Non NHS Services

How do I get a copy of my medical record?

Subject Access Requests

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives people the right to know what personal information an organisation has about them. To use this right, you can make what is known as a ‘subject access request’.

  Only the following people may apply for access to personal information.

    • The person who the information is about. 
    • Someone acting on behalf of the person who the information is about.

You have a right to know whether or not we have any information about you, and a right to have a copy of that information. You have a right to know the following.

    • What kind of information we keep about you. 
    • The reason we are keeping it and how we use it. 
    • Who gave us your information 
    • Who we might share your information with and who might see your information.

 You also have the right to have any codes or jargon in the information explained.

 You won’t be able to see information that could:

    • cause serious harm to your physical or mental health, or anyone else’s 
    • identify another person (except members of NHS clinical staff who have treated the patient), unless that person gives their permission.

 

If you need any more advice about your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation, please contact our Data Protection Officer, Carol Stewart.

A request form can be submitted to the practice but must be sent in with identification.

Subject Access Request Form 2023.docx

Private Work Fees

The NHS provides most health care and health services for free to UK residents, but there are some exceptions.  Please see the information sheets attached detailing what you may be charged for and a list of our fees.

Non NHS Fees - Information for Patient - new.docx

If you would like to have non NHS work carried out, that is included in the lists above,  please complete the attached form and we can arrange this for you.

Non NHS Fees - Patient Request Form.docx

The Partners at Hermitage Medical Practice receive frequent request for medical information by numerous organisations.  Further details on what patients should do in these circumstance is attached below.

Information requested for third parties

 

HMP Position Statement on Prescribing Medications Recommended by Private Providers

We are aware that many of our patients seek specialist opinions in the private sector. Frequently, we are involved in the referral process however in some situations patients instigate their own referrals.
Regardless of the referral pathway please be aware that as GPs funded by the NHS, we are not always in a position to provide medications recommended by private practitioners. At the point of seeking a private referral it should not be your expectation that we will be able to provide you with the recommended treatment and you may have to fund this yourself.

This is for a number of reasons including;

  • the use of treatments that lie beyond our area of expertise
  • the use of treatments that are not prescribed in line with the local prescribing guidelines. Such guidelines exist to ensure safety and value for money for NHS patients.
  • the use of treatments by private providers that involve a degree of specialist monitoring and surveillance that we are not funded to undertake

As an NHS funded service we are currently working under significant pressure and it is essential that we utilise the time and resources at our disposal to maximise the delivery of NHS care.

 

Power of Attorneys

A Power of Attorney (POA) is a legal document which allows you to plan for the future. It is drawn up while you still have the capacity to make decisions for yourself.
In Scotland, there are two types of POA; financial and welfare. A welfare POA allows someone you have appointed to make welfare decisions about you. They can be extremely useful in the situation where someone suffers loss of capacity through illness such as dementia, brain injury, stroke etc. The nominated person can legally make decisions about aspects of your health such as what treatments are appropriate, what help is needed, where is the most suitable place for you to be cared for etc.
It is usual for a POA to be set-up with the help of a solicitor. Creating or setting up a POA is not a service offered by the GPs here at the Hermitage Medical Practice.
The powers granted by a POA cannot be exercised until such time as you have lost the capacity to make these decisions AND the POA has been registered with the Office of the Public Guardian. As GPs looking after individuals who lack capacity, we require a copy of the POA to enable the attorney to act on the individuals behalf.
When writing your POA, you can specify how you want your incapacity to be determined. Your solicitor will help you decide on this.
Sometimes individuals specify that their incapacity is to be determined by one or more independent medical practitioners. If you are registered as a patient with us at the Hermitage Medical Practice, we can provide a capacity assessment for welfare. This is not an NHS service and a private fee would apply.
More information about POA can be found here:
What is a POA?
https://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/docs/librariesprovider3/poa/pdf-documents/what-is-a-power-of-attorney5b6cc9a6898069d2b500ff0000d74aa7.pdf?sfvrsn=2deca0d3_2
POA Top Tips:
https://www.publicguardian-scotland.gov.uk/docs/librariesprovider3/poa/pdf-documents/power-of-attorney-top-tips.pdf?sfvrsn=df3fd6d3_4
If you have further questions relating to a POA please contact our administrative team.