We aim to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment, sensory loss or any other communication need are given information they can easily read or understand. Please inform practice staff if you have any communication support needs. We will then record your accessibility requirements and information needs alongside your other details.

Our commissioner is Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB). Full contact details are available at: Contact Us | BOB ICB 

Please do not include confidential patient information in enquiries to email addresses in the link above, and do not use the ICB details to contact this GP practice.

For general enquiries to BOB ICB please get in touch via: bobicb.enquiries@nhs.net or write to:

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West ICB
Unipart House
Garsington Road
Cowley
OX4 2PG

If you are unhappy with the treatment or service you have received from Balmore Park Surgery you are entitled to make a complaint, and receive a response from us. Please email bobicb-bw.complaints.balmorepark@nhs.net. You will receive notification of receipt of email within 4 working days and a response from us within 10 working days from that email.

Please find further information and downloadable complaint form here

A Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) has been established in every NHS Trust and Clinical Commissioning Group. PALS are not part of the complaints procedure itself but they might be able to resolve your concerns informally or can tell you more about the complaints procedure and independent complaints advocacy services.

Who can complain?

A complaint can be made by a patient or person affected or likely to be affected by the actions or decisions of a NHS organisation or primary care practitioner. A complaint can also be made by someone acting on behalf of the patient or person, with their consent.

What is the time limit for making a complaint?

You should normally complain within 12 months of the event(s) concerned or within 12 months of becoming aware that you have something to complain about.

Primary care practitioners and complaints managers in NHS organisations have discretion to waive this time limit if there are good reasons why you could not complain earlier.

To whom should I complain initially?

The first stage of the NHS complaints procedure is ‘Local Resolution’. Your complaint should be made in the first instance to the organisation or primary care practitioner providing the service. Local resolution aims to resolve complaints quickly and as close to the source of the complaint as possible using the most appropriate means; for example, use of conciliation.

You can raise your concerns immediately by speaking to a member of staff (e.g. doctor, nurse, dentist, GP or practice manager) or someone else, e.g. the PALS.

They may be able to resolve your concerns without the need to make a more formal complaint.

However, if you do want to continue with your complaint you can do this orally or by writing (including email) to the primary care practitioner or the NHS organisation concerned. If you make your complaint orally a written record should be made by the complaints manager.

You should receive a response from a primary care practitioner within 10 working days or from the Head of Corporate Affairs of the NHS organisation concerned within 20 working days. You should be kept informed of progress if this is not going to happen.

Independent Review

If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint, including a complaint about an NHS Foundation Trust, you can ask the Health Service Ombudsman for an “Independent Review” of your case.

The Health Service Ombudsman is an independent body established to promote improvements in healthcare.

Website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Complaints helpline: 0345 014 4033 (Monday–Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm)

Email: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk

Fax: 0300 061 4000

Address: The Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London SW1P 4QP

Where can I get further advice and help?

The PALS or complaints manager at the NHS organisation you are complaining about can provide advice, including about local independent complaints advocacy services.

Telephone: 0118 982 2829

The Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) provides advice and support to people who want to complain about the NHS. Details are at www.dh.gov.uk.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of all health and social care in England. They monitor, inspect and regulate all hospitals, care homes, home-care agencies, GP practices and dental practices.
www.cqc.org.uk / 03000 616161

All information held about patients is completely confidential. The Practice is registered under the Data Protection Act 1984. This Act protects data held on the computer system.

We will not discuss your health or treatment with anyone else without your consent.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) makes sure hospitals, care homes, dental and GP surgeries, and all other care services in England provide people with safe, effective, compassionate and high-quality care, and encourages them to make improvements where possible.

They do this by inspecting services and publishing the results on their website: www.cqc.org.uk

You can use the results to help you make better decisions about the care you, or someone you care for, receives.

View our full report.

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 Balmore
Park Surgery in the last financial year was £75,133 before Tax and
National Insurance. This is for 2 full-time GP’s, 12 part-time GP’s and 2
locum GP’s

February 2025

Balmore Park Surgery is a training practice accredited by the Oxford Deanery to train doctors intending to become general practitioners. As part of our commitment to training, you may have a consultation with a  doctor in training. Our trainees have received excellent feedback from patients and are valuable members of our team.

Our GP Trainees and our GP Trainers are required to make an Audio/video recording of some of their patient consultations. You may be asked for your permission to record the Audio/video of your consultation with one of the doctors. This is solely for training, education and assessment purposes. The recording, processing and storage of the consultation will comply with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and is in line with guidance of the General Medical Council.

More information on how we will manage your data is available below.

• GMC Guidance on making and using visual and audio recordings of patients

You do not have to agree to your consultation with the doctor being recorded. If you do not want us to record the consultation, this is not a problem at all, and will not affect the care you receive in in any way. If you do give your consent, then you will have the opportunity to withdraw this at any time in the future, including immediately after the consultation.

You may have received a text requesting your consent to record the consultation. If you are happy for us to record your consultation, please confirm this by responding to this message with YES. If you do not wish to give consent that is fine, and all you need to do is respond with NO.

GP Registrars and Trainees

Doctors training to be GPs are known as GP Registrars. We also train other doctors wishing to gain experience in general practice. Both GP Registrars and Trainees are fully qualified doctors. They will run their own surgeries under supervision. You might also see them when they are sitting in with, or being observed by, one of our regular doctors or nurses in a ‘joint surgery’.

Medical Students

Occasionally we have medical students observing us. They are usually in their final year of training. Medical Students will always be supervised when seeing patients and never run clinics on their own.

Clinical Supervision

Although the GP trainees run their own clinics please be reassured that they are supervised at all times by the other GPs in the practice. The practice has two accredited GP Trainers Dr Samantha Potter and Dr Tom Back.

Maintaining Accreditation

To remain a training practice, the practice is regularly inspected to ensure that we reach all the required standards for this level of teaching. The inspection involves an audit of data entry into the medical records. Only approved doctors from the Oxford Deanery’s School of General Practice will conduct these assessments. All information contained in medical records remains confidential. The inspection is only to look at the accuracy and consistency of our data entry processes.

Our current GP Registrars are Dr Santoshkumar Rajkumar and Dr Kani Varshneya.

Purpose

The annual statement will be generated each year. It will summarise:

• Any learning connected to cases of difficile infection and Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus blood stream infections and action undertaken;
• The annual infection control audit summary and actions undertaken;
• Infection Control risk assessments and actions undertaken;
• Details of staff training (both as part of induction and annual training) with regards to infection prevention & control;
• Details of infection control advice to patients;
• Any review and update of policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Background:

Balmore Park Surgery’s, Lead for Infection Prevention/Control is Madeleine Farmer, Practice Nurse Manager who is supported by Samantha Potter Senior GP Partner and Jessica Lee, Operations Manager.

This team keeps updated with infection prevention & control practices and share necessary information with staff and patients throughout the year.

Significant events:

Detailed post-infection reviews are carried out across the whole health economy for cases of C. difficile infection and Meticillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) blood stream infections. This includes reviewing the care given by the GP and other primary care colleagues. Any learning is identified and fed back to the surgery for actioning.

This year the surgery has been involved in 0 C. difficile case reviews and 0 MRSA blood stream infection reviews.

Audits:

Detail what audits were undertaken and by whom and any key changes to practice implemented as a result.

Infection Control Risk Assessments:

Regular Infection Control risk assessments are undertaken to minimise the risk of infection and to ensure the safety of patients and staff. The following Infection Control risk assessments have been completed in the past year and appropriate actions have been taken:

• COVID-19 outbreak
• Control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH)
• Disposal of waste
• Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) and occupational infections
• Minor surgery
• Sharps injury
• Use of personal protective clothing/equipment
• Risk of body fluid spills
• Legionella risk assessment
• Buildings and facilities that do not meet IPC best practice

Staff training:

19  new staff joined this Medical Centre/Surgery in the past 12-months and received infection control, hand-washing, and donning and doffing training within 1 months of employment.

100% of the practice patient-facing staff (clinical and reception staff) completed their annual infection prevention & control update training (specific whether this was in a formal training session or online).

100% of the practice non-patient-facing staff completed their 3-yearly/annual infection prevention & control update training.

The IPC nurse/practitioner attended training updates for their role. Training is provided by the BOB ICB Webinars.

Infection Control Advice to Patients:

Patients are encouraged to use the alcohol hand gel/sanitiser dispensers that are available throughout the Medical Centre/Surgery. Additional IPC measures on hands, face, space have been implemented due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

There are leaflets/posters available in the Medical Centre/Surgery -regarding:

Policies, procedures, and guidelines.

Documents related to infection prevention & control are available to all and reviewed in line with national and local guidance changes and are updated 2-yearly (or sooner in the event on new guidance).

If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, which has been already shared with them (or to opt back in, if you have previous opted out).

Please note, you can only do this via the following way – as a GP practice we cannot opt you out of Type 2 (National Data Opt-out).

You need to complete the online form via Your NHS Matters.

For more information about this visit NHS Digital.

Many patients have contacted us as they are very concerned about the possibility of their personal confidential information being shared with a third party. So we have put together the following information to help people to make an informed choice about whether they want to opt out of the data sharing.

There is a lot of information to take in, but please can we urge you to read the detail so that you are making your decision based on facts and not some of the soundbites used in the media.

We fully respect the patient’s right to choose whether they want to participate in data sharing or not, but it can take time to process and code any requests to opt out, so please complete and return the forms as soon as you can if you wish to opt out.

Can we please make it very clear though that there are two opt out options and you can opt out of either, both or none. Hopefully the diagrams will help make this clearer.

As of 1st July 2021 your data will be shared with NHS Digital to help improve health, care and services.

Patient data from GP medical records kept by GP practices in England is used every day to improve health, care and services through planning and research, helping to find better treatments and improve patient care. The NHS is introducing an improved way to share this information – called the General Practice Data for Planning and Research data collection.

NHS Digital will collect, analyse, publish and share this patient data to improve health and care services for everyone. This includes:

• Informing and developing health and social care policy
• Planning and commissioning health and care services
• Taking steps to protect public health (including managing and monitoring the coronavirus pandemic)
• In exceptional circumstances, providing you with individual care
• Enabling healthcare and scientific research

GP system suppliers will pseudonymise the data at source using the national pseudonymisation tool provided by NHS Digital then securely transfer the data collection as a fully encrypted XML file to NHS Digital.

Any data that NHS Digital collects will only be used for health and care purposes. It is never shared with marketing or insurance companies.

• This is happening by law – GP’s cannot say no.
• This is for secondary uses but there is a re-id possible but only in specific and securely governed circumstances such as COVID-19 purposes under COPI
• The data will not leave the practice in an identifiable form.
• The System Suppliers will pseudonymise the data before it goes to NHSD.
• NHSD become Controllers for the data at the point of submission not when they receive it.
• Type 1 Opt outs will be observed at the present time.
• The National data opt out will not apply to the collection of the data.
• The National data opt out will be considered at the point of dissemination as is the policy.
• Only structured and clinically coded data will be collected (free text, images and documents will not be collected).
• Legally restricted codes for Gender Recognition and Human Fertilisation and Embryology will not be collected.

NHS digital: General Practice Data for Planning and Research (GPDPR).

NHS Digital will not collect any patient data for patients who have already registered a Type 1 Opt-out in line with current policy. If this changes patients who have registered a Type 1 Opt-out will be informed.

If you do not want your patient data shared with NHS Digital, you can register a Type 1 Opt-out with us. You can register a Type 1 Opt-out at any time. You can also change your mind at any time and withdraw a Type 1 Opt-out.

Data sharing with NHS Digital will start on 1st July 2021.

If you have already registered a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice your data will not be shared with NHS Digital.

If you wish to register a Type 1 Opt-out with your GP practice before data sharing starts with NHS Digital, this should be done by returning this form to us by 23 June 2021 to allow time for processing it. If you have previously registered a Type 1 Opt-out and you would like to withdraw this, you can also use the form to do this.

If you register a Type 1 Opt-out after your patient data has already been shared with NHS Digital, no more of your data will be shared with NHS Digital. NHS Digital will however still hold the patient data which was shared with us before you registered the Type 1 Opt-out.

If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, then you can also register a National Data Opt-out (also known as Type 2 Opt out).

What do you need to do?

If you are happy for your data to be shared as above, and haven’t previously opted out – you do not need to do anything.

Type 1 Opt-Out

To stop sharing your details with NHS digital (or to opt back in, if you have previously opted out). Complete this  opt-out form (or you can complete this to opt back in).

If you are not able to complete this form, call 0118 9471455 for a form to be posted to you or come into the practice and we can give you a copy to complete.

Then, either;

• Hand the form into reception
• Post it to us at: Balmore Park Surgery, 59a Hemdean Road, Caversham, Reading, RG4 7SS
• Or attach and email to administration.balmorepark@nhs.net

Type 2 Opt-Out (Also known as National Data Opt-out)

If you do not want NHS Digital to share your identifiable patient data with anyone else for purposes beyond your own care, which has been already shared with them (or to opt back in, if you have previous opted out).

Please note, you can only do this via the following way – as a GP practice we cannot opt you out of Type 2 (National Data Opt-out).

You need to complete the online form via Your NHS Matters.

Balmore Park Surgery operates using a ‘Personalised List’ system. This means that most of the doctors have a named list of patients for which they are responsible. Therefore, when you book a routine appointment it will usually be with your registered GP. If your own GP is not available you will be offered an appointment with a GP who does not have a personalised list.

If you need to discuss an intimate problem with a GP and you are uncomfortable with discussing this due to gender, it is perfectly appropriate for you to ask for an appointment with a GP of your own gender for the duration of the problem.

We have found that this system is the most beneficial to patients due to the continuity of care and building a rapport and trust with the medical professional.

Berkshire West has fifteen Primary Care Networks (PCNs), established as part of a major revolution in health care for local people.

PCNs are clusters of neighbouring GP surgeries which have teamed up to provide patients with a wider range of health and wellbeing services, specifically geared towards the needs of their local areas. Over time, people like social prescribers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, community mental health professionals, physician associates and paramedics could all be based within a PCN.

Our new way of working brings health and social care closer to people and is aimed at making the NHS more efficient and effective for patients and staff. It’s the biggest transformation of primary care in the last 15 years and is part of the NHS Long Term Plan to revolutionise people’s physical, mental, emotional and social health care and make it more digitally driven.

Your information, what you need to know

This privacy notice explains why we collect information about you, how that information will be used, how we keep it safe and confidential and what your rights are in relation to this.

Why we collect information about you

Health care professionals who provide you with care are required by law to maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received.  These records help to provide you with the best possible healthcare and help us to protect your safety.

We collect and hold data for the purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients and running our organisation which includes monitoring the quality of care that we provide. In carrying out this role we will collect information about you which helps us respond to your queries or secure specialist services. We will keep your information in written form and/or in digital form.

Our Commitment to Data Privacy and Confidentiality Issues

As a GP practice, all of our GPs, staff and associated practitioners are committed to protecting your privacy and will only process data in accordance with the Data Protection Legislation.  This includes the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) now known as the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018, the Law Enforcement Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/680) (LED) and any applicable national Laws implementing them as amended from time to time.  The legislation requires us to process personal data only if there is a legitimate basis for doing so and that any processing must be fair and lawful.

In addition, consideration will also be given to all applicable Law concerning privacy, confidentiality, the processing and sharing of personal data including the Human Rights Act 1998, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 as amended by the Health and Social Care (Safety and Quality) Act 2015, the common law duty of confidentiality and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations.

Data we collect about you

Records which this GP Practice will hold or share about you will include the following:

• Personal Data – means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person (‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
• Special Categories of Personal Data – this term describes personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.
• Confidential Patient Information – this term describes information or data relating to their health and other matters disclosed to another (e.g. patient to clinician) in circumstances where it is reasonable to expect that the information will be held in confidence. Including both information ‘given in confidence’ and ‘that which is owed a duty of confidence’. As described in the Confidentiality: NHS code of Practice: Department of Health guidance on confidentiality 2003.
• Pseudonymised – The process of distinguishing individuals in a dataset by using a unique identifier which does not reveal their ‘real world’ identity.
• Anonymised – Data in a form that does not identify individuals and where identification through its combination with other data is not likely to take place
• Aggregated – Statistical data about several individuals that has been combined to show general trends or values without identifying individuals within the data.

How we use your information

Improvements in information technology are also making it possible for us to share data with other healthcare organisations for the purpose of providing you, your family and your community with better care.  For example, it is possible for healthcare professionals in other services to access your record with or without your permission when the practice is closed.  Where your record is accessed without your permission it is necessary for them to have a legitimate basis in law. This is explained further in the Local Information Sharing at Appendix A.

Whenever you use a health or care service, such as attending Accident & Emergency or using Community Care services, important information about you is collected in a patient record for that service.  Collecting this information helps to ensure you get the best possible care and treatment.

The information collected about you when you use these services can also be used and provided to other organisations for purposes beyond your individual care, for instance to help with:

• improving the quality and standards of care provided by the service
• research into the development of new treatments and care pathways
• preventing illness and diseases
• monitoring safety
• planning services
• risk stratification
• Population Health Management

Safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults

If we have significant concerns or hear about an individual child or vulnerable adult being at risk of harm, we may share relevant information with other organisations, such as local authorities and the Police, involved in ensuring their safety.

Statutory disclosures

Sometimes we are duty bound by laws to disclose information to organisations such as the Care Quality Commission, the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency, the General Medical Council, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Counter Fraud services.  In these circumstances we will always try to inform you before we are required to disclose and we only disclose the minimum information that the law requires us to do so.

This may only take place when there is a clear legal basis to use this information.  All these uses help to provide better health and care for you, your family and future generations.  Confidential patient information about your health and care is only used like this where allowed by law or with consent.

Pseudonymised or anonymised data is generally used for research and planning so that you cannot be identified.

A full list of details including the legal basis, any Data Processor involvement and the purposes for processing information can be found in Appendix A.

How long do we hold information for?

All records held by the Practice will be kept for the duration specified by national guidance from Records Management Code of Practice – NHSX. Once information that we hold has been identified for destruction it will be disposed of in the most appropriate way for the type of information it is.  Personal confidential and commercially confidential information will be disposed of by approved and secure confidential waste procedures. We keep a record of retention schedules within our information asset registers, in line with the Records Management Code of Practice for 2021.

Individual Rights under UK GDPR

Under UK GDPR 2016 the Law provides the following rights for individuals.  The NHS upholds these rights in a number of ways:

1. The right to be informed
2. The right of access
3. The right to rectification
4. The right to erasure (not an absolute right) only applies in certain circumstances
5. The right to restrict processing
6. The right to data portability
7. The right to object
8. Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

Your right to opt out of data sharing and processing

The NHS Constitution states, ‘You have a right to request that your personal and confidential information is not used beyond your own care and treatment and to have your objections considered’.

Type 1 Opt Out

This is an objection that prevents an individual’s personal confidential information from being shared outside of their general practice except when it is being used for the purposes of their individual direct care, or in particular circumstances required by law, such as a public health screening, or an emergency like an outbreak of a pandemic disease. If patients wish to apply a Type 1 Opt Out to their record, they should make their wishes known to the Practice Manager.

National data opt-out (NDOO)

The national data opt-out was introduced on 25 May 2018, enabling patients to opt-out from the use of their data for research or planning purposes, in line with the recommendations of the National Data Guardian in her Review of Data Security, Consent and Opt-Outs.

The national data opt-out replaces the previous ‘Type 2’ opt-out, which required NHS Digital not to use a patient’s confidential patient information for purposes beyond their individual care, for Planning or Research. Any patient that had a type 2 opt-out recorded on or before 11 October 2018 has had it automatically converted to a national data opt-out. Those aged 13 or over were sent a letter giving them more information and a leaflet explaining the national data opt-out.  For more information go to National data opt out programme

To find out more or to register your choice to opt out, please visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters.

On this web page you will:

• See what is meant by confidential patient information
• Find examples of when confidential patient information is used for individual care and examples of when it is used for purposes beyond individual care
• Find out more about the benefits of sharing data
• Understand more about who uses the data
• Find out how your data is protected
• Be able to access the system to view, set or change your opt-out setting
• Find the contact telephone number if you want to know any more or to set/change your opt-out by phone
• See the situations where the opt-out will not apply

Right of Access to your information (Subject Access Request)

Under Data Protection Legislation everybody has the right of access to, or request a copy of, information we hold that can identify them, this includes medical records. There are some safeguards regarding what patients will have access to and they may find information has been redacted or removed for the following reasons;

• It may be deemed to risk causing harm to the patient or others
• The information within the record may relate to third parties who are entitled to their confidentiality, or who have not given their permission for the information to be shared.

Patients do not need to give a reason to see their data. And requests can be made verbally or in writing.  Although we may ask them to complete a form in order that we can ensure that they have the correct information required.

Where multiple copies of the same information is requested, the surgery may charge a reasonable fee for the additional copies.

Patients will need to provide proof of identity to receive this information. We will not share information relating to you with other individuals without your explicit instruction or without sight of a legal document.

Patients may also request to have online access to their data, they may do this via the NHS APP, or via the practice’s system. If you would like to access your GP record online, click here Online Services – Balmore Park Surgery.  Further information about the service can be found at the privacy notices for the NHS App managed by NHS England.

Change of Details

It is important that you tell the surgery if any of your contact details such as your name or address have changed, or if any of your other contacts details are incorrect including third party emergency contact details.  It is important that we are made aware of any changes immediately in order that no information is shared in error.

Mobile telephone number

If you provide us with your mobile phone number, we will use this to send you text reminders about your appointments or other health related information.  It is within our legal duty as a public authority to keep our patients updated with important information.

We also use the NHS Account Messaging Service provided by NHS England to send you messages relating to your health and care. You need to be an NHS App user to receive these messages. Further information about the service can be found at the privacy notice for the NHS App managed by NHS England.

Email address

Where you have provided us with your email address, we will use this to send you information relating to your health and the services we provide.  If you do not wish to receive communications by email, please let us know.

Notification

Data Protection Legislation requires organisations to register a notification with the Information Commissioner to describe the purposes for which they process personal and sensitive information.

We are registered as a Data Controller and our registration can be viewed online in the public register at:  http://ico.org.uk/what_we_cover/register_of_data_controllers

Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and in a prominent area at the Practice.

Data Protection Officer

Should you have any data protection questions or concerns, please contact our Data Protection Officer via the surgery at: sam.potter@nhs.net

What is the right to know?

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) gives people a general right of access to information held by or on behalf of public authorities, promoting a culture of openness and accountability across the public sector.  You can request any non-personal information that the GP Practice holds, that does not fall under an exemption.  You may not ask for information that is covered by the Data Protection Legislation under FOIA.  However, you can request this under a right of access request – see section above ‘Access to your information’.

Right to complain

If you have concerns or are unhappy about any of our services, please contact the Practice Operations Manager.  Or via the ICO details listed below.

For independent advice about data protection, privacy, and data-sharing issues, you can contact:

The Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113     Website: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us

The NHS Constitution

The NHS Constitution establishes the principles and values of the NHS in England. It sets out the rights patients, the public and staff are entitled to.  These rights cover how patients access health services, the quality of care you’ll receive, the treatments and programs available to you, confidentiality, information, and your right to complain if things go wrong.

The NHS Constitution for England – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Appendix A – Continuation of the privacy notice

Appendix A – The Practice will share patient information with these organisations where there is a legal basis to do so. Please use the below link to see the attached report.

Appendix A – Privacy Notice – Balmore Park Surgery

Reviews of and Changes to our Privacy Notice

We will keep our Privacy Notice under regular review. This notice was last reviewed in June 2025

Guide to private referrals through your insurance company

1. Once you have seen the GP and agreed on a private referral, call your insurance company. They will need to know the specialty you are being referred to (e.g. Cardiology for heart problems, Orthopaedics for musculoskeletal problems, etc.)
2. The insurance company will give you a list of consultants they will cover locally (or near your place of work) within that speciality. Choose one of the consultants and call their secretary to arrange an appointment. Most consultants will have a webpage on the hospital’s website detailing some of their special interests and the secretary’s contact details can be found here if your insurance company have not already provided this.
3. Finally, Our Clinical Admin team will email you with your private referral letter attached to forward onto your chosen provider.

Please be patient; although you are being referred for a private consultation, we are still an NHS service and our CAT team work tirelessly to get things done but it will realistically take them a few days to type up your referral letter.

The Summary Care Record (SCR) is meant to help emergency doctors and nurses help you when you contact them when the surgery is closed. Initially, it will contain just your medications and allergies.

Later on as the central NHS computer system develops, (known as the ‘Summary Care Record’ – SCR), other staff who work in the NHS will be able to access it along with information from hospitals, out of hours services, and specialists letters that may be added as well.

Your information will be extracted from practices such as ours and held on central NHS databases.

As with all new systems there are pros and cons to think about. When you speak to an emergency doctor you might overlook something that is important and if they have access to your medical record it might avoid mistakes or problems, although even then, you should be asked to give your consent each time a member of NHS Staff wishes to access your record, unless you are medically unable to do so.

On the other hand, you may have strong views about sharing your personal information and wish to keep your information at the level of this practice. Connecting for Health (CfH), the government agency responsible for the Summary Care Record have agreed with doctors’ leaders that new patients registering with this practice should be able to decide whether or not their information is uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System.

For existing patients it is different in that it is assumed that you want your record uploaded to the Central NHS Computer System unless you actively opt out.

Our practice takes it very seriously if any member of staff is treated in an abusive or violent way.

We support the government’s ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign for health service staff. This states that GPs and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services, a mutual respect between all the staff and patients has to be in place. All our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. We would respectfully remind patients that our staff are often confronted with by a multitude of varying and sometimes difficult tasks and situations. Our staff understand that patients who are unwell do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police being contacted.

In order for the practice to maintain a functional environment we would like to ask that all our patients read and take note of the types of behaviour that we find are unacceptable:

• Using bad language or swearing at practice staff
• Any physical violence towards any member of the Primary Health Care Team or other patients, such as pushing or shoving
• Verbal abuse towards the staff in any form including verbally insulting the staff
• Placing slanderous comments on social media.
• Racial abuse
• Sexual harassment
• Persistent or unrealistic demands that cause stress to staff will not be accepted. Requests will be met wherever possible and explanations given when they cannot
• Causing damage/stealing from the Practice’s premises, staff or patients
• Obtaining drugs and/or medical services fraudulently

We ask you to treat your GPs and practice staff courteously at all times.

Removal from the practice list

A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of the practice, that they should find a new practice.

Patients who are violent towards staff will be removed from the Surgery Register with immediate effect.

Removing other members of the household

In rare cases, because of the possible need to visit patients at home, it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household. The prospect of visiting patients where a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice by virtue of their unacceptable behaviour resides, or being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it too difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is particularly likely where the patient has been removed because of violence or threatening behaviour and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.

Thank you for your understanding.