Accessibility
The entrance doors to the practice are wide enough to accommodate wheelchairs.
All of our clinic rooms and Patient WC are wheelchair-accessible and situated on the ground floor.
We have a hearing loop available for use when needed.
Complaint Procedure
We want to provide you with a service that meets and if possible exceeds your expectations. However occasionally an incident may take place which does not meet your satisfaction. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the service you receive from us, we would like to hear from you.
We hope that any problems you raise can be dealt with promptly by talking to the member of staff with whom you usually deal.
If it is not possible to resolve your complaint in this way, you are welcome to take it further.
Click here for a copy of the Complaints Procedure.
Click here for a copy of the Complaints Leaflet.
Resolving the Complaint with Us Informally
As soon as possible after you feel that there is an issue, please contact the member of staff with whom you usually deal either:
– by phone on 0121 429 1572
– online at bearwoodmedicalcentre.co.uk via our contact form
– by email to [email protected]
– or in person at reception,
explaining what the problem is and how you would like the matter to be resolved.
If you would rather not speak to the member of staff whom you usually deal with, you can request to speak to with the practice manager, Mrs. Sharad Sohal. The staff member will discuss your complaint with you and work with you to find a solution with which you are happy.
If it is not possible to resolve the complaint at this telephone/face-to-face meeting, or if you feel it is not appropriate to resolve the complaint informally, you have the right to take the matter further using one of the formal routes below.
Resolving the Complaint with Us Formally
You can make a formal complaint by contacting us by in writing at the address on below, clearly stating that you are making a complaint. We will acknowledge your complaint within the next two working days.
Your complaint will then be looked in to (at which stage, we may need to speak with you to get further information). Following investigation of your complaint, we will contact you within 3 weeks to let you know what we intend to do to resolve the matter.
Raising the Complaint with the NHS
Because the service you receive is funded by the NHS, you have a right to make your complaint directly to your local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The CCG can be contacted on the telephone number and address on below.
They will investigate your complaint in accordance with their complaints procedure. We will cooperate fully with their investigation to help find a satisfactory resolution.
Support for Making your Complaint
If you need support to make you complaint, you may wish to contact:
– your local NHS Primary Care Trust’s Local Resolution service (previously known as PALS) or
– the NHS Complaints Advocacy (previously Independent Complaints Advocacy Service/ICAS).
The NHS Primary Care Local Resolution Office offers confidential advice, support and information on
health-related matters to patients, their families and their carers.
The NHS Complaints Advocacy is a national service that supports people who wish to make a complaint
about their NHS care or treatment.
(Please see below for contact details)
Contact Details
Bearwood Medical Centre
176 Milcote Road,
Smethwick,
B67 5BP
Telephone: 0121 429 1572
Email: [email protected]
Website: bearwoodmedicalcentre.co.uk
NHS Sandwell And West Birmingham CCG
Kingston House,
438-450 High Street,
West Bromwich,
B70 9LD
Telephone: 0121 612 1702
Email: [email protected]
Website: sandwellandwestbhamccg.nhs.uk
Sandwell & West Birmingham Local Resolution (Previously PALS)
Telephone: 0121 507 5836 (10am – 4pm, Monday – Friday).
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.swbh.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/compliments-and-complaints/patient-adviceand-liaison-service-pals/local-resolution/
NHS Complaints Advocacy (previously ICAS)
PO Box 14043,
Birmingham,
B6 9BL
Telephone: 0300 456 2370
Email: [email protected]
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.
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 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.
GDPR – Confidentiality & Data Protection
The practice is compliant with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and protects the privacy of our patients and confidential information. We adhere to the regulations of the NHS Care Record Guarantee and follow strict guidelines concerning Data Protection and the release of information
Click here to view our Patient Privacy notice.
Click here to view our Patient Access to Medical Records policy.
Click here to view our Recruitment Policy Privacy Notice.
GP Earnings
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 obliges all GP practices to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GPs working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice. The average pay for GPs working at Bearwood Medical Centre in the last financial year was £63,974 before tax and National Insurance. This was for 1 GP and 3 part time locum GPs.
Home Visits
Home visits can only be requested for patients who are unable to come to the surgery due to a serious illness or infirmity. In all cases, we prefer to see patients at the practice due to access to medical equipment.
Requests for home visits should be made before 10am where possible.
Patients too unwell to attend surgery or sit in the waiting room can contact the Reception and request a GP telephone consultation in place of a face-to-face appointment.
IPC Annual Statement Report
Please click here for more information.
Misconduct
As we uphold our commitment to protect our staff, we ask that all patients and visitors treat staff members with respect and courtesy as they attempt to carry out their jobs.
This involves refraining from any aggressive, threatening or verbally/physically abusive behaviour.
Staff should not be left upset and distressed following an interaction with a patient.
We operate a Zero-Tolerance policy for aggressive behaviour and will take appropriate action to prevent any incident that causes hurt, alarm, damage or distress. This may include removal from the practice register and/or involvement of the appropriate authorities.
Click here for more information on our Zero-Tolerance policy.
Named GP Policy
Named GP
An accountable GP will be assigned to every patient and where a preference is expressed reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate this.
Health Checks
You will be offered a health check when you join the practice. Any patients aged 16 –74 years who have not had a consultation within the last three years may request a consultation.
Patients 75 years and over who have not had a consultation within the last twelve months may request a health check with one of our practice team. If you are unable to attend the surgery, a home visit could be arranged.
NHS National Data Opt-Out
Information about you and the care you receive is shared in a secure system by healthcare staff, to support your treatment and care.
It is important that the NHS can use this information to plan and improve services for all patients.
The NHS would like to link information from the different places where you receive care, such as your GP practice, hospital and community services, to help provide a full picture. This will allow the NHS to compare the care you received in one area against the care you received in another, so that they can see what has worked best.
There are two levels of national data-sharing of your information:
Type 1 Opt-out
Information such as your postcode and NHS number, but not your name, will be used by NHS Digital to link your records in a secure system so that your identity is protected.
You have a choice. If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything. If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, you can speak to a practice staff member, or download the following Opt-out form, complete it and return it to the practice.
Type 1 Data Opt-out Form
Type 2 Opt-out
Information at NHS Digital which does not reveal your identity can then be used by others, such as researchers and those planning health services, to make sure we provide the best care possible for everyone.
You have a choice. If you are happy for your information to be used in this way you do not have to do anything. If you have any concerns or wish to prevent this from happening, please visit: nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters/manage-your-choice/ to make your choice online, by post or by phone (GP practices do not manage Type 2 opt-outs).
For more information on opting-out of sharing your confidential patient information, click here.
Patient Responsibility and Obligations
We appreciate patients’ co-operation in helping us to maintain a high standard of care for our patients.
We ask that you notify the surgery as soon as possible if you need to cancel or re-arrange your appointment. This will allow us to open up the slot to another patient who may urgently require it.
If your doctor or nurse has asked you to return for another appointment or to be reviewed, it is important that you book and attend a new appointment.
Please keep in mind that an appointment slot can only be provided for any one person at a time.
Please note that if you are more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, you may not be seen and asked to re-book instead.
Proxy Access Information
Bearwood Medical Centre has a number of patients who book their appointments, request repeat medication and can view certain parts of their medical records online.
Any patient or Carer wishing to have proxy access will need to sign up to this service by completing a form available at the practice Reception.
Social Media
Patients are reminded that if they are found posting any derogatory, defamotory, or offensive comments on social media directed to the Practice or members of staff on social networking sites, this may result in them being removed from the Practice List. We ask if you have a complaint to please contact the Practice Manager in the first instance. We would be grateful if patients could be pro-active in reporting any incidents of this nature to the Practice Manager.