Silverdale Medical Practice has developed a publication scheme, as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2002, which requires every public authority to specific what information they publish (in terms of information ‘classes’), how the information is made available, and whether it is available free of charge or upon payment. It does not cover personal information such as patient records which are covered by the Data Protection Act.
Your rights to information
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 1 January 2005 it will oblige the General 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 must be taken into consideration before deciding what information it can release.
New environmental information regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Responding to Requests
All requests for information must be responded to within 20 working days. A fee can be charged when dealing with a request, if applicable. This will be calculated in accordance with our practice policies. If a fee is required for information requested, the 20-day timescale can be extended to up to three months.
The Secretary of State has set limits to charges; should the request for information exceed these charges, this practice does not have to action the request. There may be a charge for information not covered by the Act or for large amounts of information that might not otherwise be disclosed due to the cost.
The practice is not obliged to comply with vexatious requests or repeated or substantially similar requests from the same person other than at reasonable intervals.
Exemptions
There is a range of exemptions covering personal data, security, formulation of government policy, commercial and individual confidentiality. A further absolute exemption is where information is accessible by other means or if the information has been provided in confidence. Other exemptions include information relating to commercial interests and audit functions.
Request for information
Requests must be in writing (email acceptable) and must include:
- the name and address for the correspondence
- a clear description of the information requested
Requests for information should be made to: Silverdale Medical Practice, Pendlebury Health Centre, 659 Bolton Road, Pendlebury, Manchester, M27 8HP or online message: https://accurx.nhs.uk/patient-initiated/p87019/recipient
The Information Commissioner
The information Commissioner is an independent public body and reports directly to Parliament. The Commissioner is responsible for implementing the Act. Further information available at:
Other informative FOIA websites: http://www.foi.nhs.uk/
The scheme commits an authority:
- To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information, including environmental information, which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
- To specify the information which is held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
- To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter of routine, information in line with the statements contained within this scheme.
- To produce and publish the methods by which the specific information is made routinely available so that it can be easily identified and accessed by members of the public.
- To review and update on a regular basis the information the authority makes available under this scheme.
- To produce a schedule of any fees charged for access to information which is made proactively available.
- To make this publication scheme available to the public.
- To publish any dataset held by the authority that has been requested, and any updated versions it holds, unless the authority is satisfied that it is not appropriate to do so; to publish the dataset, where reasonably practicable, in an electronic form that is capable of re-use; and, if any information in the dataset is a relevant copyright work and the public authority is the only owner, to make the information available for re-use under the terms of the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015, if they apply, and otherwise under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act section 19. The term ‘dataset’ is defined in section 11(5) of the Freedom of Information Act. The term ‘relevant copyright work’ is defined in section 19(8) of that Act.
Classes of Information
All information at Silverdale Medical Practice is held, retained and destroyed in accordance with NHS guidelines found here: – https://transform.england.nhs.uk/information-governance/guidance/records-management-code/.
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 include the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1018.
This applies to all Classes within the Publication Scheme. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following broad categories.
A full list of local General Practices can be found there to. Silverdale Medical Practice provides primary medical services for the geographical area of part of Pendlebury, Clifton and Swinton North.
Some information may be withheld, including personal, confidential information about individuals which is protected by the Data Protection Act 2018.
| Information to be published | How the information can be obtained (e.g. hard copy, website) | Cost |
| Class 1 – Who we are and what we do
(Organisational information, structures, locations, and contacts) Description: Details of the practice, organisational structures, key personnel and how we fit into the NHS. This practice operates under a GMS or Services contract. The contract is with NHSE. NHSE Area Team: Greater Manchester The practice aims to follow National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and National Service Framework guidelines. Copies of these can also be found on the NICE website: www.nice.org.uk or the Department of Health website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health The NHS is a very large part of the public sector. It is possible to find out information about our practice, NHS England and other NHS services in your area by using NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk. This will be current information only: · Doctors in the practice · Contact details for the practice (named contacts where possible with telephone number and email address (if used) · Opening hours · Other staffing details |
Details of GPs and staff at our practice can be found on this website.
https://www.silverdalemedicalpractice.nhs.uk/ |
Charges for paper copies only. |
| Meetings specifically with pharmaceutical companies and other medical suppliers. We would expect as a minimum that this information should include the name of the company, the date and, if appropriate, the name of the member(s) of staff attending (if recorded), together with a general indication of the category of meeting, for example marketing or promotion. The names of staff attending should include any senior managers and any medically qualified staff if this information is recorded. | Charges: For paper copies only. | |
| Class 2 – What we spend and how we spend it
(Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts, and financial audit) Current and previous financial year as a minimum. Description: The range of services we provide under contract to the NHS · Access to a doctor or nurse for undiagnosed conditions · Ongoing monitoring of existing (chronic) conditions · Certain immunisations · Certain contraceptive services · National cancer screening programmes |
How available: Website
For any policies relating to our services, please refer to Class 6. English is the only language spoken by all staff at the practice. If your first language is not English, then we can arrange for an interpreter to be present.
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Charges: For paper copies only. |
| Details on NHS/HSC funding received by the practice.
Audit of NHS/HSC income. Details of expenditure items over £10,000 – published at least annually but at a more frequent quarterly or six-monthly interval where practical. List and value of contracts awarded by the practice. Staff allowances and expenses that can be incurred or claimed, with totals paid to senior staff members (for the purpose of this document, senior staff are defined as partners or equivalent level), by references to categories. Pay policy Declaration of GPs’ NHS/HSC income. |
Available on application | Charges: For paper copies only. |
| Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing
(Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections, and reviews) Current and previous year as a minimum Description: Funding details and charging policies We receive money from NHS Greater Manchester according to our contract (as per Class 1 above) in exchange for services provided for patients. Income we received from the NHS before expenses is summarised in the table below. Money spent on drugs is paid on behalf of the practice and allocated to us; we do not receive this as income first. Plans for the development and provision of NHS/HSC services Performance data including performance against targets Inspection reports by regulators: the CQC, HIW, RQIA and HSCB and any other regulators. |
How available: Website
Please apply to the Department of Health for Statement of Fees and Allowances payable for General Medical Practitioners in England and the formats this is available in. There may be circumstances where material cannot be released because it is confidential or commercial information, or the appropriate officer designated for these purposes under the Act has taken the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice’s affairs. |
Charges: For paper copies only. |
| Class 4 – How we make decisions
(Decision making processes and records of decisions) Current and previous year as a minimum Records of decisions made in the practice affecting the provision of NHS/HSC services. |
Available upon request |
Charges: For paper copies only |
| Class 5 – Our policies and procedures
(Current written protocols, policies, and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities) Current information only. Description: Guidance and information leaflets As a practice we publish the following policies on our practice website: · Access to medical records · Accessing someone elses information · Chaperone Policy · Freedom of Information policy · GP Publication of earnings · Infection control statement · Practice confidentiality · Privacy policy · Complaints policy · Summary care record · Zero tolerance policy · Your rights and responsibilities · Health information These are either freely available on the website or on request from the practice. You should enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope if you would like the documents posting to you. Description: General policies and procedures in use within the practice · Confidentiality policy · Access to medical records · Information Governance · Complaints procedure · Employee handbook · Did not attend policy · Third party confidentiality policy · Child not brought in policy · Safeguarding policy · Interpreter safeguarding policy · Fire evacuation policy · Sickness policy · Accident reporting policy · Personnel polices · Chaperone policy · Business Continuity policy · Infection control policy · Antibribery policy · Gift policy · Equality and diversity policy · Freedom to speak up policy · Home visit policy · Accessible information policy
We have policies available on the following. These are either freely available on the website or on request from the practice. You should enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope if you would like the documents posting to you. · Complaints · Confidentiality · Data protection · Health and safety · Information sharing with other agencies · Prescribing · Policies and procedures about customer service · Internal instructions to staff and policies relating to the delivery of services · Policies and procedures about the recruitment and employment of staff · Equality and diversity policy · Health and safety policy · Complaints procedures (including those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme) · Records management policies (records retention, destruction, and archive) · Data protection policies · Policies and procedures for handling requests for information |
How available: Website, paper copy | Charges: For paper copies only. |
| Class 6 – Lists and Registers
Currently maintained lists and registers only We recognise that it is unlikely that GPs are going to have registers available for public inspection and while this remains the case “none held” can be entered in this section. Any publicly available register or list (if any are held this should be publicised; in most circumstances existing access provisions will suffice). |
N/A | |
| Class 7 – The services we offer
(Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced for the public) Current information only The services provided under contract to the NHS/HSC Charges for any of these services Information leaflets Out of hours arrangements |
No charge for this |