Practice Charter

We at Stour Surgery use a team approach to provide the best possible Clinical Care.

Having respect for you, your family and carers at all times, we aim to respond to your needs and the needs of the local community. If you have any suggestions or matters you wish to bring to our attention there is a box in reception or alternatively you can write, email or speak to any member of staff, the manager or a member of the Patients Circle.

Our Agreement

We will 

• Introduce ourselves to you and treat you with courtesy and understanding.
• Maintain your right for all information to be treated confidentially at all times.
• Guarantee you the right to see a Doctor or Nurse in open surgery .
• Expect to see you within 15 minutes of your appointment time. If you wait longer you will be given an apology and an explanation of the cause of the delay.
• Endeavour to receive your phone calls, but we may need to return your calls at a later more convenient time.
• Visit you if you are too ill to attend the surgery. We cannot specify which Doctor will visit at what time.
• Guarantee that there will always be a Doctor available for out of hours emergencies.
• Ask your permission before consulting you with a medical or nurse student present.

We expect you to

• Treat us all with the same courtesy and understanding.
• Be on time for your appointment so that we do not keep other patients waiting. Latecomers may be seen in the next available open surgery.
• Request home visits only when you are too ill to come to the surgery. Please ask for your visit before 10.30 am. Visits requested after 10.30 am. may be postponed to the following day after discussion with the patient. We are unable to visit you merely because you do not own private transport.
• Ask for a visit outside surgery hours only when your problem cannot wait until the surgery re-opens.
• Allow us two working days to deal with your repeat prescription.
• Understand that emergencies may from time to time disrupt even the best planned systems.

Violence Statement

The practice considers aggressive behaviour to be any personal, abusive and/or aggressive comments, cursing and/or swearing, physical contact and/or aggressive gestures. The practice will request the removal of any patient from the practice list who is aggressive or abusive towards a doctor, member of staff, other patient, or who damages property. All instances of actual physical abuse on any doctor or member of staff, by a patient or their relatives will be reported to the police as an assault.

Voice Recording of Telephone Calls

Stour Surgery uses the telephone systems of the surgery to communicate with patients to a high degree. For medical legal reasons and to comply with the 'Law for Business Practice Regulations' we record all telephone calls to and from the surgery. To protect the privacy of any call and the confidentiality of information only the four partners, Dr Coupe, Dr Klein, Dr Carey and Dr Jenkinson, together with the practice manager and assistant manager will be able to access the recordings for the previous 6 months.

Access to the recordings will only be made when there is a specific business need and are not for the benefit of patients. Should any message need to be accessed then it will only take place when there are two of the above people in agreement as to the need to access the message.

A written record of the access will be kept. It is envisaged that it would be extremely rare that there will be any need to listen retrospectively to any call. If any patient has queries please contact the practice manager, Claire Brooks.

Comments & Complaints

Download our comments, complaints & suggestions leaflet

Confidentiality Statement

The Practice is committed to adhering to the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.

The Practice is the Data Controller and is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the information it holds about you.

However, on occasion, information may need to be shared with other staff or organisations in order to help them decide the best care and treatment available.

Other organisations may include District Nurses, Health Visitors etc. or other service providers commissioned and appointed by the PCT that are committed to the improvement of health outcomes for patients.

When members of staff from different organisations are involved they will only be allowed access to information that is relevant to the purpose of their job/role and will not necessarily have access to your medical history.

Should you wish to opt out of this, please contact the surgery.