You have the right to receive medical care from a suitably qualified medical practitioner. This will usually be by appointment with your preferred doctor, but may be with another doctor or an alternative professional such as a nurse or health care assistant. We will normally offer you an appointment within 48 hours.
The Department of Health now require that all patients are registered with a Practice rather than with an individual doctor. However, you may request to be seen by a particular doctor, providing that doctor is available and is accepting new patients.
You may request to be seen by a doctor of a specific gender in particular circumstances and we will endeavour to arrange this for you.
You have the right to refuse to be examined in the presence of a student.
You have a right to request to have a chaperone present during an intimate examination although this may, on occasion, mean that you would need to make a further appointment at another time.
You may be seen at home if you are unable to attend the surgery for a particular reason. You may be asked about your circumstances and the doctor may decide that you should attend the surgery instead.
You have the right to refuse treatment or examination although a doctor may give essential treatment if a patient is considered to be incapable of understanding or giving consent.
At Woodingdean Medical Centre, we believe that best medical care is delivered by a team of colleagues and this may mean that information about you will be shared with those colleagues if appropriate. This team includes some staff working with attached agencies (e.g. Podiatrists, Health Visitors, Pharmacist or hospital staff to whom you are being referred).