We aim to treat our patients courteously at all times and expect our patients to treat our staff in a similarly respectful way.
It is your responsibility to keep your appointments, inform us of your past illnesses, medication, hospital admissions and any other relevant details.
Patient Social Media Guidance
At Westgate Surgery we have a Facebook page which provides a range of useful information for our patient population.
This organisation 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 at Westgate Surgery are expected to always adhere to the following code of conduct:
- 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.
- Patients are not permitted to disclose any patient-identifiable information about other patients unless they have the express consent of that patient.
- Whilst not encouraged, patients may record their consultation but this should be agreed with your clinician. This recording will solely be for your own purpose.
- Patients must not post any material that is inaccurate, fraudulent, harassing, embarrassing, obscene, defamatory or unlawful. Any such posts on the organisation social media pages will be deleted and the post reported.
- Patients are not permitted to take photographs in the waiting room or areas where other patients are present, nor are photographs of staff permitted to be taken.
- Patients must not post comments on social media that identify any staff.
- Patients can leave a review about the practice on NHS Choices which will enable the practice manager to respond appropriately.
- 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.
Social Media Zero Tolerance
Please consider the impact of your online activity before you post a comment.
If any offensive social media posts made by a patient or carer are brought to our attention of the practice manager they could be viewed as a potential breakdown in the doctor-patient professional relationship, and may result in the individual being removed from our practice list.
We may contact the patients involved and invite them to have a discussion with the practice manager or one of the GP Partners to explore any issues they may have.
We welcome all feedback as it gives us the opportunity to review the services that we provide and, where necessary or appropriate, make changes or improvements.
We would ask that rather than posting derogatory or hurtful comments about the practice or any of our staff on social media, please speak to us about this or put your comments to us in writing giving us the opportunity to respond, you may also email directly to kmicb.westagtepatient@nhs.net
Posting derogatory or offensive comments online can cause unwarranted distress to our practice members and staff. They may also cause other patients to delay or dissuade them from presenting to the surgery to receive medical treatment.
We have a separate Complaints policy which patients are to use should they wish to make a complaint. We will only respond to complaints made to the organisation in accordance with the organisation’s policy.
If a complaint is made on the organisation’s social media pages, it will be deleted.
