If you would like to make a formal complaint about any aspect of your experience here at Hungerford Medical Centre, please do so in writing to the Practice Manager at Hungerford Medical Centre, School Crescent, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 5HA.
Please try to include all the relevant information and the names of the individuals concerned as it makes our investigations more thorough.
We will send an acknowledgement of your complaint within 7 days of receiving it.
We will endeavour to give you a formal response when we acknowledge your complaint, however this is not always possible so we will give you an estimated timescale for our formal response with the acknowledgement; in the meantime we will keep you up-dated during the process.
If, having received our formal response, you do not feel your complaint has been appropriately dealt with, you can contact the Practice Manager, explain why you are not satisfied and ask for a review of our findings. The Practice Manager will look at the circumstances again and if it is felt that further investigation is warranted, we will instigate this.
If it is not felt that further investigation is warranted, the Practice Manager will inform you.
If you would like a full copy of our Complaints Policy, this is available at reception.
At the end of the process, if you are still not satisfied, you have recourse to contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman as follows:
Tel: 0345 015 4033
Fax: 0300 016 4000
e-mail: phso.enquiries@ombudsman.org.uk
Via website: www.ombudsman.org.uk
By post:
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
If you have a new address then you will need to come into the Surgery to complete the necessary paperwork.
No, we are closed on Bank Holidays. However, if you need medical advice or attention during this time you can:
Visit your pharmacy – Your local pharmacy can provide confidential, expert advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses and complaint. Visit NHS Choices to find a pharmacy open near you.
Call NHS 111 – If you need urgent medical advice but your condition is not life threatening. NHS 111 Is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.
A&E or 999 – for a genuine medical emergency including; loss of consciousness, acute confused state and fits that are not stopping, persistent and/or severe chest pain, breathing difficulties, severe bleeding that cannot be stopped.
No our reception is open over lunchtime.
The CQC (Care Quality Commission) is the organisation making sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and encourage care services to improve.
Before a care provider can carry out any of the activities that regulated by the CQC, they must register and satisfy them that they will be able to meet a number of legal requirements. Activities regulated includes the treatment, care and support provided by hospitals, GP practices, dental practices, ambulance services, care homes and home-care agencies.
For more information about the CQC, you can visit their website.
If you live within the practice boundaries (if you are unsure our team will be happy to help) you can register at the practice.
You can either register by visiting our practice and speaking to one of our reception team who will help you complete a form or by downloading the form beforehand and taking it to our reception team.
More information can be found on our ‘New Patient registration’ page.
Most adults in England have to pay prescription charges.
Some items are always free, including contraceptives and medicines prescribed for hospital inpatients.
The current prescription charge is £9.35 per item.
A prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) could save you money on NHS prescription costs:
How to place an order for a repeat prescription:
Both of the above can be hand-delivered either using the post box located in Reception or by using the external post box outside of normal surgery hours.
Alternatively the completed prescription or hand-written list can be posted to:
Please note that our Receptionists and Prescribing Clerks are not allowed to take prescription requests over the phone. This is a safety issue as complex medical terminology can be misinterpreted when spoken over the phone.
Please order your prescriptions in time, allowing 48 hours for your prescription order to be processed… and remember, after receiving your prescription some Pharmacies can now take up to 4 days to prepare your medication for collection.
Occasionally the Doctor may request that you book an appointment to discuss your prescription request.
All patients receiving repeat prescriptions will need to be reviewed by a Doctor at least annually for monitoring and review of their medication.
You do not require a doctor’s sickness certificate for any illness lasting seven days or less. Your employer may however require you to complete a self-certification form (SC2) which is available from your employer or on the HMRC website.
Evidence that you are sick
If you are sick for more than seven days, your employer can ask you to give them some form of medical evidence to support payment of SSP (statutory sick pay).
It is up to your employer to decide whether you are incapable of work. A medical certificate, now called a ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’ (see below) from your doctor is strong evidence that you are sick and would normally be accepted, unless there is evidence to prove otherwise.
You could also provide evidence from someone who is not a medical practitioner, e.g. a dentist. Your employer will decide whether or not this evidence is acceptable. If your employer has any doubts, they may still ask for a medical certificate from your GP.
Statement of Fitness for Work – ’Fit Note’
The ‘fit note’ was introduced on 6 April 2010. With your employer’s support, the note will help you return to work sooner by providing more information about the effects of your illness or injury.
For more information see the DirectGov website (where this information was sourced).