What patients should reasonably expect from our practice:

• You will be treated as a partner in the care and attention you receive. Being a partner means that we have responsibilities to each other. Help us to help you.
• You will be treated as an individual and will be given courtesy and respect at all times, irrespective of your ethnic origin, sex, religious belief, personal attributes or the nature of your health problems.
• Staff will maintain your right to privacy and not discuss your illness with other staff or doctors within the hearing of other people, nor disclose such information to anybody outside the practice.
• When hospital reports and results become available you have a right to a full explanation of your illness or any tests carried out.
• Staff will identify themselves and their role within the practice.
• We will strive to ensure that you are seen within a reasonable time. When this is not possible you will receive an explanation for the delay on request.
• We will strive to answer the telephone promptly.
• If you have any complaints or concerns relating to the practice, its staff or the services offered, contact the practice Manager, who will provide a timely response.

What the doctors and practice staff should reasonably expect from our patients:

• We ask that you treat the doctors and the practice staff with the same courtesy and respect at all times.
• The doctors have instructed the receptionist to ask certain questions so that we can help you more efficiently.
• You must tell us if you do not understand explanations. Please follow the doctor’s advice and take the full course of any medicine prescribed if so advised.
• Please let us know if you change any of your personal details or change your address.
• If you cannot keep an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible, this may enable someone else to be seen. Please try to arrive on time. If we are running late, please do not blame the receptionist, as emergencies often arise.
• If you have more than one problem, please ask advice from the receptionist if a longer appointment is required.
• Please order repeat prescriptions in advance.
• Depending on the condition you have presented to the doctor, a prescription may not be relevant at that time.
• We would encourage you to accept any invitations for screening issued by the practice or Health Authority. If you have any concerns, discuss them with a nurse or doctor.
• Make sure your child is vaccinated and immunised. This will help to protect him/her from serious illness and infections.
• Before seeking a home visit, think seriously whether it is necessary. When requesting a visit, please contact the surgery by 10.30am, unless a genuine emergency arises later.
• If you request a home visit, a clinician will call you back in the first instance to ascertain the best course of action.

Named GP Policy

Under the terms of our contract, we are required by the Government to allocate all patients a Named Accountable GP (“Named GP”). Patients will be assigned to you based on your last (family) name If you do not know your Named GP, simply contact our reception staff at your normal surgery.

New patients will be allocated a Named GP at the time of their registration with the Practice.

Having a Named GP does not prevent you seeing any other doctor in your surgery, and of course, your Named GP may not be available all of the time. So, if your needs are urgent, you may need to discuss them with another doctor and/or make an appointment with them instead.

Your Named GP will have overall responsibility for the care and support that our Practice provides to you. They will also work with other relevant healthcare professionals, who are involved in your care, to ensure that your care package meets your individual needs.

Your Named GP will:

• Take lead responsibility for ensuring that all appropriate services required under the contract with the Practice are delivered to you.
• Where required, based on their professional judgement, work with relevant associated health and social care professionals to deliver a multidisciplinary care package that meets your needs.
• Ensure that your physical and psychological needs are recognised and responded to by the relevant clinicians in the Practice.

Your Named GP will not:

• Take on vicarious responsibility for the work of other doctors or healthcare professionals.
• Take on 24-hour responsibility for you, or have to change their working hours. Thus, this requirement does not imply personal availability to GPs throughout the working week.
• Be the only clinician who will provide you with care.

You may, if you wish, change your Named GP to a GP of your choice (at the same surgery), and this can be accomplished by contacting our reception staff at your normal surgery. However, please remember that changing your Named GP will not affect the care that you receive.

All GP Practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver GP services to patients at each Practice.

The average pay for GPs working at The Coastal Partnership in the last financial year was £86,582 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 7 full time GPs, 16 part time GPs and 2 locum GPs who worked in the Practice for more than six months.

However, it should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time doctors spend working in the Practice, and should not be used to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with another Practice

Your Information

The Coastal Partnership takes privacy seriously and we want to provide you with information about your rights, who we share your information with and how we keep it secure.

Please use the links below to find more information about the practice and data protection:

• Transparency
• CCTV
• Telephone Recording
• Case Finding (ECLIPSE)
• Norfolk Sharing

All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation.

Please let us know at the time of requesting an appointment or speak to your GP. If you would like to request an appointment, please contact reception.