Other Information

Zero Tolerance

We strongly support the NHS policy on zero tolerance. Anyone attending the surgery who abuses the GPs, staff or other patients, be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever, will risk removal from the practice list. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.

Our Aim

The aim of the practice team is to provide a good and efficient service for all our patients. Our staff will try to help each patient with their individual needs in a pleasant and courteous manner. You can help us to achieve our aims by:

Keeping appointments or giving as much notice as possible if you have to cancel.

Informing us when you change your address/telephone number.

As employers, we have a duty of care to our staff. If a patient is violent or abusive to a doctor, a staff member or any other persons on the practice premises, that patient will be required to register with another practice and we reserve the right to involve the police if appropriate.

Freedom Of Information – Publication Scheme

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 came into force on 1st January 2005 and enables any person requesting information from a public body to receive that information, subject to certain exemptions.

Please put any requests for information in writing, addressed to practice manager.

Suggestion And Complaints Procedure

If you have a suggestion or concern about a service that you have received from the doctors or any member of the primary health care team, please let us know. We operate a practice suggestion and complaints procedure as part of our NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our system meets national criteria.

How To Make Suggestions

We welcome suggestions on how we can improve our services to patients. If you wish to make a suggestion you can either complete a suggestion form or make an appointment with our manager, Mrs Joyce Morrison, who will be pleased to discuss your suggestion with you.

How To Complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out quickly and easily, preferably when 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 a few days or at most a few weeks. This will enable us to establish what happened more easily. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

* Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
* Within 6 months of discovering that you had a problem, providing this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to our manager, Joyce Morrison or any of the doctors. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with Mrs Morrison in order to discuss your concerns. She will explain the complaints procedure to you and will make sure that your complaint is dealt with promptly. It will be a great help if you are as specific as possible about the nature of your complaint.

What We Shall Do

We shall acknowledge your complaint within two working days and aim to have looked into it within 10 working days of the date when you raised it with us. We shall then be in a position to give you an explanation, or offer a meeting with those involved. In investigating your complaint, we shall aim to:

* Find out what happened and what went wrong.
* Enable you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this.
* Ensure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
* Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.

Complaining On Behalf Of Someone Else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of confidentiality. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have his or her permission to do so. A note by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

Complaining To The Primary Care Operating Division

We hope that if you have a problem you will make use of our practice complaints procedure. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice procedures. However, it does not affect your right to approach Lanarkshire Primary Care Operating Division if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation. In that event, you should contact the patient services manager at Strathclyde Hospital, Airbles Road, Motherwell, ML1 3BW, Tel 01698 245004 for further advice.