Under the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the right to see any files about you, including your health records.

You can see the computer health records that we hold for you by using the free, secure NHS App. For more information on safely accessing your medical records, please visit GP health record.

If you want copies of your paper records you need to apply for this and verify your identity. If you would like further information please contact the surgery. This process can take up to a month.

The Data Protection Act only applies to living persons. If you believe you have a good reason to apply to see the records of a deceased person this may be possible under the Access to Health Records Act 1990. To enquire about this please contact reception.

Accessing someone else’s information

As a parent, family member or carer, you may be able to access services for someone else. We call this having proxy access. We can set this up for you if you are both registered with us.

To request proxy access:

• collect a proxy access form from reception from 10am to 6pm

Linked profiles in your NHS account

Once proxy access is set up, you can access the other person’s profile in your NHS account, using the NHS App or website.

The NHS website has information about using linked profiles to access services for someone else.

What is a chaperone?

A chaperone is an adult who is present during an intimate examination of a patient. A chaperone is there to protect both the patient, doctor or healthcare professional from allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

Can my partner, relative or friend act as a chaperone?

You can choose to have your partner, relative or friend with you during your examinations. It can be helpful to think about whether you and they will feel comfortable about this. Also, there could be matters that you would prefer to discuss confidentially with your doctor/healthcare professional.

What about my privacy?

The chaperone will have had training about maintaining confidentiality and will also know what is and what is not necessary during this type of examination.

It is our policy to respect the privacy and dignity of our patients. If you would like a chaperone to be present during a physical examination/consultation, or if you would prefer to be examined by a health professional of the same gender as yourself, please let us know and we will do best to comply with your wishes.

What if I do not want a chaperone present?

The presence of a chaperone should only be with the agreement of both the patient and the doctor/healthcare professional. During intimate examination of a patient of the opposite sex to a doctor, a chaperone should always be present.

If the examining clinician feels that a chaperone should be present and the offer of a chaperone is declined by the patient, the clinician may not wish to continue with the examination.

Chaperones and Children

If the examination is to be carried out on a child, a chaperone must be present at all times. This may be a parent or carer, although there may be some circumstances where this is not appropriate. Children cannot be chaperones for adults or be present during the intimate examinations.

Everyone who works for the NHS has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. We will only provide information to those who are authorised to receive it and who will keep it confidential. Whenever possible any information passed on will be anonymised.

In line with the new GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation Act) which came into force on 25th May 2018 you will be asked by a member of staff/clinician for your consent before sending any referral/information to other medical professionals in looking after your clinical needs.

We hold your patient records in the strictest confidence, regardless of whether they are electronic or on paper. We take all reasonable precautions to prevent unauthorised access to your records, however they are stored. Any information that may identify you is only shared with the practice team, or, if you are referred to hospital, to the clinician who will be treating you. We will only share information about you with anyone else if you give your permission in writing.

Use of your contact details

We may try to contact you using the mailing address, land line telephone number, mobile telephone number (including text messaging) or email address that you provide. This may be for, amongst other things, appointment reminders, information about special clinics or to request information from you. If you prefer not to be contacted by one or more of these means then please let us know so that we can record your preferences.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the practice has your current contact details to ensure that there is no possible delay to your treatment.

Data Protection notice

We ask you for information about yourself so that you can receive proper care and treatment. All personal information (updated as appropriate), together with details of your care, is stored in your medical record which is held on paper and computer. All members of the practice are contractually and ethically obliged to maintain the confidentiality of your medical record at all times, even after leaving the practice. Just because we hold the data does not give every member of staff the right to look at it. Anyone viewing your medical record must have a valid reason to do so in the course of performing their job. All computer held records have an audit trail of activity by all users.

Officially, your medical record is the property of the Secretary of State for Health. However, we are considered to be the Data Controller and therefore responsible for the confidentiality of your medical record whilst you are registered as a patient with us.

We are required to share certain identifiable data about you with other parts of the NHS in relation to financial claims. This will ordinarily just be your NHS number. We also share demographic and relevant clinical details within the NHS for the purpose of operating recall systems, eg childhood immunisations, cancer screening and diabetic retinopathy programmes.

If you require care from another healthcare provider, eg a referral to see a specialist, then we will need to share relevant information about you and your care. We will obtain consent to this sharing if you are in agreement with the need for the referral.

The information we hold about you may be used for secondary purposes. This includes planning health services, clinical audit, monitoring the spread of disease (epidemiology) etc. Your personal details are never disclosed for secondary purposes, only relevant clinical data is provided, for example the total number of people registered with us who have diabetes.

We will never disclose any information about you to a third party without your consent, unless required to do so by law.

The ICO has published a new Model Publication Scheme that all public authorities are required to adopt.

For more information please visit the ICO website.

Manchester Integrative Medical Practice Publication of earnings – 2024/25

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working at the surgery in the last financial year before tax and National Insurance was £67,137. This is for 3 full time GPs, 10 part time GPs and 2 locum GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

Our statements of commitment to our patients

We value that our patients trust us to provide them with primary medical care. We will be compassionate with their concerns and we commit to always acting in the best interests of our patients. We will maintain a non-judgemental approach to the care we provide, ensuring we are respectful and inclusive whilst guarding against all forms of discrimination.

Our team reflects our patients who embody a uniquely resilient Mancunian approach to adversity. We commit to help our patients to prioritise their health amidst all the trials that life brings. We will dedicate ourselves to improve the health outcomes for the people in our local community.

Patients have the best health outcomes when they are at the heart of decisions about their care. We commit to providing individualised care to our patients, seeking also to improve access by eliminating barriers to the care that we provide.

Evidence suggests that the best primary care is when patients have relational continuity of care with clinicians who know them best. We commit to maintain relational continuity for our patients as standard. We will strive to be there when our patients need us most.

We are privileged to live at a time where advancements in medicine are constantly emerging. As a research-active practice, we commit to informing the development and early adoption of novel NHS primary care treatments and therapies for the benefit of our patients. Moreover, as a training practice we commit to supporting the development of our future primary care workforce to serve successive generations of our community.

We assign all new and existing patients with a named accountable GP to oversee their care.

For patients aged 75 and over, the named accountable GP is responsible for:

• working with health and social care professionals to deliver a care package that meets the needs of the patient
• ensuring that these patients have access to a health check

Patients can still choose to see any GP in the surgery. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate their preference.

If you have a preference or want to know who your named GP is, you can contact us for more information.

This privacy notice lets you know what happens to any personal data that you give to us, or any that we may collect from or about you. This privacy notice applies to personal information processed by or on behalf of the practice. This notice explains:

• Who we are, how we use your information and our Data Protection Officer
• What kinds of personal information about you do we process?
• What are the legal grounds for our processing of your personal information (including when we share it with others)?
• What should you do if your personal information changes?
• For how long your personal information is retained by us?
• What are your rights under data protection laws?

For more information, please download and read the full notices below:

• Privacy Notice (PDF)
• Privacy Notice – Children (PDF)
• Privacy Notice – Candidates applying for work (PDF)

About your summary care record

Your Summary Care Record contains important information about any medicines you are taking, any allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines that you have previously experienced.

Allowing authorised healthcare staff to have access to this information will improve decision making by doctors and other healthcare professionals and has prevented mistakes being made when patients are being cared for in an emergency or when their GP practice is closed.

Your Summary Care Record also includes your name, address, date of birth and your unique NHS Number to help identify you correctly.

You may want to add other details about your care to your Summary Care Record. This will only happen if both you and your GP agree to do this. You should discuss your wishes with your GP practice.

Healthcare staff will have access to this information, so that they can provide safer care, whenever or wherever you need it, anywhere in England.

FAQs

Who can see my summary care record?

Healthcare staff who have access to your Summary Care Record:

• need to be directly involved in caring for you
• need to have an NHS Smartcard with a chip and passcode
• will only see the information they need to do their job and
• will have their details recorded every time they look at your record

Healthcare staff will ask for your permission every time they need to look at your Summary Care Record. If they cannot ask you (for example if you are unconscious or otherwise unable to communicate), healthcare staff may look at your record without asking you, because they consider that this is in your best interest.

If they have to do this, this decision will be recorded and checked to ensure that the access was appropriate.

What are my choices?

You can choose to have a Summary Care Record or you can choose to opt out.

If you choose to have a Summary Care Record and are registered with a GP practice, you do not need to do anything as a Summary Care Record is created for you.

If you choose to opt out of having a Summary Care Record and do not want a SCR, you need to let your GP practice know by filling in an opt-out form.

If you are unsure if you have already opted out, you should talk to the staff at your GP practice. You can change your mind at any time by simply informing your GP practice  or asking your GP practice to create a Summary Care Record for you.

Children and the summary care record

If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16, you should make this information available to them and support the child to come to a decision as to whether to have a Summary Care Record or not.

If you believe that your child should opt-out of having a Summary Care Record, we strongly recommend that you discuss this with your child’s GP. This will allow your child’s GP to highlight the consequences of opting-out, prior to you finalising your decision.

Where can I get more information?

For more information about Summary Care Records you can:

• talk to the staff at your GP practice
• phone the Health and Social Care Information Centre on 0300 303 5678
• read the Summary Care Record patient information

Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS

How We’re Improving Your Appointment Experience:

We are excited to introduce you to Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS, our AI-powered scribe, making your GP visits more efficient and personalised.

It is here to ensure your doctor can spend more time focusing on you rather than on administrative tasks. The technology is unobtrusive; the only difference you’ll notice is a small, discreet microphone.

What Does Surgery Intellect, Powered by TORTUS, do?

Clinical assistance: Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS, assists our clinicians by taking notes and summarising your discussions. This ensures your medical records are precise and easier to understand. The notes are always reviewed by your clinician to make sure they are accurate and reflect the issues discussed. Don’t worry — only information that’s important for your health is captured.

Privacy and security: Your privacy is paramount. Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS, complies with all UK data protection regulations, including GDPR. Rest assured, your personal information is secure and confidential.

No long-term storage: Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS, only transcribes the health and care information from your consultation and doesn’t store any personal information.

How Does Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS, Benefit You?

The introduction of this technology brings several benefits to your healthcare journey:

• More engaged consultations: By removing the need to constantly type or write notes, our Healthcare Professionals can focus entirely on listening to you. This allows for a more natural, attentive conversation, stronger patient-clinician relationships, and the assurance that you are being fully heard.
• Quicker time to care: This technology helps to automate administrative tasks that would traditionally be done after your appointment. Important actions like referral documents and patient letters can be drafted instantly, meaning you get the information and onward care you need, faster.
• Better continuity and record accuracy: Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS, captures the details of your consultation accurately and consistently. This ensures your medical record is complete and up-to-date, improving the continuity of your care and reducing the need to repeat information.
• Confidence that your consultation is documented securely: your personal data will never be used for AI training. Your privacy is paramount.

Should you have any questions about this new feature, please do not hesitate to ask a member of our team.

If you do not wish for Surgery Intellect, powered by TORTUS to be used during your appointment, just let us know. Your comfort is our priority.

New contractual requirements came into force from 1 April 2014 requiring that GP Practices should make available a statement of intent in relation to the following IT developments:

• Summary Care Record (SCR)
• GP to GP Record Transfers
• Patient Online Access to Their GP Record
• Data for commissioning and other secondary care purposes

The same contractual obligations require that we have a statement of intent regarding these developments in place and publicised by 30 September 2014.

Please find below details of the practices stance with regards to these points.

Summary care record (SCR)

NHS England require practices to enable successful automated uploads of any changes to patient’s summary information, at least on a daily basis, to the summary care record (SCR) or have published plans in place to achieve this by 31st of March 2015.

Having your Summary Care Record (SCR) available will help anyone treating you without your full medical record. They will have access to information about any medication you may be taking and any drugs that you have a recorded allergy or sensitivity to.

Of course, if you do not want your medical records to be available in this way then you will need to let us know so that we can update your record. You can do this via the opt out form. The practice confirms that your SCR is automatically updated on at least a daily basis to ensure that your information is as up to date as it can possibly be.

GP to GP record transfers

NHS England require practices to utilise the GP2GP facility for the transfer of patient records between practices, when a patient registers or de-registers (not for temporary registration).

It is very important that you are registered with a doctor at all times. If you leave your GP and register with a new GP, your medical records will be removed from your previous doctor and forwarded on to your new GP via NHS England. It can take your paper records up to two weeks to reach your new surgery.

With GP to GP record transfers your electronic record is transferred to your new practice much sooner.

The practice confirms that GP to GP transfers are already active and we send and receive patient records via this system.

Patient online access to their GP record

NHS England require practices to promote and offer the facility to enable patients online access to appointments, prescriptions, allergies and adverse reactions or have published plans in place to achieve this by 31st of March 2015.

We currently offer the facility for cancelling appointments and also for ordering your repeat prescriptions and viewing your medical records on-line. If you do not already have a user name and password for this system – please download the NHS app and sign up

Data for commissioning and other secondary care purposes

It is already a requirement of the Health and Social Care Act that practices must meet the reasonable data requirements of commissioners and other health and social care organisations through appropriate and safe data sharing for secondary uses, as specified in the technical specification for care data.

At our practice we have specific arrangements in place to allow patients to “opt out” of care.data which allows for the removal of data from the practice.

The Practice confirm these arrangements are in place and that we undertake annual training and audits to ensure that all our data is handled correctly and safely via the Information Governance Toolkit.

The practice fully supports the NHS Zero Tolerance Policy. The aim of this policy is to tackle the increasing problem of violence against staff working in the NHS and ensures that doctors and their staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused.

We understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint. We ask you to treat your doctors and their staff courteously and act reasonably.

All incidents will be followed up and you will be sent a formal warning after the first incident or removed from the practice list after a second incident if your behaviour has been unreasonable.

However, aggressive behaviour, be it violent or verbal abusive, will not be tolerated and may result in you being removed from the Practice list and, in extreme cases, the Police will be contacted if an incident is taking place and the patient is posing a threat to staff or other patients.

Removal from the practice list

A good patient-doctor relationship, based on mutual respect and trust, is the cornerstone of good patient care. The removal of patients from our list is an exceptional and rare event and is a last resort in an impaired patient-practice relationship. When trust has irretrievably broken down, it is in the patient’s interest, just as much as that of The Surgery, that they should find a new practice. An exception to this is on immediate removal on the grounds of violence e.g. when the Police are involved.

Removing other members of the household

In rare cases, however, because of the possible need to visit patients at home it may be necessary to terminate responsibility for other members of the family or the entire household. The prospect of visiting patients where a relative who is no longer a patient of the practice by virtue of their unacceptable behaviour resides, or being regularly confronted by the removed patient, may make it too difficult for the practice to continue to look after the whole family. This is particularly likely where the patient has been removed because of violence or threatening behaviour and keeping the other family members could put doctors or their staff at risk.