Practice Charter

Airthrey Park Medical Centre wishes to provide you with an effi cient, friendly, caring service.

The Receptionists will endeavour to answer your call as fast as possible and accommodate your requirements as far as possible. You will be treated as an individual and will be given courtesy and respect at all times irrespective of your ethnic origin, religious belief, personal attributes or the nature of your health problem. If you have a complaint regarding services given by the Medical Centre, please ask to see the Business Partner.

The Doctors and Nursing Staff will endeavour to undertake that:

1. Routine surgery appointments will be available within two working days of making the request.
2. If you feel you need to be see on the day of request you will be offered an emergency appointment.
3. In normal circumstances, home visits requested before 10.00am will be seen before 3.00pm and home visits requested after 10.00am will be seen before 7.00pm.
4. Out of hours service is provided by NHS 24.  
5. Life threatening emergencies will be seen immediately and ahead of booked appointments.
6. Women requiring post-coital contraception will be seen promptly and where possible, within 24 hours of the risk of conception.
7. Every effort will be made to see you as close to your appointment time as possible. If there is a delay of over 30 minutes you will be given an explanation and indication of how long you might have to wait, or offered an alternative appointment.
8. We will endeavour to keep up-to-date with modern medical thinking. Should a second opinion be required, a referral to a Specialist will be made.
9. Your health now and in the future is our priority. To this end, our Health Visitor, Doctors and Practice Nurses are available to provide information and give help on stress management, smoking cessation, sensible drinking and eating, HIV infection etc. You will be offered a medical and an assessment made of your health status.
10. Full confidentiality will be maintained at all times. You will be able to see your health records, subject to data protection guidelines. 

In return, we would like patients to

1. Register as soon as they are in the area, and notify any change of address.
2. Take responsibility for their own health. This involves ensuring they understand information given and following the suggested advice and treatment as far as possible.
3. Attend all appointments punctually and cancel unwanted appoint- ments as soon as possible.
4. Ask for emergency appointments for genuine medical emergencies only and request home visits only where attendance at the Medical Centre is deemed impossible.

We look forward to a happy, healthy partnership