Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) 2000
Guide to information provided by GPs under the Model Publication Scheme.
Introduction
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires all public authorities to adopt and maintain a publication scheme. In 2008, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) introduced a single generic model publication scheme, for adoption by all public authorities that are subject to the FoIA. This model publication scheme commits a public authority to “produce and publish the method by which the specific information will be available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public”. This is a very general scheme based on the principle that all public authorities need to recognise the public interest in the transparency of the services provided and paid for by the general public. It is a commitment to make information easily available to the public.
General Practitioners (GPs), providing primary medical services under most contracts with the NHS in England and Wales and with HSC Northern Ireland, are public authorities in respect of information relating to those services.
The Freedom of Information Act gives the public the right to ask for certain information held by public authorities, such as the NHS (and including GP practices) and allows members of the public to see information about how public services are developed and delivered.
The Practice and The Freedom of Information Act
In line with the FoIA, and our status as a GP surgery, we operate a publication scheme providing information about our practice and the services that we provide. Information covered by this scheme is only about the general medical services that we provide under contract to the National Health Service.
Charges for information requests and information
All documents and information we make available free of charge under this Scheme are identified as “no cost”. All documents available under this Scheme for which we may charge a fee are identified as “In accordance with FoIA request Fees & Regulations”. Information/text taken from our practice website is available free of charge but remain the copyright of the practice.
There may be a charge for you to access our website (from your internet service provider), in addition to personal printing costs, which would have to be met by you. If you do not have internet access, we would be able to provide printouts and send them via post or make them available at the practice for collection. There would be a cost for printing and postage, if applicable.
You may also be able to access the internet through your local community, from a library, friends, neighbours, etc., but any associated costs for such access or any printing/duplication costs must be met by you.
For all printing/duplication carried out by the Practice, each single sheet printed on one side is charged at £0.25; each single sheet printed on both sides is charged at £0.35.
We will generally produce documents printed on both sides of the sheet to save money and paper. However, some documents not created by us, or originating in other systems, may be single sided (printed on one side only).
Copies of audits, reports, etc. attract a one-off administration fee of £25 (plus the per sheet printing/duplication charge, as outlined above).
A request for multiple printouts or copies of a single document or report, and for archived copies of documents which are no longer easily accessible or available, may attract an additional administration fee for their retrieval and/or duplication. We will let you know if this is the case and the charges that will have to be paid.
Any postage costs are charged at their prevailing (Royal Mail) face value, and we use their “Special Delivery” service for sending requested information. A signature is required for this delivery service to receive your information.
We will only send information to the address given on the verified originator’s information request, and, if you are a patient, the address must match that of your patient record.
You may also collect the information in person from one of our sites. You will be required to provide appropriate identification as the originator of the information request, if you collect the information in person. We will not release information to a third party without good reason or authority (lasting power of attorney for example).
Please note that we will not provide printouts of others’ copyrighted information, other organisations’ websites, or any other forms of their information or data.
Wherever a charge is applicable, it (including all administration, printing/duplication and postage costs) must be paid in advance of the release of information.
All our charges are reviewed annually, in line with this document, and the Freedom of Information Act request Fees & Regulations.
Class 1: Who we are and what we do
Partners
The partners of the practice are:
Nursing Staff
Our practice nurses are:
Support Staff
Matthew Haynes - Practice Manager
Jane Fish – Assistant Practice Manager
Beth Baker – Assistant Practice Manager
Administration
The Practice employs the following support staff to complete our Primary Care Team:
Clinical staff
The Practice also engages with clinical pharmacists and health care assistants.
Other staff
Indirect staff
Site/Surgery details
Our practice booklet is available at either North Cornelly or Stormybrook Surgery.
01656 740345
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Door Opening Hours |
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North Cornelly |
Kenfig Hill/Stormybrook |
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Monday |
8.30am – 6:00pm |
9.00am - 5.30pm |
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Tuesday |
8.30am – 6:00pm |
9.00am - 5.30pm |
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Wednesday |
8.30am – 6:00pm |
9.00am - 1.00pm |
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Thursday |
8.30am – 6:00pm |
9.00am - 5.30pm |
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Friday |
8.30am – 6:00pm |
9.00am - 1.00pm |
Class 2: What we spend and how we spend it
We receive payments in relation to our General Medical Services (GMS) and Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts. In addition, we also receive income from other sources such as Enhanced Services (ES) and also other non-NHS work and fees.
Please note that some of this information may be commercially (or confidentially) sensitive and as such, may not be released within the public domain or within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) and this publication scheme. This is likely to include any work that we do outside of our GMS or PMS contracts.
How you can obtain this information
Requests can be made in writing to the Practice Manager.
Cost of obtaining
In accordance with FoIA request Fees & Regulations.
Class 3: What our priorities are and how we are doing
Our priority is to provide first class patient care, to the highest clinical standards for all our patients registered with the practice. We do this by working together with other healthcare providers, secondary care, support organisations and the local health board.
We are passionate about what we do, providing high quality NHS care by putting patients first. Our practice aims to provide patients with excellent, safe, timely care. To monitor and assess how our services are delivered, it welcomes feedback submissions on our services via our website. A complaint process is also available.
Plans for the continued development and provision of NHS services as well as enhanced NHS services is also of fundamental important to the Practice.
Information/Classes Published
Active participation in the Quality & Outcomes Framework (QOF) where our performance can be viewed.
How you can obtain this information
Request in writing to the Practice Manager.
Cost of obtaining
No cost.
Information/Classes Published
Results from our Healthcare Inspectorate Wales inspections are published the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales Website.
How you can obtain this information
Cost of obtaining
No cost.
Class 4: How we make decisions
Meetings are held weekly between the Practice Manager and GP partners to discuss surgery level issues and any decisions affecting the practice and its commercial operation are agreed by the partners during these meetings. These take place at the surgery. These decisions (including confidential or commercially sensitive information) may be shared with key personnel within the practice but will not be disclosed publicly and is outside the scope of this publication scheme. Other minutes, which is not of a confidential nature, may be made available on application to the Practice Manager.
Meetings also take place with Bridgend West Network Cluster which is one of three community network areas in Bridgend. Three practices, including ourselves, operate in the Bridgend West cluster area. The other two practices are Heathbridge House, Kenfig Hill and Porthcawl Group Practice. Cluster meetings take place weekly with these practices and bi-monthly with the Health Board and District Nursing Team.
Palliative Care meetings take place every 8 weeks with the Practice Manager and GP partners. The District Nursing Palliative Care team also attend.
How you can obtain this information
Request in writing to the Practice Manager.
Cost of obtaining
In accordance with FoIA request Fees & Regulations.
Class 5: Our policies and procedures
Customer Service
Internal instructions to staff
Recruitment and employment of staff
Complaints procedure
How you can obtain this information
Request in writing to the Practice Manager.
Cost of obtaining
In accordance with FoIA request Fees & Regulations.
Class 6: Lists and Registers
To successfully deliver high level patient care and manage and care for those diagnosed long-term, chronic conditions, the practice manages and maintains lists and registers of our patients.
These lists are strictly confidential and contain patient identifiable information. As such, they are not available for public inspection or scrutiny and are therefore outside of the scope of this publication scheme.
How you can obtain this information
Not applicable.
Cost of obtaining
Not applicable.
Class 7: The services we offer
Under our GMS contract with the NHS, we offer (at no cost):
How you can obtain this information
Through our practice website.
Cost
No cost.
Class 7: The services we offer (continued)
We also provide non-NHS services, which are chargeable.
These services may be payable by the patient directly, by solicitors, by insurance companies or other third parties requesting this information for, about or on behalf of a patient.
There is a list charges for these services. These services include:
Patients
Other (e.g. solicitors, insurance co.)
How you can obtain this information
Arrangements for any of the above can be made via surgery reception or by emailing Admin.NorthCornelly@wales.nhs.uk.
Cost
This is dependent to the service required. A quote can be obtained by contacting the surgery or emailing Admin.NorthCornelly@wales.nhs.uk.
Class 7: The services we offer (continued)
We also provide additional information on our website such as the Common Ailments Scheme available through local pharmacies.
Information is also available on our website about what to do when our practice is closed (e.g. out of hours, weekends, bank holidays, training days). At this time, the GP Out of Hours Service provides care. They can be accessed by telephoning 111 or 01656 642760. This service will help you find the right advice support and treatment.
In an emergency or life-threatening situation, patients should immediately dial 999 whether our practice is open or closed.