FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
ELMS MEDICAL CENTRE PUBLICATION SCHEME
PART ONE - INTRODUCTION
This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by the General Practitioners at The Elms Medical Centre. It is a description of the information about our General Practitioners and Practice, which we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.
Your rights to information
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made.
From January 1st 2005 the FOI Act will oblige the General Practice to respond to requests about information that it holds, and is recorded in any format and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions which have to be taken into consideration before deciding what information it can release.
In addition to accessing the information identified in this Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request information about The Elms Medical Centre under the NHS Openness Code 1995.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact the Practice Manager at The Elms Medical Centre to do this.
New environmental information regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
How much does it cost?
Publications are all free unless otherwise indicated. Where there is a charge for providing information the cost will be calculated and you will be notified of the cost before we produce the information for you
How do we make information available?
Information is available in hard copy from the Practice Manager as indicated for each class of information.
To obtain a hard copy of any information – or for other details in this scheme where it lists the Practice Manager as the contact - please apply to: -
Miss Sally Holland
Practice Manager
The Elms Medical Centre
Hoole Road
Hoole
Chester CH2 3NH
Tel: 01244 351000
Fax: 01244 313497
Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of this Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the Scheme, please write to the Practice Manager.
PART TWO - CLASSES OF INFORMATION
All information at The Elms Medical Centre is held, retained and destroyed in accordance with NHS guidelines.
Our commitment to publish information excludes any information which can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Where individual Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons are the protection of commercial interests and the protection of confidential personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This applies to all Classes within the Publication Scheme.
The information included in this Scheme is grouped into 7 broad categories.
Class 1. Who we are
The Elms Medical Centre is a four-partner practice situated in Hoole, Chester. The practice moved to its present purpose-built surgery in 1986 and serves patients in Chester and the surrounding areas. A branch surgery is held daily in Blacon Health Centre for patients who live in the Blacon area.
Since 1 April 2002 The Elms Medical Centre has formed part of Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) along with the twenty six other practices in the West Cheshire area. The Elms Medical Centre supplies services in accordance with a general medical services contract held with Western Cheshire PCT.
Our website and practice leaflet gives details on our practice as follows:-
Contact details – follow the link
How to contact us
Practice area – follow the link
Practice Area
A full list of other local General Practices can be found on the PCT website at www.wcheshirepct.nhs.uk
A full list of the services provided at our Practice will be found at Class 2 below.
Our Partners are:
Dr Bernard Mills | MB ChB Manch1979, DRCOG Lon |
Dr Michael Lowrie | MB ChB B'ham 1983, MRCGP |
Dr Ann McNutt | MB BS Lon 1983 DRCOG 1987 FP Cert |
Dr David Snowden | BA MA MB BChir Cambridge 2003 MRCGP |
| |
Salaried GPs are:
Dr Angelika Stephenson | German State Medical Exam 1987 DRCOG |
Dr Jaswinder Walker Baker | MB BCh Cardiff 1995 DFFP MRCGP |
For further details on key personnel in our practice please see our website under the heading ‘staff’.
Class 2. Our Services
General
The Elms Medical Centre provides services under the general Medical Services Contract within the NHS. The GPs in our practice are not employed by the NHS but work under contract as Independent Contractors for the NHS.
This Website and our Practice Leaflet detail the range of services we provide and it also contains a summary of the surgery hours at both our main site at Hoole and our Branch surgery at Blacon.
Out of Hours
Out of hours – i.e. between 6.30pm and 08.00am – The Western Cheshire PCT provides emergency cover for our patients. Western Cheshire PCT provide out of hours cover using a rota of GPs from the Chester City area who to provide emergency cover for our patients through the night and at weekends and on public holidays when surgeries are closed.
Professional Interests
Within our practice our GPs have the following professional Interests and commitments both in the practice and outside as detailed below:
Dr Mills | Dr Lowrie |
Cryosurgery Dermatology Lead for the practice | Prescribing lead for practice GP Tutor for Liverpool University students Child Health Surveillance Childhood vaccination targets Quality & Outcomes Framework Lead |
Dr McNutt | Dr Snowden |
Practice lead on women’s health issues and contraceptive claims Cervical cytology targets Practice lead on Diabetes Chronic Disease Management Older Persons and Nursing Home Lead | Mental Health Lead for the practice |
Services Provided
Nurse Practitioner
Asthma Management
Spirometry
Diabetes Management
Child Health Surveillance
Baby Clinic
Contraceptive Services
Cervical Cytology
Maternity Medical Services
Counsellor and Mental Health
Travel Advice and Vaccinations
Weight Management
Phlebotomy
District Nurses
Health Visitors
Community Midwives
For further detail of services provided – follow the link
Practice Services
Or request a copy of our practice leaflet
Class 3. Financial and funding information
The Elms Medical Centre receives money from Western Cheshire Primary Care Trust according to its contract (as outlined in Class 2 above) in exchange for services provided for patients.
You can link to the details on how General Practice is funded at present via the following website -
The new General Medical Service Contract (GMS2)
General Medical Services Contract
If you require further information on our funding please write to the Practice Manager detailing what information you require.
For some of the services we provide there is a charge, the cost for these can be obtained from reception.
Class 4. Regular publications and information for the public
In addition to our practice leaflet – the practice offers a range of information about a variety of issues and a considerable number of minor illnesses via the practice website.
You can also find a list of Useful Contacts and links to other health-related websites on our website.
Click the following hyperlinks for details on:
NHS Direct
Click the following hyperlinks for details on:
Registering at the Elms Medical Centre
Look under the heading "Prescriptions" or click the following hyperlinks for details on:
Pharmacies in Western Cheshire
Pharmacies Providing Emergency Contraception
Repeat Prescriptions
Look under the heading “Video Library” or click the following hyperlink for details on ailment and disease:
Video Library
Class 5. Complaints
This practice follows the NHS complaints procedure and follows a strict protocol when dealing with all complaints.
A copy of the practice complaints procedure is available from the Practice Manager.
Class 6. Our policies and procedures
We have the following policies and procedures laid down for use in the practice
Staff Confidentiality Agreement
Handbook for General Practice Staff
Information Security policy
Confidentiality and Access to Medical Records
Zero Tolerance Policy
Health and Safety policy
Overseas visitor’s policy
The ones in italics above are available from this website. Alternatively you can request a copy of any of the above by contacting the Practice Manager.
Class 7. The Publication Scheme
In this class we will publish any changes we make to this Publication Scheme, the criteria on which our information management policies are made and a referral point for all enquires regarding information management generally in the Trust. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.
Cost of Information
Some information is available free, but there will be a nominal charge to cover costs if you require a hard copy of information.
These charges will vary according to how information is made available.
Charges are as follows:
a) Web site - Free of charge (Charges for ISP (Internet Service
Provider) and personal printing costs would have to be met by
the individual).
The practice website address is www.elmsmedicalcentre.co.uk
and the PCT web address is www.wcheshirepct.nhs.uk
If you do not have Internet access, a single print-out from the website would be available by post from the Practice Manager or by personal application at the Practice. The practice charges 35p per sheet + the cost of postage if required.
Requests for multiple printouts, or for archived copies of documents that are no longer accessible or available on the web, will attract a small charge for the retrieval, photocopy, postage etc. We will let you know the cost and charges that will have to be paid in advance.
We are not able to provide printouts of other organisation’s websites.
b) Leaflets and brochures - Free of charge for most leaflets or booklets on, for example, services we offer to the public.
c) “Glossy” or bound paper copies, CD Rom, video or other copies will attract a charge.
d) e-mail information – free of charge unless specified otherwise.
These charges will be reviewed regularly.
PART THREE – USEFUL RESOURCES
Web sites:
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
This is the web site of the Information Commissioner
www.lcd.gov.uk
This is the web site of the Lord Chancellor’s Department
www.foi.nhs.uk
This is the NHS Freedom of Information web site
www.wcheshirepct.nhs.uk
Primary Care Trust web site
Publications
NHS Openness Code
NHS Openness Code
FOI Act 2000 http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/FreedomOfInformation/index.htm
Code of Practice under Section 45 FOI Act 2000
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/recordsmanagement/
General Medical Services Contract - England
General Medical Services Contract
Copyright
Material available through this Publication Scheme is subject to the General Practice’s copyright unless otherwise indicated. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, it may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium provided it is done so accurately in a manner which will not mislead. Where items are re-published or copied to others, you must identify the source and acknowledge copyright status. This permit does not extend to third party material, accessed through the scheme.
For HMSO Guidance Notes see:
www.hmso.gov.uk/guides.htm