Practice Policy

Disabled Facilities

Honiton Surgery is fully accessible to disabled patients and incorporates suitable toilet facilities. A wheelchair is available at the Surgery so please ask at Reception if it is required.

Confidentiality

The practice is committed to protecting confidentiality and the Data Protection Act covers all records. The practice is also fully compliant with the Freedom of Information Act. Health information may be shared, when necessary, with other health care professionals e.g. midwives and nurses. Please inform your doctor if you do not wish such information to be communicated.

Support for Carers

When you register as a new patient you will be asked if you wish to be recorded as a carer or if you have a carer. A carer is a person who looks after a relative, friend or neighbour who because of age, illness or disability cannot manage on his or her own. If you wish to have more information please ask for a “Carers Information Pack” at reception.

East Devon Carers Support Scheme
01404 44411

Care Direct – Health and Social Care Information and Help for older people
0800 444 000

Carers Line
0808 808 7777

Research

The practice is an NHS research practice. At any one time a number of research projects may be running and patients may be asked to participate. This is entirely voluntary but obviously may benefit the future care of patients. Dr Dave Seamark is the lead GP on all research projects carried out within the practice.

Teaching

We are committed to the training of medical students and you will be informed if a medical student is sitting in with a doctor. If you do not wish a student doctor to be present during the consultation please advise the receptionist when you check-in for your appointment.

Rights and Responsibilities (Zero Tolerance)

The Honiton Group Practice aims to provide the best possible health care for their patients, however, there may be circumstances when it would be considered reasonable, or in the best interests of the patient, to remove patients from the list.

If a patient is violent or abusive towards any member of staff, removal from the list of a doctor might be considered in line with practice policy.

If you arrive late for your appointment it may cause consultations to run late for our patients; therefore you may be asked to re-book your appointment under these circumstances.

Please advise the receptionist if you are unable to keep your appointment for whatever reason so that your appointment can be offered to another patient.

Complaints

The doctors and staff at this practice always try to provide the best services possible but there may be times when you do not feel this has happened. If you do have a complaint please tell a member of staff or contact the practice manager so that we can deal with the issues in line with our practice complaints procedure.

We are also always pleased to receive your comments about the services provided by the surgery, positive or negative, as we endeavour to meet the needs of our patients.

NHS electronic patient records

The NHS is preparing to make patients' records available to healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients outside the surgery. It is a requirement of treatment under the NHS that patients records will be stored centrally but patients are able to decline access. If you are not in agreement with your records being available to people involved in your care outside the surgery please contact Ms Sandy Wason, Practice Manager, in writing so that your electronic record can be tagged to prevent this.