Practice Charter

At East Cliff Practice we are committed to providing a high standard of primary care.

What we will do for you

You will always be treated with courtesy and respect.
We will always offer the treatment we believe is best, by a suitably qualified person, with your informed consent.
We will provide information about our services on our website, in our practice booklets and newsletters.
We will make every effort to see you promptly. Medical emergencies will receive immediate attention and there will be a duty doctor available each day to deal with these.
You will have access to a clinician rapidly in cases where an urgent appointment is necessary. If we are unable to meet your need we may on occasion refer you to other local services to ensure you receive prompt treatment. For other routine cases we will aim to offer you an appointment, usually within two weeks, if clinically appropriate.
If you require a specific time and a specific doctor you may have to wait a little longer.
Medical advice is available 24 hours a day by dialling 111 for the NHS 111 service.
We will inform you how to get results of investigations.
Repeat prescriptions requested before 1pm will normally be available after 2 working days. We do not accept requests for prescriptions over the phone.
We will strive to promote good health through preventative medicine.
We will respect patients' rights of confidentiality and access to medical records within the law.
We will try to deal rapidly with any problems or complaints.

We feel that you are partners in the care you receive and we ask you to accept your own responsibilities in return.
We expect you to treat all the surgery staff with respect and courtesy, abuse and violence will not be tolerated.
If you are unclear about your treatment please ask and try to follow the medical advice offered.
Please be flexible about appointment times and try to come as early in the day as possible. Reserve the later appointments for those who work or study outside the area.
Please do not ask for a home visit unless you are too ill or disabled to attend the surgery. If you can get to the surgery we will see you.
Think carefully before calling out a doctor at night. They are on duty for emergencies only.
Request repeat prescriptions using your side slip, acute requests must be made in writing using a prescription form. Deliver, post or fax your requests to the surgery. Alternatively click here order your repeat prescriptions on-line
Let us know if you cannot keep an appointment, our time is valuable and can be used to help someone else.
Be understanding when unexpected emergencies delay your consultation.
Find out about how to treat minor illnesses yourself and about disease prevention.
Many illnesses can be detected early by screening programmes, please take advantage of these.