you with care. If you have chosen not to have a SCR this does not automatically mean you also wish to stop the use of your information being used to improve health services.

Pick up a leaflet from the Practice or follow this link for more in-depth information regarding Care.data.

Choose if data from your health records is shared for research and planning – NHS

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of a NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the same time they arise and with the person concerned. If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible – ideally, within a matter of days or at most a few weeks – because this will enable us to establish what happened more easily.

Complaints should be in writing and addressed to Mrs Sue Lees, Operations Manager, or any of the doctors. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Lees in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your concerns are dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about your complaints. In any event this should be:

• Within 12 months of the incident
• Or within 12 months of you becoming aware of the matter

What we shall do

We shall acknowledge your complaint within three working days and in doing so will agree some desired outcome aims and a timeframe for a full written response. When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:

• Find out what happened and identify anything that went wrong
• Offer you the opportunity to discuss the problem with those concerned
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
• Complaints are reviewed by the Partners on a regular basis

Complaining on behalf of someone else

Please note that we are bound to the rules of medical confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so. A note of consent signed by the person concerned will be required.

You may also make your complaint directly to the local Integrated Care Board. The Primary Care Complaints Team contact details are:
Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB,
Omega House,
112 Southampton Road,
Eastleigh,
SO50 5PB

https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/contact-us/patient-experience-and-complaints

Advocacy Support

• POhWER support centre can be contacted via 0300 456 2370
• Advocacy People gives advocacy support on 0330 440 9000
• Age UK on 0800 055 6112
• The Local Council can give advice on local advocacy services
• Health Complaints Advocacy in Hampshire – 01962 440262

If we are unable to resolve your complaint

If we are unable to resolve your complaint you may take it to the next level and refer to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman:
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman,
Millbank Tower,
Millbank,
London,
SW1P 4QP
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Fax: 0300 061 4000
Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Web: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Suggestions

We welcome patient comments, feedback and suggestions. In order that these can be documented and followed through if necessary, we ask that they are given in writing addressed to our Operations Manager.
Sue Lees, Operations Manager
Email: suelees@nhs.net

Information Governance – Keeping Your Information Confidential

How the Alresford Surgery holds patient information in confidence

Healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses and therapists frequently collect information about their patients. This explains why information about you is collected and how it is used throughout the practice.

It also explains how you are able to access information about you.

What kind of information do healthcare organisations collect?

All healthcare professionals keep records of the care you receive from the National Health Service. These records are used to guide your current and future treatment. Your health records are unique to you and usually contain information such as:

1. Your name, address, date of birth and your NHS Number.
2. Correspondence between healthcare professionals relating to your care.
3. Details of any treatment you have received from the practice.
4. Results of tests and investigations.

How is this information stored?

Paper documentation is stored within a health records folder and kept in the Alresford Surgery Records Library. Information is also kept on computer systems, these computers can only be accessed by a rigorous password systems

Why do healthcare organisations collect information from patients?

Your information is primarily collected to guide and administer the care you receive. Healthcare professionals use health records to assess your health and decide on the treatment you require. Your records are also used to arrange follow up or future treatment.

Your records may also be used:

1. To monitor and review the quality of the care you receive, ensuring we provide care of the highest possible standard.
2. To investigate complaints, legal claims and untoward incidents.
3. To assess and plan NHS performance.
4. For research, teaching and training healthcare professionals.

What about patient confidentiality?

Every member of NHS staff is obliged to keep patient information confidential and secure. This is a legal and professional obligation that The Alresford Surgery takes very seriously. There must be a clear reason why a member of staff requires access to information, and information is only provided on a strictly “need-to-know” basis. The most common reason for using your information is in order to continue providing you with high quality care

You may also be receiving care from other organisations, such as Social Services. We may need to share information about you with these organisations. Any organisation that receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential and secure. We will only give information about you to other organisations where there is a genuine need and we are sure it will be used under the safeguards we apply ourselves.

Are there any exceptions to this?

In some circumstances we are required by law to disclose information about you. For example, we are legally required to register births and deaths. Similarly, a court of law has the power to order us to disclose information.

How can I access my health records?

The Data Protection Act 1998 grants every living person the right to access his or her Health Records. You do not need to give a reason.

If you would like to access your health records please apply in writing to the following address:

The Alresford Surgery,
Station Road,
Alresford,
Hampshire,
SO24 9JL

Tel: 01962 732345

We aim to provide access to health records within forty days.

Who can apply?

You can apply to see your own records, but can also apply:

1. On behalf of your child, with your child’s consent. If your child is unable to understand you can see the records if you have parental responsibility.
2. To see the records of a patient who has died, if you are acting as their personal representative, executor or are their named next of kin.
3. On behalf of another person if you have been appointed by a court to manage the other person’s affairs.

Should you apply for access to records in the circumstances outlined above, you may be asked to provide documents proving you are acting on the patient’s behalf.

How much will it cost?

It is free to access your records online. An initial paper copy is also free, but any additional copies would be liable to an appropriate administration cost to cover resources required to complete this work.

Can I be refused access?

You can be refused access where:

1. The record holder (The Alresford Surgery) believes it may cause harm should you read your records.
2. If by providing access we would reveal information that relates to or identifies another person (unless the other person has given consent).

The information held in our records and on our computer systems may be used for other purposes. These include clinical education, research and for managing the service both locally and at a national level.

Access to clinical information is restricted so that, in normal circumstances, only those who are providing care or giving clerical support to them will see your records. Where occasionally others may need access, your consent will be sought.

For more information on how we treat personal information, please view our Patient Privacy Policy 2025.

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 The Alresford Surgery in the last financial year was £64,939 before tax and National Insurance.

This is for 9 part time GPs and 1 long term locum GP who worked in the practice for six months or more.

NHS England require that the net earnings of doctors engaged in the practice is publicised by 31 March 2024 at the latest. However, it should be noted that the prescribed method of calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the practice and should not be used for any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparisons with other practices.

Please view our Infection Control Annual Statement.

The Practice understands how important it is to keep your personal information safe and secure and we take this very seriously. We have taken steps to make sure your personal information is looked after in the best possible way and we review this regularly.

1. WHY WE ARE PROVIDING THIS PRIVACY NOTICE

We are required to provide you with this Privacy Notice by Law. It explains how we use the personal and healthcare information we collect, store and hold about you. If you are unclear about how we process or use your personal and healthcare information, or you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or any other issue regarding your personal and healthcare information, then please do contact our Data Protection Officer (details below).

The Law says:

• A. We must let you know why we collect personal and healthcare information about you;
• B. We must let you know how we use any personal and/or healthcare information we hold on you;
• C. We need to inform you in respect of what we do with it;
• D. We need to tell you about who we share it with or pass it on to and why; and
• E. We need to let you know how long we can keep it for.

2. THE DATA PROTECTION OFFICER

The Data Protection Officer for Alresford Surgery is Judith Jordan.

You can contact her by email at agem.dpo@nhs.net if:

• You have any questions about how your information is being held;
• If you require access to your information or if you wish to make a change to your information;
• If you wish to make a complaint about anything to do with the personal and healthcare information we hold about you;
• If you wish to make a Subject Access Request;
• Or any other query relating to this Policy and your rights as a patient

3. ABOUT US

We, at Alresford Surgery (‘the Surgery’), are a Data Controller of your information. This means we are responsible for collecting, storing and handling your personal and healthcare information when you register with us as a patient. There may be times where we also process your information. That means we use it for a particular purpose and, therefore, on those occasions we may also be Data Processors. The purposes for which we use your information are set out in this Privacy Notice.

Please read our privacy notice carefully, as it contains important information about how we use the personal and healthcare information we collect on your behalf.

Patient Privacy Policy

Privacy Notice for Children

Please view our Statement of Purpose.

‘Our vision is to enhance the health and wellbeing of our patients throughout all stages of life.’

Our Values: The 7 Cs

1) Commitment

We are committed to providing the highest quality of care utilising the resources we have available to us in the heart of the Alresford community. We aim to be at the forefront of modern general practice, offering a wide range of services and facilities in a clean, safe and welcoming environment. We are committed to creating a team which is passionate about this ethos and are well skilled to serve your needs.

2) Care

We put our patients and our community at the centre of everything we do. We care about our patients from ‘cradle to grave’ and aim to rise to the health and wellbeing challenges each stage of life brings. We aim to offer individualised and efficient care while being committed to keeping up to date with latest evidence so we can provide you with the best quality of care available to us.

3) Communication

We will treat you with compassion, listen to you, offer advice and at times challenge you to try to provide the best possible solutions to enhance your health. We will work with you to support you in making personalised decisions to improve your health. We will endeavour to keep you informed of our services via social media platforms, our website, in house noticed boards and through the community newsletter.

4) Confidentiality

We will work within ethical frameworks at all times through a policy of openness and transparency. We will foster a culture of inclusion and fairness and never discriminate against any individual or group, and we actively work to reduce health inequalities in our community. We will keep up to date with guidance on data protection and regularly review our procedures regarding this. Through regular staff training, named lead professionals and practice guidelines we ensure your medical information is kept confidentially within the guidance of the law.

5) Continuity

We recognise the value of continuity of care to identify illness early, optimally manage long term conditions and aid recovery after episodes of ill health. We strive to provide this continuity by identifying a named GP for every patient. Due to the challenges in primary care, we have created a multi-professional team. Through continued excellent team communication, we ensure relevant information is passed on and shared to maintain continuity of care.

6) Change

We are committed to embracing change while maintaining our vision. Primary Care has been under pressure for decades and, with inadequate investment into the future generation, this undoubtedly impacts on how effectively general practice can provide care. We remain dedicated to our workplace, work force and local community in continuing to provide the best care we can in an ever-changing environment. Our staff are well trained to direct you to health care professionals or community services appropriate for your problem. We maintain an excellent relationship with our local pharmacy and are able to access MSK specialists and acute optician services to benefit our patient population. We are passionate about teaching and are a training practice with the aim of being a centre of excellence for the new generation of GPs, clinical practitioners and nurses.

7) Culture

We are passionate to offer all of our patients a positive experience of care. We recognise, despite our best intentions, we may not always get it right. If this happens, we will be open and honest, offering an apology and endeavour to learn from our mistakes, making changes where we can. We encourage feedback through various channels (NHS website, patient surveys, verbal feedback and via social media) and we can direct you to our formal complaints process. We have a culture to learn from our mistakes and ensure to protect patients and our staff from avoidable harm.

Please help us to help you by:
• Being respectful of our staff, they always try to do their best for you.
• Keep your appointment, or let us know as soon as possible if you are unable to attend.
• Only use the out-of-hours services for urgent conditions which can’t wait until the next day or until after the weekend.
• Let us know if you have any suggestions or cause for complaint as soon as possible.
• Please also let us know when we have done well.

Any form of abusive, aggressive, violent behaviour or sexual harassment will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Patients who behave in such a manner will be asked to leave the premises; the police may be called, and you could be removed from the patient list.

Our team are here to help, please treat everyone in our practice with respect.

Thank you

Download our Zero Tolerance Poster.