Forgotten history

There may be something you have forgotten about in your record that you might find upsetting.

Abnormal results or bad news

As you will have access to test results or letters, you may see something that you find upsetting to you.  This may occur before you have spoken to your doctor or while the surgery is closed and you cannot contact the,

Choosing to share your information with someone

Its up to you whether you share your information with others or not – perhaps family members or carers.  Its your choice, but also your responsibility to keep the information safe and secure.

Coercion

If you think you may be pressured into revealing details from your patient record to someone else against you will, it is best that you do not register for access at this time.

Misunderstood Information

Your medical record is designed to be used by clinical professions to ensure that you receive the best possible care. Some of the information within your medical record may be highly technical, written by specialists and not easily understood. If you have a query, please send this in writing to the practice. The practice will respond within 4 working weeks.

More information

For more information about keeping your healthcare records safe and secure, you will find a helpful leaflet produced by the NHS in conjunction with the British Computer Society:

• Keeping your online health and social care records safe and secure

Proxy Access

If you are using this service to access another person’s account as a proxy (eg as a carer or parent), you have discussed appropriately what you are accessing and for what purpose. This service will be reviewed at regular intervals by the GP practice and may be rescinded at any time.

• Please read PDF Children’s Privacy Notice

The Accessible Information Standard aims to ensure patients with a disability, impairment or sensory loss have access to information in an appropriate form and are given the communication support they might need.

All organisations that provide NHS or adult social care must follow the Accessible Information Standard by law. These standard include making sure that people get information in different formats if they need it, such as: large print, braille, easy read, email etc.

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 who worked for six months or more in
Houghton Close Surgery in the last financial year was £75,712 before
Tax and National Insurance. This is for 8 part-time GP’s and 1 locum
GP.

What is the GP Extended Access Service?

The Extended Access Service is a service offering our patients routine appointments in the evenings, weekends and bank holidays with GPs, Minor Illness Nurses, Nurses, Health Care Assistants, Phlebotomists and other Healthcare Professionals.

It is an extension to the service we currently offer and is staffed by Healthcare Professionals working in Bedfordshire.

The service offers additional capacity and will make it easier for you to get an appointment at a time that suits you, including in the evenings and at weekends.

When are appointments available?

Appointments are available to patients from 6.30pm – 8pm weekdays and from 09.00-17.00 on Saturdays and some bank holidays. Appointments can be booked in the same way as all our other appointments either by submitting a triage request form, phoning the surgery or coming into the surgery in person.

Appointments will be bookable up to four weeks in advance and some appointments will also be available to book on the day.

‘Please note this is not a walk in service’

Extended access appointments are in addition to normal opening hours.

Who can access these appointments?

All patients registered at Houghton Close Surgery, Greensand Surgery and Barton-Le-Clay surgery can access these appointments.

Patients must contact their own GP practice to make an appointment. Each GP practice is part of a group of practices that by working together, are providing the service in Bedfordshire.

How do I book an appointment?

Contact your practice to request an appointment.  If you would prefer an appointment outside of normal opening times, ask for an extended access appointment. Extended access appointments are not available to book on-line as we like to navigate you to see the correct healthcare professional.

How do I cancel an appointment?

If you need to cancel an extended access appointment, please contact your surgery during normal opening hours. If you need to cancel an appointment out of normal surgery hours please text 07395 642714 giving your name, date of birth and the date and time of your appointment.

Where do I go for my appointment?

When you book an extended access appointment your appointment will either be held at The Health Centre, Oliver Street, Ampthill MK45 2SB or could be a telephone appointment but you will be advised of the at the time of booking. If you are registered to receive text message alerts, you will receive a text message to confirm the date, time and location of your appointment.

The Health Centre
Oliver Street (use the same entrance as if going into Greensand Surgery)
Ampthill
Beds
MK45 2SB

Will the GP or Healthcare Professional I see have access to my medical record during my appointment?

Your medical record will be available to the GP or Healthcare Professional that sees you, to ensure that they have the information they need to give you the best possible care. The GP or Healthcare professional you see will update your record with full details of the consultation that has taken place to ensure that your record is up-to-date. An appointment with this service will be just like an appointment at your own GP practice.

Will I see my own GP and/or Healthcare Professional?

You will be seen by an experienced GP or Healthcare Professional, but it is unlikely that you will be seen by your own GP or Healthcare Professional. If you would prefer to see your usual GP or Healthcare Professional, please book an appointment during your surgeries normal opening hours.

If I have tests done as part of my appointment who do I contact for the results?

Please contact your own GP surgery in the normal way to get the results from tests.

Who do I contact if I am not happy with the appointment?

Please contact feedback.bedoc@nhs.net

If urgent care is required please visit 111.nhs.uk for further advice. If your need is life threatening, please call 999 or go to A&E.

All practices are required to provide their patients with a named GP  who will have overall responsibility for the care and support that the surgery provides to them.

Your named GP will have overall responsibility for your care but it does not prevent or restrict you from seeing any other GP or nurse in the Practice

Our aim is to provide a high standard of service, influenced by current thinking on best practice. We wish to involve you as much as possible in decisions affecting your own health.

We believe in treating all people equally and we hope that we treat you with courtesy and respect. We hope that in return you will treat all members of the practice staff with the same courtesy and respect.

As well as treating illness, our job is very much concerned with the promotion of good health. We ask that you consider carefully advice which we offer you on measures to promote good health and prevent illness in the future.

The aim of our appointment system is to enable us to provide an efficient service so that we can see people at convenient times whenever possible. We ask you to understand that there may be occasions when it may be difficult for us to offer an appointment at the most convenient time. However, any person who needs to be seen urgently will be seen the same day.

We aim to work as effectively as possible so that delays in seeing us are kept to a minimum. If our surgeries run late because of urgent cases or long consultations we ask you to be patient. Our reception staff will advise you in the event of unexpectedly long delays.

We will arrange a home visit as appropriate for those who are housebound or are too ill to come to the Surgery. We believe that we can provide a better standard of service, in most instances, in the surgery, where we have ready access to equipment and facilities not normally available at home.

We ask that you should only request the services of the emergency Doctor out of hours for matters that cannot wait until the surgery next opens.

Houghton Close Surgery are committed to delivering the best possible care to our patients. To enhance the quality and efficiency of our consultations, clinicians (your GP or a member of the multidisciplinary team within practice) may use Heidi Health AI Scribe during your appointment. This section provides information about what Heidi Health AI Scribe is and how your consent is managed.

What is Heidi Health AI Scribe?

Heidi Health AI Scribe is an advanced, secure digital assistant designed to support clinicians during consultations. It uses artificial intelligence to document medical notes, ensuring your clinician can focus on actively listening to your concerns and delivering personalised care, rather than spending time manually recording the notes. Clinicians review and approve the notes that have been captured prior to adding to the patient record.

• Improved Interaction: Allows clinicians to focus solely on the patient during the consultation.
• Accurate Documentation: Helps create precise, clear, and detailed medical notes for the patient record.
• Time Efficiency: Streamlines administrative tasks, giving clinicians more time to spend with their patients.

Patient Consent

Your privacy and comfort are our top priorities. Heidi Health AI Scribe only processes information discussed during your appointment and operates within strict privacy and data protection regulations. Before using Heidi Health AI Scribe, your clinician will explain its role and seek your verbal consent. You have the right to decline its use at any time.

• Data Security: Heidi Health AI Scribe complies with UK data protection laws, including GDPR, ensuring that your information is handled securely and confidentially.
• Data Protection Officer: The Heidi Health Data Protection Impact Assessment has been reviewed and approved by the Data Protection Officer for Hillton Primary Care Network, on behalf of your GP Practice.
• Your Control: If you prefer not to have Heidi Health AI Scribe involved, please do let your clinician know. This will not affect the quality of care you receive.
• Please see the Houghton Close Surgery – Privacy Notice.

Policy written 3rd March 2025
– Dr Alistair Snape

There are many social media platforms that are widely used by both staff and patients; these include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. At Houghton Close Surgery we have a Facebook page and Google business page, which provide a range of useful information for our patient population.

Houghton Close Surgery has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us achieve this by adhering to the code of conduct outlined in this policy.

Patients at Houghton Close Surgery are expected to adhere to the following code of conduct at all times:

• The practice requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, respecting their fellow patients. Portable devices are not to be used during consultations.
• Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients, unless they have the express consent of that patient.
• Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory or unlawful. The practice will ask the patient to immediately remove any such posts. If this is not complied with the practice will deem this as a breakdown in practice/patient relationship and a warning letter will be issued to the patient. Should the post not be removed or there are further occurrences the patient will be asked to re-register with another practice.
• Defamatory comments about our team are not to be shared on any social media platform. Legal advice may be sought, and the appropriate action taken against any patient who posts defamatory comments.
• Patients are not permitted to take photographs in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor are photographs of staff permitted.
• Patients must not post comments on social media that identify staff who work at the practice.

Patient complaints on social media

We have a separate complaints policy which patients are to use, should they wish to make a complaint please visit out website or ask our reception team for the complaints process.

Our aim is to provide the highest level of care for all our patients.  We will always be willing to hear if there is any way that you think we can improve the service we provide.

Making a complaint:

If you have a complaint or concern about the service that you have received from the doctors or staff working for this practice, please speak to our receptionists and they will advise you of the procedure.

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the 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 in writing, ideally within a matter of days or at most a few weeks because this will enable us to establish the facts in a timely manner.  If it is not possible to do this, please let us have details of your complaint:

• Within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem or
• Within 12 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided it is within 12 months of the incident.

Please complete the complaints form below:

• Patient Complaints Form

Please submit your complaint in writing and give as much information as you can.  Send your complaint to the practice for the attention of the Practice Manager as soon as possible.  Alternatively, you can email your complaint to houghton.enquiries@nhs.net.

Our complaints procedure is designed to make sure that we settle any complaints as quickly as possible.

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and aim to have carried out an investigation and responded within 28 working days of the date you raised it with us.

Complaining on Behalf of someone else:

Please note that we keep strict rules of medical confidentiality.  If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must know that you have their permission to do so.  A note signed by the person concerned will be required unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

• Complaining on behalf of someone else

What you can do next:

If you feel that you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the way we are dealing with your complaint then you can contact Bedford, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (details on page 2).  They will provide confidential advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns you may have about the care we provide.

Email: blmkicb.contactus@nhs.net

Or write to:

Office of CEO and Chair
3^rd Floor
Arndale House
The Mall
Luton
Beds  LU1 2LJ

Telephone: 0800 148 8890

If you remain dissatisfied with the responses to your complaint, you have the right to ask the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to review your case.  They are an independent body established to promote improvements in healthcare.  Their contact details are:

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
11^th Floor
Millbank Tower
London
SW1P 4QP

Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

Telephone: 0345 015 4033

Help us to get it right

We constantly try to improve the service we offer.

Please let us know when you think we have done something well or if you have any suggestions as to how we can do something better.

Care professionals in England use an electronic record called the Summary Care Record (SCR). This can provide those involved in your care with faster secure access to key information from your GP record.

What is a SCR?

If you are registered with a GP practice in England, you will already have an SCR unless you have previously chosen not to have one.

It includes the following basic information:

• Medicines you are taking
• Allergies you suffer from
• Any bad reactions to medicines

It also includes your name, address, date of birth and unique NHS number which helps to identify you correctly.

What choices do you have?

You can now choose to include information in your SCR, such as significant medical history (past and present), information about management of long term conditions, immunisations and patient preferences such as end of life care information, particular care needs and communication preferences.

If you would like to do this, talk to your GP practice as it can be added with your permission.

Remember, you can change your mind about your SCR at any time. Talk to your GP practice if you want to discuss your option to add more information or decide you no longer want an SCR.

Vulnerable Patients and Carers

Having an SCR that includes extra information can be of particular benefit to patients with detailed and complex health problems. If you are a carer for someone and believe that this may benefit them, you could discuss it with them and their GP practice.

Who can see my SCR?

Only authorised care professional staff in England who are involved in your direct care can have access to your SCR. Your SCR will not be used for any other purposes.

These staff:

• Need to have a Smartcard with a chip and passcode
• Will only see the information they need to do their job
• Will have their details recorded every time they look at your record

Care professionals will ask for your permission if they need to look at your SCR. If they cannot ask you because you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate, they may decide to look at your record because doing so is in your best interest. This access is recorded and checked to ensure that it is appropriate.

SCRs for children

If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16, and feel they are able to understand this information you should show it to them. You can then support them to come to a decision about having an SCR and whether to include additional information.

Confidentiality

For information on how the NHS will collect, store and allow access to your electronic records visit the NHS website.

For more information talk to the staff at your GP practice or visit www.hscic.gov.uk. You can also phone the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) on 0300 303 5678.

Dr Shaheena Sookun, and Dr Alistair Snape are the practice trainers. All the Partners are actively involved in the teaching process by providing tutorials and de-briefing sessions. We participate in the Bedfordshire VTS schemes taking ST2’S and ST3’s.

We are also involved in teaching medical students from the University of Cambridge during their clinical years (Year 4, 5 and 6). You may be asked to be seen by a medical student who is being supervised by a fully qualified doctor. Please let us know if you would rather not speak to our students”.

We have two registrars training with us at most times. They are qualified doctors and we will be asking for your consent for videoing some of the consultations for their training.

NHS Staff must be able to come to work without fear of violence, abuse or harassment from patients or their relatives. The NHS has a zero tolerance attitude towards violence.

Violent, threatening or abusive behaviour including shouting and swearing will not be tolerated at this practice.

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

Our staff are here to help you, please treat them with respect.