Policies & Procedures

Access To Health Record

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be made through the practice manager and may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without the patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

Accessible Information Standard

Do you have any form or type of disability (or impairment) which affects your ability to read or receive information, to understand information and / or to communicate? This includes:

Appointment Cancellation Policy

We know that sometimes things come up that could prevent you from coming in. We would like you to be aware of our cancellation and late-arrival policy in case you run into this problem.

Our clinician will see you within 10 minutes of a late arrival. After that, our availability to see you will depend on how busy we are. Otherwise, we will reschedule you for a better time to ensure you have enough time with the clinician. If you are running late, it helps to give us a call, so we have a heads up.

You can cancel your appointment up to 1 hour before your appointment using the NHS App or giving us a call. After that, non-attendance will be recorded to your patient’s record. 2 absences within 6 months may result in removing you from our list of patients. This helps us get patients to stick to their appointment commitments.

Complaint Procedure

We make every effort to give the best service possible to everyone who attends our practice.

However, we are aware that things can go wrong resulting in a patient feeling that they have a genuine cause for complaint. If this is so, we would wish for the matter to be settled as quickly, and as amicably, as possible.

To pursue a complaint please contact the practice manager in writing who will deal with your concerns appropriately. Further written information is available regarding the complaints procedure from reception.

Find out more about the NHS complaints procedure

Complaint Policy & Form

Confidentiality & Privacy Policy

The practice complies with the new General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (formerly Data Protection Act 1998) and we have made changes to strengthen your privacy rights. This is part of our ongoing commitment to be transparent about how we use your data and keep it safe. We have included changes to address the new standards, as per our Privacy Statement:

Colindale Medical Centre Privacy Statement 2019-20

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) forms part of the data protection regime in the UK, together with the new Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

As data controllers and processors, GPs are required to provide information on how we hold and use your information; both personal data and sensitive (special category) data. We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information lawfully in accordance with the DPA 2018 and GDPR.

NHS health records may be processed electronically, on paper or a mixture of both; a combination of working practices and technology are used to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure.

The practice collects and holds data for the sole purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients and we will ensure that the information is kept confidential. However, we can disclose personal information if: It is required by law, you provide consent or it is justified to be in the public interest.

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we hold data centrally, we take strict and secure measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.

The practice’s the Data Controller is Dr Amrit Lamba, GP Managing Partner.

The designated Data Protection officer (DPO) is: Mr Steve Durbin, Data Protection Officer, Barnet GP Federation.

Email address: barnet.federation@nhs.net

Postal address: 234 Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware, HA8 0AP

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

Data Choices

Your Data Matters to the NHS

Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.

How your data is used

Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital.  It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.

Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.

You have a choice

You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?

No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.

What do you need to do?

If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.

Find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice.

Data Choices – National Data Opt-out Policy.

Data Privacy Policy For Specified Healthy.io Projects

Minuteful Kidney Test project for patients with diabetes and / or other conditions

The data is being processed for the purpose of delivery of a programme to monitor urine for indications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This is recommended to be undertaken annually for patients at risk of chronic kidney disease e.g., patients living with diabetes. The programme enables patients to test their kidney function from home. We will share your contact details with Healthy.io to enable them to contact you and send you a test kit.  This will help identify patients at risk of kidney disease and help us agree any early interventions that can be put in place for the benefit of your care. Healthy.io will only use your data for the purposes of delivering their service to you. If you do not wish to use a home test kit from Healthy.io we will continue to manage your care within the Practice. Healthy.io are required to hold data we send them in line with retention periods outlined in the Records Management code of Practice for Health and Social Care. Further information about this is available at: https://lp.healthy.io/minuteful_info/.

Freedom Of Information

Information about the General Practitioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

GP Earnings

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice. The average pay for GPs working in Colindale Medical Centre in the last financial year was £50,157 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 3 full-time GPs and 4 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

Online Consultation Policy

Before you contact Colindale Medical Centre, read and accept the Online Consultation Policy:

• Submit only one form per problem and await our response.

• If you have more than one problem, send each one on a separate form.

• We will respond by phone, text or email within 2 working days.

• This service is only for healthcare or government professionals and patients registered with Colindale Medical Centre. New patients can join the surgery here.

• This service is only for patients whilst in the UK. If abroad, seek help from a local medical facility.

• This service is only for non-urgent problems. In case of an emergency call 999 or go to A&E, or for urgent problems contact NHS 111, or go to Urgent Treatment Centre.

• This service is only for non-dental problems. If you need an NHS dentist, click here.

• This service can be used for non-urgent repeat prescriptions requests. To request an emergency supply of your prescribed medicines, click here.

• Get advice about coronavirus (COVID-19) here. Find information about COVID-19, including symptoms, testing, vaccination, self-isolation and NHS COVID Pass.

• Search conditions and treatments here. Find trusted NHS information on hundreds of conditions.

• Use NHS 111 online here. Check if you need urgent help and find out what to do next.

• If you need technical support with the NHS App or your account, please visit the NHS App support page here.

Summary Care Record

There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.

Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.

This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it along to the surgery.

Find out more about your health records and how to opt out of sharing your health records.

Zero Tolerance Policy

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing about their removal from the list and we will record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.