Suggestions & Complaints

The Doctors and staff of this practice want to provide you with a good service. But sometimes things do go wrong and you may want to complain, or maybe just tell us about your concerns or suggest improvements.

Your first point of contact should be with the Practice Manager, who will do her best to deal with the matter. Our patient information leaflet explains the practice in-house complaints procedure which we operate in line with NHS guidance.

Your suggestions, compliments and complaints will help us to provide you with a better service. 

For a copy of our Practice Complaints leaflet please click on link below..

Complaints procedure

Mission Statement

The Practice of Sketty and Killay Medical Centres is committed to providing the highest quality health care available under the NHS to all its patients with a well trained and motivated primary health care team. We believe it is important to work in partnership with our patients in their care and treatment - 'Caring for you in the Community'.

AIMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

It Will Help Us If:

• You let us know if you cannot keep, or no longer need an appointment.
• You notify us if you change address or telephone number.
• You don't leave ordering your medication to the last minute.
• You understand that the Receptionist cannot know how long individual patients will take with the Doctor as some problems are more complex than others.
• You treat Doctors, Nurses and Receptionists with courtesy and respect.

The Practice operates a zero tolerance policy and will not accept any violence or abuse towards partners, their staff or any other persons on the practice premises. In such cases the patient will be taken off the practice register immediately and advised to find an alternative healthcare provider. 

We Will:

• Aim to provide the best possible service.
• Make information available about the services we provide.
• Deal with complaints via our complaints procedure as efficiently as possible.
• Ensure that you are dealt with professionally and with courtesy.
• Aim to provide an explanation if you wait longer than 30 minutes in the waiting room to see a Doctor.
• Ensure that all those handling information understand that confidentiality is to be maintained.
• Aim to give you access to an appropriate member of the healthcare team within 24 hours of requesting an appointment.

Practice Publication Scheme

The practice has produced a publication scheme under Section 19 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  The purpose of the scheme is to make you aware of what information is available. For a copy of our publication scheme, please write to the Practice Manager or ask at reception for a copy.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 all public authorities are required to have and operate a publication scheme.

Please find the link to the Sketty and Killay Publication scheme below

Practice Publication Scheme

Access to patient information

Medical personnel are obliged to keep medical records confidential.

Medical information is structured within the practice on a need-to-know basis.

There are some circumstances in which a health professional  may disclose confidential medical records to others - for example, if the patient consents to such disclosure or when it is required by a court.

It may also be ethical to disclose medical records if it would be in the patient’s best interests or, if necessary, to protect another person or society generally. There are certain circumstances where it is a legal requirement to disclose information, for example, in relation to infectious diseases.

Doctors are obliged to report incidences of specified infectious diseases to health boards and the Infectious Diseases Surveillance Centre. 

The confidentiality of personal information such as medical records is protected by both the data protection legislation and the Freedom of Information Act.

Under both Acts, third parties may not be given access to personal information except under exceptional circumstances.

These third parties would be parents/guardians and personal representatives.

How we use your information

Medical confidentiality is the cornerstone of trust between doctor and patient and we keep your records secure and confidential.

For your direct care either from the practice or within the NHS hospital service we imply your consent to pass on relevant clinical information to other

professional staff involved in your direct care.

Only when there is a legal basis for the transfer of data, we may pass limited and relevant information to other NHS organisations to improve the efficient

management of the NHS or to aid medical research.

If you wish to see more information about this subject please visit our website at ico.org.uk.

If you wish to object to the use of your data for these “secondary” uses please speak to the Practice Manager