STONEHILL MEDICAL CENTRE AND HIGHFIELD SURGERY
www.ehealthservice.co.uk/bolton/stonehill
ooh.silvert@nhs.net
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000
PUBLICATION SCHEME
Welcome to Stonehill Medical Centre and Highfield Surgery's Publication Scheme. The scheme is produced in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on behalf of Drs Silvert, Healey, Hawkridge, White, Robbie and Chowdhury, who practice together within their Partnership of this Practice.
Introduction
This Publication Scheme is a guide to the information routinely made available to the public by the Partners of Stonehill Medical Centre and Highfield Surgery. It describes the information about our General Practitioners and our Practices', which we make publicly available. The scheme is reviewed annually and we monitor its effectiveness.
How much will it cost?
The Publication scheme is provided free of charge. Where information is subject to a cost, the charges will be calculated as set out within this Publication.
How is the information made available?
The information within each Class is made available in paper form by writing (letter, email or fax) to the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager at the surgery address. Written requests for information and our publications will be responded to within 20 working days from receipt.
Your rights to information
• In addition to accessing the information identified in the publication scheme, you are entitled to request information about our Practices under the NHS Openness Code 1995.
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made.
• From January 1st 2005, it obliges the Practice to respond to requests about information that it holds, and is recorded in any format and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exemptions, which have to be taken into consideration before deciding what information it can release.
• New environmental information regulations were introduced in 2003. These enabled similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Under the Data Protection Act 1988, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can obtain a guidance leaflet from our Receptionist to assist you. Further information may be obtained by writing to the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager at the surgery.
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.
Classes of information
All information at Stonehill Medical Centre and Highfield Surgery is held, retained and destroyed in accordance with NHS guidelines. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information which can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000. Where individual Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reasons are eg, 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 and what we do
• What income we receive and how we spend it
• What our Priorities are and how we are performing
• How we make decisions
• Our policies and procedures
• Lists and registers
• The service we offer
Class 1- Who we are and what we do
Our Practice has a local Personal Medical Services Contract. The contract is with Bolton Primary Care Trust (NHS Bolton), St Peters House, Silverwell Street, Bolton Lancs, BL1 1PP.
The Practice aims to follow National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and National Service Framework guidelines. Copies of these can be found on the NICE website (www.nice.org.uk) or the Department of Health website (www.doh.gov.uk)
The NHS is a very large part of the public sector. It is possible to find out information about our Practice, Bolton PCT and other NHS services in your area by using www.nhs.uk. A full list of local General Practices can be found there too. Stonehill Medical Centre provides general medical services for the geographical area of Farnworth.
The full names of GP Partners at our Practice are listed in the introduction to this Publication Scheme. We also employ:
• 5 Salaried GPs
• 1 Practice Manager
• 1 Assistant Practice Manager
• 2 Nurse Practitioners
• 2 Practice Nurses
• 2 Assistant Practitioners
• 19 Administrative staff
• 1 Caretaker
• Contracted Cleaners
There are a number of other attached healthcare professionals who provide services to our patients but are employed by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust. These include:
• Health Visitors
• District Nurses
• Midwives
We share information with other service providers in accordance with the policies developed to meet NHS Code of Conduct and given national standards and by reference to the Data Protection Act.
Some information will be withheld, including personal, confidential information about individuals which is protected by the Data Protection Act 1998.
There is a national NHS Plan that explains how the NHS is changing and sets out how all the different parts function and work together. A copy is available at www.doh.gov.uk.
Class 2 - NHS income and how it is spent
We receive income for providing medical services to our registered patients from NHS Bolton through the mechanism of our Personal Medical Services contract, agreed enhanced service provision, primary care incentive schemes and reimbursement of the cost of drugs and vaccines administered to our patients.
Expenses incurred by the Practice for the period March 2010 and March 2011 exclude income taxes and other statutory taxes payable. The Practice income varies from year to year and is subject to the Practice reaching national and local health targets, overall performance and evidence and reporting produced by the practice to satisfy NHS Bolton and verification and validation processes. The results from patient satisfaction surveys initiated by the DOH now impact directly on the level of income received by the Practice to provide services.
In 2010, in order to maintain the existing level of patient services, the pay for General Practice was 'frozen' for both clinical and non clinical staff. No annual pay award has been applied to staff salaries since this time.
Incomes received from all sources are subject to annual external audit by the Practice appointed Accountants who prepare annual financial statements for the Practice.
There may be circumstances where material and financial information cannot be released because it is:
• Confidential as regulated under the Data Protection Act 1998 or it no longer available under NHS guidelines.
• Commercial information.
• The appropriate designate for these purposes under the Act has taken the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice business affairs.
YEAR END MARCH 2010 YEAR END MARCH 2011
GROSS NHS INCOME RECEIVED £1.727m £1.809m
EXPENSES
Staff costs (salaries, welfare and training) £851301 £843016
Drugs, medical supplies and services, surgery equipment. £95652 £36010
Premises (light, heat, refuse, repairs, cleaning) £44354 £75149
Administration (telephones, It, stationery, uniforms) £43333 £21101
Finance and accounting £5142 £13508
Premises insurance, mandatory indemnity and professional subscriptions. £44498 £38586
Out of hours GP cover £44974 £44466
TOTAL EXPENSE £1.129m £1.071m
You may apply to the Department of Health for further information on funding.
The Practice is also allocated a prescribing budget set by NHS Bolton on an annual basis. This budget provides for the cost of NHS prescriptions issued and dispensed to our registered patients. Further information regarding prescribing budgets can be obtained by contacting NHS Bolton.
We operate a scale of fees for work that falls outside our medical services contract and apply a tariff aligned to recommendations made by the BMA. Details of our private fees are available on our website.
Class 3 - What our priorities are and how we are performing
The Practice performance is measured and benchmarked to the Department of Health national targets, contractual standards and local health authority objectives, in terms of both clinical and administrative outputs. Performance is monitored in a number of ways that include the capture of key clinical information using pre-determined criteria nationally that provides quantitative and qualitative measures in respect of the delivery of clinical services, attainment of immunisation targets and clinical best practice for the prevention, treatment and ongoing monitoring of certain medical conditions.
The Practice performance is also measured in terms of its governance standards in compliance with regulatory and legislative requirements, NHS national guidelines and best practice. A number of patient feedback mechanisms that indicate patient satisfaction levels are also used to measure performance.
Additionally, the Practice performance is measure in terms of budget performance, ie, actual costs incurred that are attributed to the use of other NHS services by patients across a wide spectrum from prescribing to A&E attendance, out patient referrals and in-patient episodes.
Further evidence is provided by periodic and annual reports and returns, interim and annual assessment processes and on-site visits and inspections.
Class 4 - How we make decisions
Practice staff contribute to the overall development of the Practice through regular meetings. The meetings we hold are as follows:
• Monthly clinical team meetings
• Monthly nurse meetings
• Quarterly management meetings
• Bi-annual administration meetings
• Monthly community meetings (Health Visitors, District Nurses, School Nurses)
• Bi-annual Patient Participation Group meetings
Administration staff are also invited to attend the clinical team meetings.
In addition to these regular meetings, we hold specific meetings where required, which may include meeting with representatives from NHS Bolton.
Information is available by writing to the Practice Manager. There may be circumstances where the material cannot be released because it is:
• Confidential and regulated under the Data Protection Act 1998 or is no longer available under NHS guidelines
• Commercially sensitive information
• Security based
• The appropriate designate for these purposes under the Act has take the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice business affairs
• No longer current and has been replaced
Class 5 - Our policies and procedures
We develop and review a vast range of policies and protocols on a regular basis that relate to performance standards and the delivery of administration and clinical services, regulatory and legislative compliance, including employment related policies.
Copies of this material are available by writing to the Practice Manager. There may be circumstances where the material cannot be released because it is:
• Confidential and regulated under the Data Protection Act 1998 or is no longer available under NHS guidelines
• Commercially sensitive information
• Security based and prejudicial to the Practice security arrangements.
• The appropriate designate for these purposes under the Act has take the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice business affairs
• No longer current and has been replaced
To meet Practice expenses, a charge of 0.38p per page photocopied/printed is charged for all other information supplied. Postage costs will apply to all requests for any material in addition.
The following information may be released without charge:
• Practice leaflet
• Complaints Procedure
• Data Protection policy
• Confidentiality policy
We do not provide printouts of other organisations websites or information.
Class 6 - Lists and registers
Not held
Class 7 - The services we offer
Full details of our services, opening hours, Practice complaints procedure and Data Protection may be found on our website: www.ehealthservice.co.uk/bolton/stonehill. You may also request a copy of our Practice Leaflet.
The range of services we provide include:
• Chronic disease management
• Postnatal and 6-8 week checks
• Child health surveillance and childhood vaccinations
• Cervical cytology
• Family planning
• Implanon fitting and removal
• Maternity services
• Minor surgery
• Smoking cessation
• Travel vaccinations
• Diet and lifestyle
• Well patient checks
Some of these services are provided in partnership with other agencies, namely:
• Farnworth Health Visitors
• Farnworth District Nurses
• Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
We share information with other service providers in accordance with the policies developed to meet NHS Code of Conduct and given national standards and by reference to the Data Protection Act.
Some information will be withheld, including personal, confidential information about individuals which is protected by the Data Protection Act 1998.
We also produce a monthly Practice Newsletter which is available on the website or from the surgery.
NHS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION PUBLICATION SCHEME FOR GENERAL PRACTICES
November 2011 - Our publication scheme is currently under review and will be posted on our website at the earliest opportunity.
