Practice Policies & Patient Information
Encouraging equality & diversity, eliminating discrimination
At Cumberland House Surgery, we are committed to providing a high-quality healthcare environment, which is welcoming, inclusive, and respectful to all. We do not tolerate discrimination in any form and will never discriminate based on gender, marital status, race, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, religion or age.
Every day, we will strive to:
- Ensure fair and equal access to healthcare services for all our patients and service users.
- Treat all patients, service users and staff members with dignity, kindness, and respect.
- Eliminate discrimination and promote an inclusive culture, where diversity is valued and respected.
- Make reasonable adjustments to meet the needs of our patients, service users and staff members.
- Continuously improve our services by encouraging and listening to feedback.
We are proud to be an inclusive employer and are committed to creating a positive and supportive workplace, where all staff feel respected, valued, and able to thrive.
Freedom of Information Requests
For any FOI requests, please contact your practice manager.
GP Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.
The average pay for GPs working in Cumberland House Medical Practice in the 2023/24 financial year was £81,258 before tax and National Insurance.
GPDfPR – General Practice Data for Planning and Research
This practice is required to support vital health and care planning and research by sharing your pseudonymised data with NHS Digital. You can choose whether your confidential patient information is used for research and planning. You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your confidential patient information is used. If you would like to opt-out you need to register that wish with your GP surgery.
The rollout for the GDfPR has been moved from September 2021, and now has no fixed date to commence. Changes are being introduced which means that patients can opt-out or change their opt-out status at any time.
Patients do not need to register a Type 1 opt-out by 1 September to ensure their GP data will not be uploaded.
There are two ways you can opt-out:
Type One Opt-Out means your personal information never leaves the GP Surgery. You have to print out a form and send it directly to your GP Surgery.
The National Data Opt-Out means that your data is collected by NHS Digital, but is not passed on. You can opt-out of this online only.
To view the latest updates, please visit: GP Practice Privacy Notice for General Practice Data for Planning and Research.
How We Handle Missed Appointments
- Patients must wait longer for appointments
- Both staff and patients are frustrated
- Resources are wasted
Our ‘Did Not Attend’ Policy aims to reduce the impact of missed appointments.
After two missed appointments – one after the other – where we weren’t informed, we’ll contact you by letter to ask whether there are any problems that stand in the way of you easily accessing the surgery. If there’s anything we can do to help, please let us know. The letter will also advise you that any further missed appointments may mean that you’re removed from our patient list. This letter (known as a warning letter), will be valid for 12 months.
If you miss another appointment within 12 months – our team will discuss the next step. If most of our team agrees, you’ll be removed from our practice as a patient. If this happens, we’ll send you a letter to inform you of the outcome. This will ask you to find an alternative GP practice.
How We Look After Your Confidentiality & Medical Records
- We need to provide you with further medical treatment – for example, sharing information between your district nurse and the hospital you’ll be treated at.
- To help you access other services – for example, to social workers (we’ll always ask your consent first).
- We have a duty to others – for example, in child protection cases we may provide anonymous patient information that could help with government planning (if you’d prefer that anonymous information about you is not used in this way, just let us know).
- For day-to-day operations – for example, our reception and administrative staff require access to your medical records so they can do their jobs. Rest assured – our entire team work to the same rules of confidentiality as our medical staff.
Our Zero Tolerance of Abuse and Violence
We have the right to remove violent patients from our patient list. We will do so if we feel that we need to safeguard practice staff, patients or other persons.
Violence can include actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse. Should this happen, we inform the patient in writing of their removal. We’ll also record our reasons in their medical records.
Text message reminders – Helping you to stay on top of your care
New rules related to data protection were introduced in May 2018. Known as GDPR, these rules allow us to text you about your care, so you may receive appointment and healthcare reminders by text if you have provided us with your mobile phone number.
We can also recommend treatment for the management of a specific health issue, but we are not allowed to text you for marketing purposes.
Please contact your practice directly if you would like to opt-out of the text messaging reminder service.
Understanding the Patient Accessible Information Standard
This doesn’t apply to:
- Those who want information in other formats who do not have a disability or sensory loss
- Foreign Language Translation
- Those who have difficulty reading or understanding information for reasons other than a disability, impairment or sensory loss – for example, because of low literacy or a learning disability such as dyslexia
We can provide information is differing formats, including braille, easy-read, via email or NHS video link. We can also provide British Sign Language interpreters and advocates.
We will always ask our patients:
- Ask whether you have any information or communication needs
- Record and share your needs with other NHS adult social care providers (if you consent)
- Highlight what your needs are and how they should be met
- Make sure you receive support and information in the way you need
Your Privacy
Practice & Patient Privacy Information
NHS Privacy Information & Useful Links
Your Right to Access to Records
Your rights to your records are defined in the General Data Protection Regulations 2018 and Access to Health Records Act.
Worth knowing: We’ll never release any of your medical information without your consent unless we’re legally obliged to do so.