Information about your health and care helps us to improve your individual care, speed up diagnosis, plan your local services and research new treatments. The NHS is committed to keeping patient information safe and always being clear about how it is used.

How your data is used

Information about your individual care such as treatment and diagnoses is collected about you whenever you use health and care services. It is also used to help us and other organisations for research and planning such as research into new treatments, deciding where to put GP clinics and planning for the number of doctors and nurses in your local hospital.  It is only used in this way when there is a clear legal basis to use the information to help improve health and care for you, your family and future generations.

Wherever possible we try to use data that does not identify you, but sometimes it is necessary to use your confidential patient information.

You have a choice

You do not need to do anything if you are happy about how your information is used. If you do not want your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you can choose to opt out securely online or through a telephone service. You can change your mind about your choice at any time.

Will choosing this opt-out affect your care and treatment?

No, choosing to opt out will not affect how information is used to support your care and treatment. You will still be invited for screening services, such as screenings for bowel cancer.

What do you need to do?

If you are happy for your confidential patient information to be used for research and planning, you do not need to do anything.

To find out more about the benefits of data sharing, how data is protected, or to make/change your opt-out choice visit www.nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters

All health and care providers across Nottinghamshire hold individual paper and electronic records about you. This may mean that your information may not be available when and where you need it to be, and you may end up repeating yourself when treated by different services.

The Notts Care Record is a secure and confidential system that will enable the viewing of information about your health and care so that information is available to the right health and care staff at the right time to support the delivery of your care. Having a more joined up and coordinated record will improve the way information about you is shared in order to deliver better care and make decisions more effectively.

The Notts Care Record is a collaboration between GP, hospital, community, mental health and social care services across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

For more information, visit: Digital Notts – Shared Care Records

Please see below our Data Protection Privacy Notice for Patients

Please click here to view Data Protection Privacy Notice.

Please click here to view Children’s Privacy Notice.

Please click here to view Covid-19 Privacy Notice.

Your Summary Care Record (SCR) is a short summary of your GP medical records. It tells other health and care staff who care for you about the medicines you take and your allergies.

For more information, visit: NHS Digital – SCR – Information For Patients

Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

The information held in your Summary Care Record gives health and care professionals, away from your usual GP practice, access to information to provide you with safer care, reduce the risk of prescribing errors and improve your patient experience.

Your Summary Care Record contains basic information about allergies and medications and any reactions that you have had to medication in the past.

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.

All patients registered with a GP have a Summary Care Record, unless they have chosen not to have one.

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete a form and bring it to the Practice. The form can be found at: Summary Care Record Opt Out Form

More Information

For further information, visit: NHS – Your Health Records.

Supplementary Privacy Notice for Summary Care Records – Covid-19: NHS Digital – SCR – Supplementary Transparency Notice

Castle Healthcare Practice is delighted to have signed up to the Green Impact for Health Toolkit and we are actively taking steps to reduce our carbon footprint.

The climate emergency is also a health emergency, and health care in the UK contributes 5.4% of the UK’s carbon emissions. We need to enhance the health of future generations, and this means operating within the sustainable boundaries of the planet.

Fortunately, most of the solutions for the planet also make our health better, for example; eating a mainly plant-based diet, engaging in active travel and exercise in nature, avoiding smoking and reducing pollution etc. This will enhance our health and reduce our need for medications, with further benefits to the NHS, your health and the carbon footprint of healthcare.

For further information, visit: www.greenerpractice.co.uk

Rushcliffe Big Green Book

The Rushcliffe Big Green Book is a directory of nature-based activities and opportunities around Rushcliffe and is in line with the national Green Social Prescribing initiative.

Green Social Prescribing is a way of connecting people to nature-based activities, green groups, projects and schemes in their local community for support with health and wellbeing.

For more information, visit: The Rushcliffe Big Green Book

Due to an increase in the number of wasted appointments through patients non-attendance, it has become necessary to implement the following policy:

If you repeatedly fail to attend appointments over a 12-month period you may be removed from this practice list and required to register at a different General Practice.

If you cannot attend your appointments for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible, giving at least 24 hours notice. We can then offer the appointment to someone else.

The NHS operate a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the Practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard Practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation the patient will be notified in writing of their removal from the list and a record will be made in the patient’s medical records stating the details of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.

An NHS patient planning to travel abroad may receive an FP10 from their Practice to cover their time abroad. This is at the discretion of the Practice, but must be for no longer than three months. This should give the patient enough medication to last until they can make arrangements for alternative supply in the country they are visiting.

If you are going to run out of your regular medication during your holiday, please ensure you contact the Practice prior to travel. Standard medication requests can take up to 48 (working) hours to be processed. If you require a review this may further extend the time to prescribe your medication. Medication requests will not be given urgent on the day appointment slots.

If you require quantities of medication that differ to what you are normally prescribed i.e. you are going on a long trip, or you require alternative support/medication i.e. delaying of a menstrual cycle, please ensure you contact the Practice 4 weeks prior to travel to book a routine appointment. These requests will not be given urgent on the day appointment slots.

New NHS prescriptions (including current repeat medication) cannot be issued to patients who are outside of the UK. Please ensure you are aware of how to access healthcare abroad, including obtaining medication.

NHS prescriptions must never be obtained by relatives or friends on behalf of patients who are currently abroad, irrespective of such factors as owning a house in the UK or paying UK taxes.

For more information, visit:

• • CHP – Travel Advice & Services

Practice Complaints Policy
Patient feedback is important to us as it helps us to improve the service we provide to patients. We take patient complaints seriously and will address any concerns by carrying out a thorough investigation into the matter.

How do I make a complaint?
If you wish to complain please contact Catherine Eyre, Reception Manager on 0115 883 2626, who will deal with your concerns appropriately. If you wish to submit a written complaint, our complaints procedure, including a complaints form can be viewed by clicking here. Please note; completed patient complaint forms should be returned to the Practice directly for investigation.

Alternatively, you may send a written letter to:
F.A.O. The Operations Manager
Castle Healthcare Practice,
Embankment Primary Care Centre,
50-60 Wilford Lane,
West Bridgford,
Nottingham,
NG2 7SD

If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, the Practice needs to know that you have their permission to do so.

What Happens Next?
We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and aim to have looked into your complaint within 14 days of the date when you raised it with us.  Some complaints may take longer to address but you will be informed of a response time.  If this cannot be met, the Practice will keep you informed.

Please be assured making a complaint will not adversely affect your ongoing healthcare at the Practice.  We will deal with you fairly, compassionately and will endeavour to resolve the situation to a satisfactory conclusion.

Wherever possible, we aim to learn from complaints and take action to avoid similar occurrences.

Is there a time limit?
Within 12 months of the incident that caused the problem or within 12 months from when the complaint comes to your notice.

Please remember, the sooner you provide the Practice with the information, the easier it will be to investigate the facts.

How do I complain to someone Independent if I don’t feel I can contact the Practice directly or if I am dissatisfied with the outcome?
We believe that our internal policy will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong. However, this does not affect your right to approach the following organisations if you feel you cannot raise your complaint with us or if you are dissatisfied with the result of our investigation.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS):
Telephone – 0800 183 0204
Email – nuhnt.PALS@nhs.net
Address –
NUH NHS Trust c/o PALS,
Freepost,
NEA 14614,
Nottingham,
NG7 1BR

Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board:
Telephone – 0115 883 9570
Email – nnicb-nn.patientexperience@nhs.net
Website – www.notts.icb.nhs.uk
Address –
Civic Centre,
Arnot Hill Park,
Nottingham Road,
Arnold,
Nottingham,
NG5 6LU

Please note that patients cannot raise the same complaint with the Practice and the ICB.

Independent Complaints and Advocacy Service (ICAS):
Telephone – 0300 456 2370.
Website – www.pohwer.net

The Parliamentary Service Ombudsman:
Telephone – 0345 015 4033
Website – www.ombudsman.org.uk

Care Quality Commission (CQC):
Telephone – 03000 616 161
Website – www.cqc.org.uk

Other useful contacts

NHS – How to complain to the NHS

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Access to Health Records Act, patients may request to see their medical records. Such requests should be submitted via a signed request by the patient, for the attention of the Practice Secretaries. These requests may be subject to an administration charge. No information will be released without patient consent unless we are legally obliged to do so.

For information on how to access your digital health record, visit: NHS – View your GP health record