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Our Service Commitment requires us to treat all patients and visitors with respect and politeness. We expect our staff to be treated in the same way. We will press for stringent penalties against those who are violent, abusive or threatening both verbally or physically.
As a Practice we are very aware that visiting your GP can, at times, be stressful and concerning for patients. Delays in obtaining appointments and delays in surgery times, due to unforeseen emergency appointments, can also add to these concerns.We always strive to meet patient expectation and deliver the highest standards of healthcare. For the vast majority of our patients we achieve this, despite the finite resources and steadily increasing demand for services that exists today within the NHS.
Our staff come to work to care for others, and it is important for all members of the public and our staff to be treated with respect.
In line with the rest of the NHS we have instigated a Dignity at Work and Zero Tolerance policy, whereby aggressive or violent behaviour towards our staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
Any one patient who verbally abuses a member of practice staff will be sent a letter from the Practice Manager confirming that this behaviour will not be tolerated and will result in removal from the Practice patient list. The Police will be called in all cases of violent or threatening behaviour.
The Practice feels sure you will understand that proper behaviour is absolutely necessary for our staff and patients and that non observance will not be accepted.
When the threshold for deduction / removal has not been met we may consider requesting a patient to agree to a NHS Behavioural Contract. This articulates what the Patient can expect from the Practice (in terms of how they are treated, the services provided etc) but also what is expected of the Patient by the Practice.
Please read our Good Behaviour Guidance Agreement below
Good Behaviour Guidance Agreement
At West Hampstead Medical Centre we are committed to ensuring everyone is treated with respect and dignity including all patients, their families, carers and our practice team.
In order to continue to be registered with our practice we are providing this guide to set out the type of conduct that is expected of all patients.
All patients are expected to behave in the following manner:
- To be polite and respectful towards all individuals (staff and other patients).
- To not make inappropriate or unacceptable remarks to any staff or other patients at the practice including any abusive remarks related to any individuals:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage or civil partnership
- pregnancy
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
- To not undertake any form of threatening abuse or violence towards any individual (staff and other patients) at the practice.
- To use our services responsibly including:
- To book routine appointments in accordance with the practice’s policy
- To request urgent appointments only for genuine urgent conditions
- To engage with any remote appointments, we may offer over the telephone (or video)/
- To attend face-to-face services where it is important to be seen in person, (including when physically able to do so, rather than requesting a home visit)
- Attend all appointments on time
- Cancel any booked appointments that are no longer required
- Request repeat prescriptions in good time, ensuring that all items are ordered together rather than in individual lots
- Use our health care professionals time in an appropriate manner e.g. do not seek appointments for minor ailments that can be self-treated in the first instance.
- To raise only genuine concerns or complaints you may have about your care or the services we provide you.
- To respect surgery premises and property.
- To attend the surgery premises for the purpose of engaging with our services.
In return, as a patient you can expect to:
- continue to access all out services, to be provided with respect, dignity and confidentiality
- to raise any concerns or complaints about your care or our services and that these will be investigated and responded to.
We would remind that all patients are free to register with a practice of their choice, as long as the practice has an open patient list for new registrations and the patient lives within the practice area.
Any patients who commit any inappropriate or unacceptable behaviours towards a GP, Practice staff, other patients or the surgery premises or property risk being removed from the practice list with 8-days’ notice. We will normally provide a warning letter which will be held on record for 12 months before issuing such a notice.
Any threatening abuse or violent incidents will not be tolerated. Any such incident will be reported to the police and will mean your immediate removal from the practice list and your care transferred to a special allocation scheme which manages violent and aggressive patients.
We invite patients to agree to the terms of this guide as a commitment to our ongoing relationship.