The ‘You and Your General Practice’ (YYGP) patient charter has been developed to help patients understand what to expect from their general practice and how they can get the best from their GP team.
You and Your General Practice published by NHS England
Our Practice Charter
The practice is open from 8.00am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday. Throughout these hours you, or your carer on your behalf, can:
- Visit the practice
- Call them
- Go online using the practice’s website or the NHS App.
Our online request and consultation service is open throughout our core hours for non-urgent requests such as appointments, medication queries and administration requests.
When you make a request during opening hours, we will tell you within one working day what will happen next. This could be:
- An appointment that day or a subsequent day
- A phone call that day or a subsequent day
- A text message responding to your query
- Advice to go to a pharmacy or another NHS service.
We accept all eligible patients onto our patient list regardless of immigration status, or any protected characteristic, unless there is a contractual reason not to such as residing outside our practice catchment area.
Extra help and reasonable adjustments are available if you require additional support. This may include longer appointments, quiet space, wheelchair access, information in another format, interpreter etc.
- We commit to treating all patients with respect, fairness, and kindness.
- We aim for patients to be seen within 20 minutes of their appointment time, and in the event of a delay we will advise.
- Check on your own test results. Should there be any serious abnormality you will be contacted by us promptly.
If your GP needs to refer you for a physical or mental health condition, in most cases you have the right to choose the hospital or service you’d like to go to. You can get further information on your right to choose on the nhs.uk website.
- Urgent referrals will be made within one working day of the patient appointment.
- Non-urgent referrals within 5 working days of the patient appointment or the doctor’s decision to refer (subject to conditions).
What We Ask of You
To help us provide the best possible care for everyone, we ask that you:
- Treat our staff and other patients with courtesy and respect. The practice can remove patients from their list if they are violent or abusive to staff.
- Be prepared: Before an appointment, think about writing down your symptoms, what you are worried about and what you want to talk about.
- Be on time: Being late for an appointment or being unavailable for a timed call-back can affect other patients.
- Cancel if needed: If you can’t go to your appointment, tell the practice as soon as you can, so that they can offer it to someone else.
- Use the NHS App or website: If you’re confident using smart phones or computers, you can book or cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions, and see your test results online.
Turn on notifications: If you use the NHS App, turn on notifications so the practice can contact you more easily. Please keep an eye out for messages. - Order repeat medicines on time: Make sure you ask for repeat prescriptions on time, so you don’t run out, and only order what you need.
- Join the Patient Participation Group and offer feedback on our services.
- Keep your contact details up to date so we can communicate with you effectively.
- If you are referred to another service, we ask that you contact the service directly with waiting times enquiries.
- If you need extra help (language, physical access, format of communications), please let us know.
Feedback, Complaints & Concerns
- If you have concerns or feedback, please contact our Practice Manager.
- Alternatively, you may contact the local Integrated Care Board (ICB), Healthwatch, or relevant patient advocacy services.
- We will ensure you are aware of the formal complaint procedure if needed.