What is Care Navigation ?

Care navigation is a tried and tested model of care that improves access to primary care services for patients and reduces GP pressures all in one. It allows front line staff to provide patients with more information about local health and well-being services, both within and outside of primary care, in a safe, effective way. Care navigation offers the patient choice to access the most appropriate service first which, as we know, isn’t always the GP. Patients could be seen and treated quicker by a nurse or a physiotherapist for example and in some cases, the GP practice might not be the right place at all for the query. That’s where ‘active signposting’ or care navigation as we call it comes in.

Care Navigators

Care navigators can occupy many roles and play a crucial part in helping people get the right support, at the right time, to help manage a wide range of needs. Care navigators are receptionists and admin staff but through specialist training, they also possess additional skills and provide a crucial practice role in improving access to primary care. All with the aim of helping patients to get to the right service faster. So, for example, when a patient presents with symptoms that meet the access criteria for other services such as a physiotherapist, pharmacist, optician or third sector service, the care navigator can confidently offer these choices and enable the patient to go straight to the service which best meets their health and well-being needs. You can also self-refer to certain services via the self-referral hub at https://www.greatermiddlesbroughpcn.nhs.uk/resource-hub/self-referrals/.

What changes will you see ?

There will be very little change from a patient perspective in terms of access to seeing the GP of your choice. However, when you do call for an appointment please be aware that the receptionist may ask you a few questions before booking your appointment to ensure that you are seeing the correct clinician. If you would prefer not to disclose why you want the appointment then please state that it is a private matter. If this is the case please note that the GP will be aware that you did not want to disclose any information and when you come in for the appointment they may re-direct you to the correct service (if necessary) which could delay any treatment that may be needed.

Please note that all our receptionists have undertaken a full and accredited Care Navigation Training Programme and will be attending any courses for updates.

Please view our complaints procedure leaflet here.

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 recognises that members of the public have the right to know how public services are organised and run, how much they cost and how the decisions are made.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you. For this, please contact:

Office Manager,
Parkway Medical Centre,
Cropton Way,
Coulby Newham,
Middlesbrough,
TS8 0TL

Tel: 01642 270033

How we use your medical records – Important information for patients

• This practice handles medical records in-line with laws on data protection and confidentiality.

• We share medical records with those who are involved in providing you with care and treatment.

• In some circumstances we will also share medical records for medical research, for example to find out more about why people get ill.

• We share information when the law requires us to do so, for example, to prevent infectious diseases from spreading or to check the care being provided to you is safe.

• You have the right to be given a copy of your medical record.

• You have the right to object to your medical records being shared with those who provide you with care.

• You have the right to object to your information being used for medical research and to plan health services.

• You have the right to have any mistakes corrected and to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Please speak to a member of staff for more information about your rights.

Our Data Protection Officer:

Liane Cotterill, Senior Governance Manager & Data Protection Officer

North of England Commissioning Support,
Teesdale House,
Westpoint Road,
Thornaby,
Stockton-On-Tees,
TS17 6BL

Tel: 01642 745042 
Mob: 07796278381
Email: liane.cotterill@nhs.net

All GP Practices are required to declare the mean earnings (e.g. average pay) for GP’s working to deliver NHS services to patients at each practice.

The average earnings for GPs working in the Parkway Medical Centre in the last financial year was £66,233 before taxation and National Insurance. This is for 3 fulltime GPs and 3 part time GPs who worked in the practice for more than 6 months.

It should be noted that the prescribed method for calculating earnings is potentially misleading because it takes no account of how much time Doctors spend working in the practice and should not be used for any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparisons with other Practices.

Everybody working in the practice has a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. All our staff have signed confidentiality agreements, which ensures that this is the case.

You may be receiving care from other people as well as the practice. So that we can all work together for your benefit, we may need to share some information about you. We only ever use or pass on information about you if people have a genuine need for it. Whenever we can, we shall remove details which identify you.

Anyone who receives information from us is also under a legal duty to keep it confidential. The main reasons for which your information may be needed are in giving you health care and treatment, looking after the health of the general public and managing and planning practice services.

If you have any concerns or objections about other parties having access to your medical records please notify the practice. Your wishes will be respected.

Parkway Medical Centre recognises the concern of its site users (‘you’), members and customers regarding privacy of information and the Data Protection Act. All information given to Parkway Medical Centre is stored securely, and is not accessible to other users of this website. These data protection and privacy rules apply to the information you provide us with via our website only.

How your data is collected

We will collect information from you if you complete any forms on our site or if you contact us with comments or specific requests, and will only use the information that we collect about you lawfully (in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998).

Information to improve our site

We collect web statistics automatically about your visit to our site. This information is used to help us follow browsing preferences on our site so that we can regularly improve our website. These statistics do not contain personal data and cannot be traced back to an individual.

What we use your data for

We use your data for the following purposes:

• To provide you with the highest possible level of service and to help you get the best out of this website.
• For the effective administration of this site and to record user patterns.
• To send you details on our products, events and services likely to be of interest.
• To respond to your comments or specific requests.
• To save you time filling in repeat prescriptions (cookies).

Third party processors

It may be necessary for Parkway Medical Centre to transfer your information to third party processors, such as mailing houses, partners in joint ventures, companies contracted to run our events. Arrangements are made to ensure that such information is adequately protected.

Cookies

Parkway Medical Centre website uses cookies for the forms on the site. For example, when you order a repeat prescription, your information is saved to a cookie on your computer. You are given the option to delete the cookie after filling in the form or you can disable cookies in your browser.

Changes to our data protection and privacy policy

If Parkway Medical Centre decides to change its data protection or privacy policy, the changes will be posted on this page.