Privacy Statements

Confidentiality

All doctors and staff are governed by strict rules of confidentiality. No information given to us can be divulged to anyone outside the surgery unless you give us written permission to do so. We cannot give-out or discuss any information about you to your friends, family, partners, employers, police without your agreement and written permission, unless legally obliged to by a Court Order. At times you may feel the receptionist is withholding information, but they are not being obstructive, only following guidelines. You have right of access to your own records should you wish to read them, and also entitled to see any written reports about you before they are sent.

Data protection & freedom of information

In order to provide care, we are obliged to keep records, primarily computerised. Whilst recording personal data of our patients, Beechword Surgery strive to comply with the legislative requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. In order to manage services and improve the quality of care we provide, we share some information on practice activity with Health Boards, Trusts and Hospitals. Information is NOT shared with any third party outside the Health Service (e.g. Insurance companies, Solicitors) without your explicit consent and agreement. But we are obliged to provide certain information e.g. notification of certain infectious diseases.

Practice policy

Everyone who works at this Practice is motivated to achieve high quality health services that meet the needs of our patients. We have a Mission Statement of our objectives together with further policies applicable within our practice, by clicking here.

CCTV/Telephone Recording, Abusive & Violent Patients and our Acceptable Behaviour Policy

For your protection and training purposes, all calls to and from this practice together with CCTV footage within the premises are continuously recorded. The practice has a ZERO tolerance on abusive, aggressive or violent behaviour. In the case of violence, Police will be contacted immediately. In case of abusive or aggressive behaviour, the first step will be a written warning together with a confirmation of signatory to the Practice Acceptable Behaviour Policy. Thereafter, after a further event, a second warning will be accompanied by a request to the Health Authority for a removal from our Practice list. You will be required to sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract upon registration at the practice, this enables us to maintain a good Doctor/Patient relationship.

Feedback and complaints

We greatly welcome any form of constructive feedback, which we subsequently review and discuss at our practice meetings. We also operate a complaints procedure in line with national criteria. Ms. Kelly Yemm our Practice Manager, is happy to discuss with you in person any complaint you may have about our service. If you wish to make a complaint on behalf of a patient, then we may ask the patient for their consent before proceeding with our investigation. A leaflet regarding the complaint procedure is available at reception. There is also an option for the complainant to raise the concern directly with the Health Board and contact details for the Health Board’s Putting Things Right team and the Chief Executive via: • Phoning the Customer Contact Centre – 01495 745656 • Email: puttingthingsright.ABHB@wales.nhs.uk Or available information regarding the Community Health Council, whose details are; • Tel: 01633 838516 (there is a 24-hour answering service) • Email: abchc@abchc.org.uk If you, the patient, is unhappy with the outcome, i.e. the person who raised that concern remains unhappy with the practice’s response, he/she has the right the ask the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) to investigate and contact details should be provided: • Tel: (01656) 641150 • Email: ask@ombudsman-wales.org.uk

Practice area

Our practice area is confined within the county of Newport extending from the east bank of the river Usk, to the coast as far as Whitson and to the North to Caerleon and west to the county border at Penhow and Llanvaches. Whilst it does include the hamlets of Llanmartin, Llandevaud and Underwood, it does not extend to Magor or include the Glan Llyn development on the grounds of the old Llanwern steelworks.

Registration

If you would like to register at our practice, you should contact Reception, where one our receptionists will inform you of requirements. You will need to complete a Registration Form, a New Patient Questionnaire, and sign an Acceptable Behaviour Contract declaration. The New Patient Questionnaire should provide us with a brief account of your medical history and medication whilst await the records from your previous GP You will also need proof of your identity (Bank picture card or Passport) and your address before we can accept the completed forms. Area is confined within the county of Newport extending from the east bank of the river Usk, to the coast as far as Whitson and to the North to Caerleon and west to the county border at Penhow and Llanvaches.

About Beechwood Surgery

We at Beechwood Surgery strive to be a friendly, approachable and a coherent practice. We serve a mainly urban population but with a significant rural commitment to the Eastern portion of the county of Newport and lower Usk valley, nestled beside the Celtic Manor Resort. Current practice list size is 14,300 patients served by 11 consulting rooms and 3 treatment rooms at ground level with disabled access. We are fully computerised both at the main site on Chepstow Road, and also the branch site at Penkin Hill Alway.