This is a guide to the Publication Scheme for Blaenau Ffestiniog General Practice in which each of the following practice as a partnership Dr Owen Walter Evans, Dr Hugh Richard Jones, Dr Tomos Parry and Dr Dawn Mereryd Jones.
Introduction
This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by this Practice. It is a description of the information about each of the General Practitioners and the Practice itself which we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.
How much does it cost?
The publications are all free unless otherwise indicated within each Class [with £]. Where information is provided at a cost the charges will be calculated as set out in class 7.
How is the information made available?
The information within each Class is [either downloadable
from the practice website or from the Wales NHS website www.wales.nhs.uk]
available in hard copy or from The Practice Manager. Rights of Access
to Information At the present time, in addition to accessing the information
identified in the Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request
information about Blaenau Ffestiniog General Practice under the Code
of Practice on Openness in the NHS issued by the Welsh Office in 1995.
Hard copies of the Code of Practice are available free of charge from
the NHS Wales Department of the Welsh Assembly Government www.assembly.wales.gov.uk.
The information is also available on the Department of Health website
www.doh.gov.uk. Sometimes some,
or all, of the information cannot be provided and we will explain
the reasons why when this happens. The Freedom of Information Act
2000 recognises that everyone has the right to know how public services,
such as NHS Wales, are organised and run, how much they cost and how
you can make complaints if you need to.
You have the right to know
which services are being provided, the targets that are being set,
the standards of service that are expected, the results achieved and
how decisions are made. From January 1st 2005 the Freedom of Information
Act will require all General Practices to respond to requests about
information they hold, and it will create a right of access to that
information. The rights to request and access this information are
subject to some exemptions which a General Practice have to take into
consideration before deciding what information can be released. The
Environmental Information Regulations which came into force in 1993
set the standard for the release of information about the environment
in which we live and work. These are likely to be strengthened within
the next eighteen months under a European Union Directive. Until the
new Regulations come into force, information relating to the Environment
can be requested using the existing Regulations and the Code of Practice
on Openness. 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 Practice Manager, Health Services Centre, Wynne Road, Blaenau Ffestiniog LL41 3DW for information on how to
do this. Feedback If you have any comments about the operation of
the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for
information from the Scheme, please write to: The Practice Manager
The Health Centre Wynne Road Blaenau Ffestiniog Gwynedd LL41 3DW.
All information at the Blaenau Ffestiniog Practice is held, retained and destroyed
in accordance with NHS Wales guidelines. Our commitment to publish
information excludes any information which can be legitimately withheld
under the exemptions set out in the Welsh Code of Practice on Openness
in the NHS or The Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where individual
Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons relate to the
protection of commercial interests and personal information under
the Data Protection Act 1998. This applies to all Classes within
the Publication Scheme.
The information on this Scheme is grouped
into the following broad categories:
- Who We are.
This practice aims to deliver services in line with National Institute for Clinical
Excellence guidance and the National Service Frameworks for Wales".
Information see www.nice.org.uk.
The NHS is a very large part of the public sector. A full list of
local General Practices in Wales
can be found on Gwynedd Local Health Board web site www.wales.nhs.uk/lhb/page/cfm .
The Blaenau Ffestiniog General Practice provides general medical
services for the geographical area of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dolwyddelan
and Llan Ffestiniog.
A full list of our services can be found in our Practice leaflet or on our Services
web page.
Details of the General Practice organisational structure and key
personnel are shown on the Practice leaflet and
on our website on the following page"Meet
the team".
Our practice adheres to the National General Medical Services contract with the
Local Health Board. Some information will be withheld, including
personal, confidential information about individuals which is protected
by the Data Protection Act 1998.
- Our Services
For the range of services we provide under contract to NHS Wales please refer
to our Practice leaflet or on our Services
web page.
-
Financial and funding information
The Blaenau Ffestiniog General Practice receives money from Gwynedd Local Health
Board according to its contract (as per Class 1 above) in exchange
for services provided for patients. The total income received from
the NHS before expenses in the year 2001-2002 was £316,753.00. The
sum spent on drugs prescribed by the Blaenau Ffestiniog General Practice
in 2001/2002 was £812,199.00
There may be circumstances where material cannot be released because it is confidential
or commercial information or the appropriate officer designated for
these purposes under the Act has taken the view that it may be prejudicial
to the conduct of the Practice's affairs.
- Regular publications
and information for the public
All guidance relating to the clinical services we provide for patients and the
public can be seen on the Practice leaflet or web site, www.blaenau-doctors.com.
- Complaints
The Policies, and procedures regarding complaints can be seen on our web site,
www.blaenau-doctors.com or a hard copy can be obtained from the Practice
Manager.
- Our policies and procedures
General policies and procedures in use within the Practice include, but are not
restricted to, data protection, prescribing and prescription, Management
of Violent Patients and health and safety.
- This Publication Scheme
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 enquiries regarding information management in the General
Practice. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions
to publications already available and information regarding our policy
in relation to charging for information. See our web page at www.blaenau-doctors.com
- Cost of Information
For the most part, we will charge you only for hard copies. Copying onto media
(e.g. CD ROM) is not available at present. Some information is available
free, but for others there may be a charge. The charges will vary
according to how information is made available. Charges are as follows:
- Via the General Practice/Local Health Board /Trust Web Site -
Free of charge, although any charges for Internet Service provider
and personal printing costs would have to be met by the individual.
For those without Internet access, a single print-out as on the website would
be available by post from The Practice Manager or by personal application
at the Blaenau Ffestiniog General Practice at a cost of 35p per A4
sheet. However, requests for multiple printouts, or for archived
copies of documents which are no longer accessible or available on
the web, may attract a 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 will not provide printouts of other organisation's
websites.
- Leaflets and brochures - free of charge on, for example, services we offer
to the public.
- E-mail will be free of charge unless it says otherwise.
The charges will be reviewed regularly and be in line with other
NHS organisations
Useful Resources
Web sites:
The Information Commissioner -
www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
The Lord Chancellor's Department - www.lcd.gov.uk
NHS Wales Freedom of Information - www.wales.nhs.uk/fo
NHS Freedom of Information - www.nhs.foi.uk
Publications
Welsh Code of Practice on Openness in the NHS
www.wales.nhs.uk
FOI Act 2000
www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/acts2000/2000036.htm
Code
of Practice under Section 45 FOI Act 2000
www.lcd.gov.uk
Code of Practice under Section
46 FOI Act 2000
www.lcd.gov.uk
Statement of Fees and Allowances payable for General Medical Practitioners
in England and Wales www.lcd.gov.uk
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 or
contact: HMSO Licensing Division, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR
3 1BQ. Tel: 01603 621000.
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