Sedation for procedures

After careful consideration, we have decided to stop prescribing Benzodiazepines (such as diazepam) for patients undergoing MRI scans or other investigative procedures. Like many other GP practices adopting similar policies, we have not made this decision lightly. It is the belief of our GP partners, and by extension, all of the prescribers working within the practice, that the appropriateness of sedation must be assessed by the clinician performing a procedure, and any required prescription must be prescribed by them.

The reasons for this can be found below:

• Small doses of benzodiazepines, such as 2mg of diazepam, are likely to be ineffective for most adults in providing adequate sedation. Conversely, anxiolytics can provoke varied responses in patients, and even minimal doses can lead to increased agitation in certain patient groups.
• A patient might take a sedative an hour before their planned procedure, only to arrive at the hospital and find that their procedure has been delayed. As a result, the timing of the anxiolytic becomes less effective.
• GPs do not regularly engage in, possess the requisite expertise for, or receive training and assessment in sedation skills.
• All hospital consultants, including those requesting imaging and those performing it, have the same prescription abilities as GPs. This capacity to prescribe means that if a patient needs a specific medication for an investigation, they can easily be provided with a prescription through the hospital pharmacy or from a hospital FP10.

We would advise any patients who still feel that benzodiazepines are necessary to consult directly with their radiographers, who can offer specific guidance on available options.

At the organisation we have a Facebook page that provides a range of useful information for our patient population.

This practice has a duty to maintain patient confidentiality and to safeguard vulnerable patients. You can help us to achieve this by adhering to the code of conduct outlined in this guidance.

Patients are expected to always adhere to the following code of conduct:

1. The organisation requires all users of portable devices to use them in a courteous and considerate manner, respecting their fellow patients. Portable devices are not to be used during consultations, except when agreed with your clinician.
2. Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients unless they have the express consent of that patient.
3. While not encouraged, patients may record their consultation but this should be agreed with your clinician. This recording will solely be for your own purpose.
4. Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory or unlawful. Any such posts on any of the practice’s social media pages will be deleted and the post reported.
5. Patients are not permitted to take photographs in any area where other patients are present, nor is it permitted to take photographs of staff.
6. Patients must not post comments on social media that identify any staff.
7. Patients can leave an official review about the practice at Ratings and reviews – Blackburn Rd.Medical Ctr. – NHS as this will enable the Practice Manager to respond appropriately. Reviews left on unofficial sites will not be responded to.
8. Defamatory comments about our team are not to be shared on any social media platform. Legal advice may be sought and the appropriate action taken against any patient who posts defamatory comments.

Patient complaints on social media

We have a separate Complaints Procedure that patients are to use should they wish to make a complaint. We will only respond to complaints made to the organisation in accordance with practice policy.

If a complaint is made on a social media platform, it will not be acknowledged, and you will be requested to delete it.

At our surgery, we respect every patient’s right to confidentiality — including young people aged 11 to 16.

In line with NHS guidance, children in this age group may have the right to make decisions about their own health and care. This means:

• They must give explicit consent before a parent or guardian can:
  • Access their medical records
  • Book, cancel, or attend appointments on their behalf
  • Speak to our team about their health or treatment

We will always assess a young person’s ability to understand their healthcare and make decisions accordingly.

⚠️ If a child is deemed to have capacity and understanding, their consent will be required before any information is shared.

Our priority is always the health, safety, and privacy of our patients — whatever their age.

For more information, please speak to our Reception Team or visit the NHS guidance on patient confidentiality.

Please see our Local Access Policy.

Please click here to view.

All GP practices are required to declare the mean earnings for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average pay for GPs working in Blackburn Road Medical Centre in the last financial year was £95,710 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 3 full time GPs, 6 part time GPs and 1 Locum GP who worked in the practice for more than six months.

The injection was historically available on the NHS but it is no longer offered due to a lack of robust evidence supporting its efficacy. The treatment can cause a potentially long list of side effects including raised blood pressure, water retention, skin rashes and muscle weakness.

Please see below for further information

https://patient.info/…/the-pros-and-cons-of-the-hay…

https://www.gov.uk/…/mhra-and-cap-take-action-against…

https://patient.info/…/the-pros-and-cons-of-the-hay…

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a 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 when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.

If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

• Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
• Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing [PRACTICE TO ADD SPECIFIC CONTACT DETAILS]. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Make it possible for you to discuss what happened 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 does not happen again.

Complaining on behalf of someone else

We take medical confidentiality seriously. If you are complaining on behalf of someone else, we must 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.

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.

However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.

Unhappy with the outcome of your complaint?

If you are not happy with the way your complaint has been dealt with by the GP surgery and NHS England and would like to take the matter further, you can contact the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO). The PHSO makes final decisions on unresolved complaints about the NHS in England. It is an independent service which is free for everyone to use.

To take your complaint to the Ombudsman, visit the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman website or call 0345 015 4033

Need help making a complaint?

If you want help making a complaint, Healthwatch Hounslow can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.

Alternatively, POhWER is a charity that helps people to be involved in decisions being made about their care. Call POhWER’s support centre on 0300 456 2370 for advice.

When a doctor signs a certificate or completes a report, it is a condition of remaining on the Medical Register that they only sign what they know to be true. Therefore in order to complete even the simplest of forms, the doctor needs to check the patient’s entire record. Carelessness or an inaccurate report can have serious consequences for the doctor, with the General Medical Council or even the Police.

Time spent completing forms and preparing reports takes the GP away from the medical care of his/her patients. Most GP’s have a very heavy workload- the majority of GP’s work up to 60 hours a week and paperwork takes up an increasing amount of their time. In addition non-NHS workmust be undertaken outside of NHS contracted time.