Practice Policies & Patient Information
Practice Leaflet
Click here to download the Kingfisher Darlaston practice leaflet.
Accessibility Statement
The website aims to reach AA standard in line with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.0.
Although efforts to cover as wide a range of issues are made, we understand that we are not able to address the needs of people with all types, degrees, and combinations of disability.
We hope that you’re enjoying using this website and are not experiencing any problems. However, if you do have difficulty viewing the site, there are some things you can do to make it easier. You can change the settings of your browser to better suit your needs.
NHS Choices, the national NHS Website have worked in partnership with AbilityNet, a national charity that helps disabled adults and children to use computers and the internet. Their help with accessibility guide provides comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on how to adjust your computer and browser according to your needs, such as for sight or hearing problems. This includes information such as how to make the text larger in different browsers, change your keyboard or mouse settings, or increase colour contrast.
Click Here to get more help with accessibility
Average GP Earnings
All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS Services to patients.
The average GP pay of our 54 Full time and 201 Part time GPs in Modality Partnership in the previous financial year was £66,200 before the deduction of employee’s superannuation contributions, tax and national insurance.
Commissioners
NHS Black Country ICB is responsible for buying and monitoring healthcare services on behalf of all patients in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
NHS Black Country ICB,
Civic Centre,
St Peters Square,
Wolverhampton,
WV1 1SH
Confidentiality
We take confidentiality very seriously. The Practice is registered with the Information Commissioners’ Office (ICO). We comply with the Data Protection Act (2018) and GDPR. All staff recognise the importance of this. We ask you for personal information so that you can receive appropriate care and treatment. This information is recorded electronically and/or via manual medical records. For the effective functioning of a multi-disciplinary team this requires that medical information about you is shared between members of this practice and, on occasion with other health care professionals. We will not release any information about you to other third parties unless we have your consent to do so.
Our Privacy Notice describes how we collect, use, and process your personal data, and how, in doing so, we comply with our legal obligations to you. You can view a copy of our Privacy Notice on our website or by visiting the surgery.
Did Not Attend Policy
We aim to provide all our patients with the best possible service and to achieve this we need your help. Patients who fail to attend for their appointments and do not let us know incur significant cost to the practice and to other patients in terms of lost appointments.
If you are unable to keep your appointment, please make every effort to cancel it well in advance so that it may be offered to someone else. This can be done over the phone, or online.
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Modality Partnership will monitor those patients who do not attend their appointments. When a patient regularly fails to attend appointments within a 12 month period, the patient will be written to explaining that should they fail to attend a further appointment without prior notification, they risk being removed from the Practice list.
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If the patient fails to attend a following appointment following receipt of the first letter, the patient will be written to with a warning that any future failure to attend an appointment without prior notification will lead to their removal from the Practice list.
DSAR (Data Subject Access Request)
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018 allows individuals more control over their personal data, by granting them eight data subject rights. One of those rights is the right of access to obtain information about the data an organisation holds about them. This is called a data subject access request (DSAR).
In healthcare, this means that you, as a patient, can ask us to give you information held in your medical records. If you are over the age of 13, an easier way for you to access your medical information without the need for a DSAR is via the NHS APP.
Equality Diversity Statement
Modality Partnership is committed to eliminating individual and institutional discrimination, harassment and victimisation across all protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010 relating to patients and employees which are: Race, Sex, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Religion or Belief, Gender Reassignment, Age, Marriage and Civil Partnership and Pregnancy and Maternity.
All Modality Partnership staff complete equality and diversity training.
Feedback, Complaints and Concerns
We aim to provide our patients with a caring, friendly, and professional service. We welcome all feedback so if you are not happy, please tell us.
We hope that we can sort out most problems easily and quickly. Often this will be at the time they arise and with the person concerned. Please tell them what is worrying you and they will do their best to resolve your concerns quickly and informally.
However, if they can’t or you wish to make a formal complaint, please let us know as soon as possible, and your complaint will be managed in line with our formal complaints process.
You can provide feedback our services or tell us about your concerns:
• In person or by telephone
• In writing to the Practice Manager – by letter or completing a form available from reception
• Online though our website
Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act gives the public the right to request any recorded information from a public authority. The authority will then have 20 working days to provide this information subject to any exemptions.
How do we process freedom of information requests?
We pride ourselves on being an open organisation and will endeavour to respond to requests for information where we are required to under the guidance attributable to primary care. While we will provide as much information as it can, due to the sensitivity of some of this information, the organisation has a duty of confidence to both patients and staff. In line with FOI Act, this means that no information will be released which could lead to the identification of an individual.
Modality Partnership is a legally recognised partnership under the Partnership Act, providing primary care services. The majority of our contracts are with NHS organisations, usually Integrated Care Boards (ICB’s) or Acute/Community Trusts. Please contact the ICB or Acute/Community Trust, with whom we hold a contract, directly to acquire any information related to contractual obligations for the purposes of FOI.
Some activities that Modality Partnership undertake are exempt from FOI legislation.
Where can you make your request?
Any requests relating to Modality Partnership should be made to our Data Protection Officer: modality.dpo@nhs.net
If your request refers to any contracts that we hold with ICB’s or Acute/Community Trusts, please make your FOI request directly to the relevant public body.
National Data Opt-Out
Please view our ‘National Data Opt Out’ information leaflet here.
Partnership Declaration
Kingfisher Berkley Practice operates as part of a non-limited partnership, Modality Partnership.
You can find details of all of our partners here.
Patients’ Charter
Patients have the right to:
• Be seen by a doctor/healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment of their medical condition. This is obtained by making appointments from the range offered by the practice.
• participate in important public health programmes such as vaccinations.
• Not to be unlawfully discriminated against in the provision of NHS services including on grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability (including learning disability or mental illness or age.
• Be treated with dignity and respect, in accordance with their human rights
• Accept or refuse treatment that is offered, and not to be given any physical examination or treatment unless valid consent has been given.
• Privacy and confidentiality and to expect the Practice to keep their confidential information safe and secure.
• Access to their own health records.
• Choose their GP practice, and to be accepted by that Practice unless there are reasonable grounds to refuse, in which case they will be informed of those reasons.
• Express a preference for consulting with a particular doctor within their GP Practice.
• Have any complaint they make about NHS services dealt with efficiently, to have it properly investigated, know the outcome and escalate the complaint to the independent Health Service Ombudsman.
Patients have the responsibility to:
• inform the surgery if they are unable to keep their appointment, thus making an appointment available for another patient.
• treat staff and other patients or visitors at the practice with respect and that causing a nuisance or disturbance on the premises is not acceptable.
Pricing for Non-NHS Services
We offer a range of private services designed to meet specific healthcare needs not covered by NHS funding. For a detailed list of services and associated fees, please refer to the pricing information HERE
Summary Care Record
Summary Care Record
There is a new Central NHS Computer System called the Summary Care Record (SCR). It is an electronic record which contains information about the medicines you take, allergies you suffer from and any bad reactions to medicines you have had.
Why do I need a Summary Care Record?
Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.
This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.
Who can see it?
Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your Summary Care Record.
How do I know if I have one?
Over half of the population of England now have a Summary Care Record. You can find out whether Summary Care Records have come to your area by asking your GP.
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 along to the surgery. You can use the form at the foot of this page.
More Information
For further information visit the NHS Care records website
Zero Tolerance Policy
We are committed to taking all reasonable precautions necessary to ensure the health, safety, welfare and well-being of our employees, patients and visitors. We endeavour to ensure that all employees are protected from physical and verbal abuse while they are working and strongly support NHS guidelines regarding zero tolerance. We operate a Zero Tolerance Policy for patients.
Anyone attending the surgery who is abusive, violent, aggressive be it verbally, physically or in any threatening manner whatsoever to members of staff or other persons present on the practice premises, will risk removal from the practice list. In extreme cases we may summon the police to remove offenders from the practice premises.