This accessibility statement applies to the The Oaks Medical Centre website (theoaksmedical.co.uk).

This website is run by Silicon Practice. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

• change colours, contrast levels and fonts using browser functionality
• zoom in up to 500% without the text spilling off the screen
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver)

We also try to make the website text as simple as possible to understand.

If you have a disability, search AbilityNet for “how to” guides to make your device easier to use.

How accessible this website is

We have designed this website to be as accessible as possible, conforming to the accessibility standards set out by the World-Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and other accessibility guidance.

This website is tested against WCAG 2.1 guidelines. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities and user friendly for everyone.

Feedback and contact information

Contact us if you have an accessibility query including:

• if you have any problems accessing information or using this website
• if you have any positive feedback about this website’s accessibility

We aim to respond in 5 working days.

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, you can contact us to report this.

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Silicon Practice is committed to making it’s websites accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This website is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 4/1/2024. It was last reviewed on 4/1/2024.

This website was last tested on 4/1/2024. The test was carried out by Silicon Practice. The website may have changed since the date of the test.

We based our own accessibility audit on the NHS Digital accessibility audit process and the WCAG Website Accessibility Conformance Evaluation Methodology (WCAG-EM process).

Read the full accessibility test report

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from District Nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

DNA (Did not attend) Policy

A DNA happens when an appointment is not attended, and the Patient has not contacted the Practice in advance to cancel it or where the cancellation is so late as to make it impossible to allocate that time to another Patient who needs treatment.

DNA 1
Where this is the first occasion, a code will be added to the Patient’s medical record and the DNA counted in a monthly search. A letter or text will be sent to the patient advising of the matter, and to contact the surgery if this has been sent in error.

DNA 2
Where this is the second occasion, the Patient will be sent a second letter by the Practice, advised of the missed appointment and asked to make an appointment with the admin team to explain if there were reasonable grounds for the non-attendance on this occasion. They will be informed that they could be at risk of compromising their relationship with the Practice.

DNA 3
Where a third DNA has occurred, the Practice will review the individual case with the Governance manager and partners and a decision will be taken with regards to addressing the Patient’s future ability to pre-book routine appointments. The Practice will consider whether consistent failure to adhere to our Practice policy constitutes a breakdown between the Patient and the GP (where the GP Practice has given clear instruction on policy and service provision and the Patient has chosen to disregard this on several occasions in spite of due warning).

Removing Patients from the Practice List
Potential removals will always be discussed with management and partners. The decision to remove a patient from the list will only happen if a senior partner agrees.
Removal of a patient from the registered list for repeatedly failing to attend appointments will be in accordance with The NHS General Medical Service
Regulations 2015.
This regulation requires that the patient has been warned that they are at risk of removal. The practice must keep a written record of the removal of any patient from its list including the reason for removal, the circumstances of the removal and the grounds for removal. If the decision is made to remove the patient from the registered list, the practice should write to the patient explaining them of the practice decision and advising them to register with an alternative practice.
Once a decision has been made, Practice Manager will follow Patient Removal
Policy, inform NHS England and request the deduction of the patient from the registered list. The patient will be deducted on the eighth day after NHS England has been notified.

If you need to cancel or change any appointment, you can:
– Call the dedicated appointment line on 01213892222.
– Email theoaks.medical@nhs.net
– Cancel your appointment via Anima
– Visit the surgery

Please help us to maximise appointment availability in the future. Your cooperation is very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely,

On behalf of J.Naik and A.Lewis

We are continually looking to turn patient feedback into real improvements in the services we provide. We use it to focus on the things that matter most to our patients, carers and their families.

Giving feedback

To provide feedback:

• fill out a feedback form
• take part in the Friends and Family Test
• leave a review on the NHS website
• phone us on Shady Lane 0121 389 2222 or Streetly 0121 389 2222

Making a complaint

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from The Oaks Medical Centre please let us know.  We operate a practice complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints.  Our complaints system meets national criteria.

How To Complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned.  If your problem cannot be sorted out in this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible in writing addressed to the Complaints Manager in one of the following options:

Email: theoaks.medical@nhs.net

Writing: 199 Shady Lane, Great Barr B449ER

Website: www.theoaksmedical.co.uk

What Shall We Do

We shall acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days, either in writing or verbally and aim to have looked into your complaint within 3 months of the date when you raised it with us.  We shall then be in a position to offer you an explanation, or a meeting with the people involved.  In some cases if the complaint is more complex it and needs more investigating a complaint response could take up to 6 months and we will try our best to keep you updated when necessary.

When we look into your complaint, we shall aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong;
• Make it possible for you to discuss the problem with those concerned, if you would like this;
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate;
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.

Complaining on Behalf Of Someone Else

Please note that we keep strictly to the rules of medical confidentiality.  If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we have to know that you have their permission to do so.  A note signed by the person concerned will be needed, unless they are incapable (because of illness) of providing this.

We hope that, if you have a problem, you will use our Practice Complaints Protocol.  We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our practice.

Information about the General Practitioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public.

All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new law that determines how your personal data is processed and kept safe, and the legal rights that you have in relation to your own data.

View the Patient Leaflet (PDF)

View the OHP Employee Privacy Notice

View the OHP Modern Slavery Statement (PDF)

Data choices

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 GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GP’s working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

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 any other practice.

The average pay for GP’s working in The Oaks Medical Centre in the last financial year was £38,427 before tax and national insurance. This is for five (5) full time GP’s, 4 part time GP’s and 6 locum GP’s who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

We assign all new and existing patients with a named accountable GP to oversee their care.

For patients aged 75 and over, the named accountable GP is responsible for:

• working with health and social care professionals to deliver a care package that meets the needs of the patient
• ensuring that these patients have access to a health check

Patients can still choose to see any GP in the surgery. We will make reasonable efforts to accommodate their preference.

If you have a preference or want to know who your named GP is, you can contact us for more information.

Some services provided are not covered under our contract with the NHS and therefore attract charges. Examples include the following:

• Medicals for pre-employment, sports and driving requirements (HGV, PSV etc.)
• Insurance claim forms
• Passport signing
• Prescriptions for taking medication abroad
• Private sick notes
• Vaccination certificates
• Appeal reports for DWP/ESA
• Micro Suction of Ear Wax Removal (For more information on this ear wax service please call 0800 002 9503 or email hicentres@gmail.com)

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales. Please ask reception for further information as well as appointment availability.

This privacy notice explains why the GP practice collects information about you, and how that information may be used.

As data controllers, GPs have responsibilities which are regulated by law under the General Data Protection Regulations. This means ensuring that your personal confidential data (PCD) is handled in ways that are safe, transparent and what you would reasonably expect.

Your personal data – what is it?

Personal data relates to a living individual who can be identified from that data. Identification can be by the information alone or in conjunction with any other information in the data controller’s possession or likely to come into such possession. The processing of personal data is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (the ‘GDPR’).

Who are we?

OHP Oaks Medical Centre is the data controller. This means it decides how your personal data is processed and for what purposes.

199 Shady Lane
Great Barr
Birmingham
B44 9ER

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 changed the way that personal confidential data is processed. Therefore, it is important that patients are made aware of, and understand these changes and that you have an opportunity to object if you so wish and that you know how to do so.

How do we process your personal data?

Health care professionals maintain records about your health and any treatment or care you have received within the NHS (e.g. NHS Hospital Trust, GP Surgery, Walk-in clinic, etc.). These records help to provide the best possible healthcare.

NHS health records may be processed electronically, on paper or a mixture of both, and a combination of working practices and technology are used to ensure that your information is kept confidential and secure. Records held by this GP Practice may include the following information:

• Details about you, such as address, telephone numbers, DOB and next of kin
• Any contact the surgery has had with you, such as appointments, clinic visits, emergency appointments, etc.
• Notes and reports about your health
• Details about your treatment and care
• Results of investigations, such as laboratory tests, x-rays, etc.
• Relevant information from other health professionals, relatives or those who care for you

What is the legal basis for processing your personal data?

This GP Practice collects and holds data for the sole purpose of providing healthcare services to our patients and we will ensure that information is kept confidential. We can disclose personal information if:

• It is required by law
• You consent – either implicitly for the sake of your own care or explicitly for other purposes
• It is justified in the public interest

Some of this information will be held centrally and used for statistical purposes. Where we hold data centrally, we take strict measures to ensure that individual patients cannot be identified.

Sharing your personal data

Sometimes information about you may be requested to be used for research purposes. The Practice will always endeavour to gain your consent before releasing the information.

Under the powers of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (HSCA) the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) can request Personal Confidential Data (PCD) from GP Practices without seeking the patient’s consent. Improvements in information technology are also making it possible for us to share data with other healthcare providers with the objective of providing you with better care.

Any patient can choose to exercise their right of objection specified under the GDPR regarding their PCD being used in this way. When the Practice is about to participate in any new data-sharing scheme we will make patients aware by displaying prominent notices in the surgery and on our website at least four weeks before the scheme is due to start. We will also explain clearly what you have to do to ‘opt-in’ of each new scheme.

Though a patient can object to their personal information being shared with other health care providers but if this limits the treatment that you can receive then the doctor will explain this to you at the time.

*We as a GP Practice are legally obligated to share your data may with NHS Digital to support coronavirus planning and research. NHS Digital has been legally directed to collect and analyse patient data from GP Practices to support the coronavirus response for the duration of the outbreak.

NHS Digital will become the data controller of the personal data collected and analysed jointly with the secretary of state for Health and Social Care.

The legal basis for sharing your data with NHS Digital* for the COVID-19 response is:

• Legal obligation
• Substantial public interest

What will we share with NHS Digital?

• Patients with date of death after 1 November 2019 whose record contains information relevant to coronavirus planning and research
  • NHS number, postcode, address, surname, forename, sex, ethnicity, date of birth, date of death
  • Diagnoses and findings
  • Medications and other prescribe items
  • Investigations, tests and results
  • Treatments and outcomes
  • Vaccinations and immunisations

How will NHS Digital use and share your data?

They will share it with other appropriate organisations including health and social care organisations, bodies engaged in disease surveillance and research organisations for coronavirus response purposes only.

They share the data to protect public health, plan and provide health, social care and public services, identifying coronavirus trends and risks to public health, monitoring and managing the outbreak and carrying out vital coronavirus research and clinical trials.

Further information on data sharing with NHS Digital is available online.

Risk stratification

Risk stratification is a process for identifying and managing patients who are at a higher risk of emergency hospital admission. Typically, this is because patients have a long-term condition such as COPD or cancer. NHS England encourages GPs to use risk stratification tools as part of their local strategies for supporting patients with long-term conditions and to help prevent avoidable admissions.

Information about you is collected from several sources including NHS Trusts and from this GP Practice. A risk score is then arrived at through an analysis of your anonymous information using computer programmes. Your information is only provided back to your GP or member of your care team in an identifiable form. Risk stratification enables your GP to focus on the prevention of ill health and not just the treatment of sickness. If necessary, your GP may be able to offer you additional services.

If you do not wish to be included in the risk stratification process, then please get in touch with the Practice. Please note the purpose of risk stratification is to prevent and detect health issues therefore we will ask our Patients for their consent to be included in this.

Invoice validation

If you have received treatment within the NHS, access to your personal information may be required to determine which Clinical Commissioning Group should pay for the treatment or procedure you have received.

This information would most likely include information such as your name, address, date of treatment and may be passed on to enable the billing process. These details are held in a secure environment and kept confidential. This information will only be used to validate invoices and will not be shared for any further purposes.

NHS health checks

All of our patients aged 40-74 not previously diagnosed with cardiovascular disease are eligible to be invited for an NHS Health Check. Nobody outside the healthcare team in the practice will see confidential information about you during the invitation process and only contact details would be securely transferred to a data processor (if that method was employed). You may be ‘given the chance to attend your health check either within the practice or at a community venue. If your health check is at a community venue all data collected will be securely transferred back into the practice system and nobody outside the healthcare team in the practice will see confidential information about you during this process.

How do we maintain the confidentiality of your records?

We are committed to protecting your privacy and will only use information collected lawfully in accordance with the GDPR (which is overseen by the Information Commissioner’s Office), Human Rights Act, the Common Law Duty of Confidentiality, and the NHS Codes of Confidentiality and Security.

All of our staff, contractors and committee members receive appropriate and on-going training to ensure they are aware of their personal responsibilities and have contractual obligations to uphold confidentiality, enforceable through disciplinary procedures. Only a limited number of authorised staff has access to personal information where it is appropriate to their role and is strictly on a need-to-know basis.

We maintain our duty of confidentiality to you always. We will only ever use or pass on information about you if others involved in your care have a genuine need for it. We will not disclose your information to any third party without your permission unless there are exceptional circumstances (i.e. life or death situations), or where the law requires information to be passed on.

Who are our partner organisations?

We may also have to share your information, subject to strict agreements on how it will be used. The following are examples of the types of organisations that we are likely to share information with:

• NHS and specialist hospitals, Trusts
• Independent Contractors such as dentists, opticians, pharmacists
• Private and Voluntary Sector Providers
• Ambulance Trusts
• Clinical Commissioning Groups and NHS England
• Social Care Services and Local Authorities
• Education Services
• Police, Fire and Rescue Services
• Other ‘data processors’ during specific project work e.g. Diabetes UK

Your rights and your personal data

Unless subject to an exemption under the GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data: –

• The right to request a copy of your personal data which this practice holds about you
• The right to request that this practice corrects any personal data if it is found to be inaccurate or out of date
• The right to request your personal data is erased where it is no longer necessary for the practice to retain such data. Although please note for Patients at this practice, your records will be retained until death
• The right to withdraw consent to the processing at any time
• The right to data portability
• The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request a restriction is placed o further processing
• The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office

Contact details

Should you have any concerns about how your information is managed or wish to object to any of the data collection at the Practice, please contact the Practice Manager or your healthcare professional to discuss how the disclosure of your personal information can be restricted. All patients have the right to change their minds and reverse a previous decision. Please contact the practice if you change your mind regarding any previous choice.

If you would like to make a ‘data subject access request’ please contact the practice in writing. We will endeavour to respond to your request within one calendar month or two months if the request is complex.

Any changes to this notice will be published on our website and on the Practice notice board.

Suspected breaches in data protection can be reported to the independent OHP Data Protection Officers Leanne Hoye and Naomi Frazer on 0121 422 1366. Breaches in data protection will result in an incident investigation. Serious breaches will be reported to the ICO.

It is the responsibility of all employees of the practice to report suspected breaches of information security to the Practice lead and Data Protection Officer without delay.

The Practice is registered as a data controller with the ICO. The registration number is Z747833X and can be viewed online in the public register at www.ico.org.uk.

You can contact the ICO on 0303 123 1113, via email or by writing to the ICO, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire. SK9 5AF.

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 the Practice .

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.

You can opt out using our online form.

For further information visit the NHS Care records website bout them along with appointment availability.

GP trainees

The practice is involved in training the next generation of GPs. So, we often have GP trainees working with us to learn all about general practice. GP trainees are fully qualified doctors who have completed several years in posts in hospitals gaining experience in different specialities. To complete their training, they must spend time in a practice. Their training involves an element of video consultations. You will always be asked if you wish to participate in this.

Medical students

We are also involved in training medical students. You will be asked if you will agree to see a medical student to discuss your case. You will then always go on to see a GP who will decide on your care.

The doctors continuing professional development

All doctors have to continue to learn even after becoming GPs. We are required now to spend many hours in educational pursuits each year. Areas of improvement are identified with help from GP tutors and plans made to learn more in these subjects.

As part of our continuing training we all may from time to time ask to video our consultations. You will have a choice whether you wish to be involved.

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 we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it. This includes negative comments on social media websites.

Following activity on social media where patients of The Oaks Medical Centre have posted derogatory comments about the practice and some of our staff; we now have a social media Zero Tolerance Policy in place. If any such posts are brought to our attention, they are viewed as a breakdown in the doctor-patient professional relationship and will result in the individual being removed from our list if the appropriate channels to complain have not been followed at first. This is to ensure that the appropriate channels are followed, and we can action the complaints accordingly.

We would ask that rather than posting derogatory or upsetting comments about the practice or any of our staff on social media, please speak to us at the surgery or via telephone about this or put your comments to us in writing giving us the opportunity to respond you may also email directly to theoaks.medical@nhs.net or via our website.

Posting derogatory or offensive comments online causes unjustified distress to our practice members and staff. They also cause other patients to delay or deter them from presenting to the surgery to receive medical treatment.

Please consider the impact of your online activity before you post a comment.