https://www.gov.uk/taking-sick-leave – This is the link to download a self-certificate. You need to use this for the first week of sickness.
It is now possible for patients to contact the surgery on-line using Patient Access (formerly known as Emis Access). This will allow you to:
- view your medical record including Summary, Problems, Medication, Immunisations, Allergies
- request repeat prescriptions
- book or cancel appointments
If you would like to use this facility, please go to
https://patient.emisaccess.co.uk or www.patientaccess.com
and follow the instructions
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). The Summary Care Record 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.
For further information visit the HSCIC Website
If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery.
We regularly participate in research studies that have been approved by the National Institute for Health Research (NiHR) and which have Ethical Approval.
You may be contacted by the practice from time to time, asking if you would like to participate in a research study. All studies are approved by the GPs in the practice. You will always have the opportunity to discuss any study with your GP and are under no obligation to participate. You have the right to let us know if you would prefer not to be contacted for research purposes, please let the practice know if this is the case.
Health research is important, it allows individuals to share their experience of specific diseases and healthcare, and it helps with the development of new technology and treatments to improve the future health and treatment of the wider population.
For more information about health research, please follow this link to the Health Research Authority: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/information-about-patients/