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

The average pay for GPs working at Ludham Surgery in the last financial year was £71,381 before tax and National Insurance. This is for 5 part time GPs who worked in the Practice for more than six months.

However, 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 to form any judgement about GP earnings, nor to make any comparison with another Practice

We are a teaching practice and from time to time have the benefit of a GP specialist trainee or newly qualified doctor during their general practitioner attachment working in the practice. They work under the supervision of the partners.

GP specialist trainees are qualified doctors who are undertaking specialist training to become a fully qualified GP. This training lasts three years and covers all aspects of general practice in the surgery and at home.

The practice is part of the Norwich GPSTS and applications for training should be directed through The General Practice National Recruitment Office by visiting gprecruitment.hee.nhs.uk. The practice has been training new GPs since 1985. The specialist trainee works either in Ludham or Stalham Green Surgery and there are joint tutorials with our colleagues in Staithe Surgery at Stalham too.

On occasions doctors may use a video for recording consultations. This will only be done with full patient consent, intimate examinations will not be recorded and the camera will be switched off on request.

In addition, other healthcare professionals may be present in the practice to learn their skills, these include:

• Nurse practitioners
• Foundation doctors
• Pharmacy students or others

You may be asked if they can sit in whilst you see the doctor or nurse but you can choose whether they stay or not.

• Our status as a research practice

The NHS Constitution states that research is a core function of the NHS. Clinical research is a major driver of innovation and central to NHS practice for maintaining and developing high standards of patient care. Ultimately, clinical research means patients get access to new treatments, interventions and medicines. Investment in research means better, more cost effective care for patients.

What is Primary Care Research?

A wide range of research studies are supported which look at:

• Promoting a healthier lifestyle.
• Disease diagnosis and prevention.
• Management of long-term illnesses such as diabetes or hypertension.
• Prevention of future ill-health.
• Treating common conditions such as tonsillitis or influenza.

What are the benefits of GP practices taking part in research?

• It offers patients access to new treatments.
• It brings new dimension to practice and added skills to those involves.
• It provides national gold standard training for research.
• It offers mentorship and support to those involved in research within practice.

How can you help and take part at Ludham and Stalham Green Surgeries?

• A doctor or nurse may talk to you about a particular study and ask whether you would be interested in participating.
• You may be sent information through the post if we feel you may be a suitable participant.
• You may read information about a current study in the patient waiting room or on the surgery website and wish to take part by contacting your GP or the research nurse.

All clinical research carried out at Ludham and Stalham Green Surgeries is thoroughly checked and approved by ethical committees thus ensuring it is appropriate and safe to perform.

Your participation is entirely voluntary and can be withdrawn by yourself at any time without any explanation required.

You are under no obligation to participate in any research project.

Your care and your relationship with your doctor or nurse will not be affected in any way if you decided not to take part in a research study. You will always receive clear information about what taking part in a research study would involve. You will have the opportunity to ask questions and obtain further details about a study.

If you do agree to take part in a study you will be asked to sign a consent form. This will clearly state which parts of your notes (if any) may be looked at for the purposes of the research study. Nobody from outside this practice will be given your contact details or have access to your medical records without your prior consent.

We are very grateful to any of our patients that have taken part in these studies in the past and would encourage patients to become involved in the future.

For more information, please visit bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk.

Click here for a video on awareness surrounding Radiotherapy Clinical Trials.

• Your Information

  Ludham and Stalham Green Surgeries takes privacy seriously and we want to provide you with information about your rights, who we share your information with and how we keep it secure.

  Please use the links below to find more information about the practice and data protection.

  Transparency

  Telephone Recording

  Case Finding (ECLIPSE)

  Information Sharing in Suffolk

  Information Sharing Norfolk and Waveney

  Surgeries Processor List

Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.

Why do I need a Summary Care Record?

Storing information in one place makes it easier for healthcare staff to treat you in an emergency, or when your GP practice is closed.

This information could make a difference to how a doctor decides to care for you, for example which medicines they choose to prescribe for you.

Who can see it?

Only healthcare staff involved in your care can see your summary care record.

How do I know if I have one?

Over half of the population of England now have a summary care record. You can find out whether summary care records have come to your area by asking the surgery directly.

Enhanced Summary Care Record

If you wanted to ‘enhance’ your record it would include the following information:

• Significant medical history (past and present)
• Reason for medication
• Anticipatory care information (important in the management of long term conditions)
• Communication preferences
• End of life care information
• Immunisations

You can opt in for an enhanced summary care record at any time.

Children under the age of 16

Patients under 16 years will have an enhanced summary care record created for them unless their GP surgery is advised otherwise. If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 16 then you should make this information available to them if they are old enough to decide for themselves if they want a summary care record.

Whatever you decide, you can change your mind at any time.

If you are a family member or carer of a person and you have concerns that they may not have the mental capability to make this decision, please contact the practice.

Do I have to have one?

No, it is not compulsory. If you choose to opt out of the scheme, then you will need to complete the Summary Care Record Opt Out form.

More information

For further information please visit the HSCIC Website.

We aim to keep our surgery clean and tidy and offer a safe environment to our patients and staff. We are proud of our practice and endeavour to keep it clean and well maintained at all times.

If you have any concerns about cleanliness or infection control, please report these to our reception staff.

Our GPs and nursing staff follow our infection control policy to ensure the care we deliver and the equipment we use is safe.

We take additional measures to ensure we maintain the highest standards:

• Encourage staff and patients to raise any issues or report any incidents relating to cleanliness and infection control. We can discuss these and identify improvements we can make to avoid any future problems.
• Carry out an annual infection control audit to make sure our infection control procedures are working.
• Provide annual staff updates and training on cleanliness and infection control.
• Review our policies and procedures to make sure they are adequate and meet national guidance.
• Maintain the premises and equipment to a high standard within the available. financial resources and ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce or remove all infection risk.
• Use washable or disposable materials for items such as couch rolls, modesty curtains, floor coverings, towels etc., and ensure that these are laundered, cleaned or changed frequently to minimise risk of infection.
• Make alcohol hand rub gel available throughout the building.

Information about the general practitioners and the practice required for disclosure under this act can be made available to the public. All requests for such information should be made to the practice manager.

Please read the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in full.

Ludham and Stalham Green Surgeries are committed to developing a culture that promotes the privacy and dignity of all patients.

We are committed to providing a safe, comfortable environment where patients and staff can be confident that best practice is being followed at all times and the safety of everyone is of paramount importance.

It is recognised that how care is delivered can directly influence a person’s self-image.

Some examinations and treatments, in particular where they involve intimate body parts and states of undress, can make patients feel vulnerable and distressed.

A chaperone may assist in supporting and reassuring a patient during an examination or procedure.

The healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with the practice chaperones policy.

What to expect?

You can request a chaperone be present during any examination or procedure that you feel uncomfortable with. Expect the role of the chaperone to be clearly explained to you and the person introduced to you by the health care professional who is to undertake the examination or procedure.

Who can be a chaperone?

The practice will try to ensure your chaperone is a qualified nurse or health care assistant. In some circumstances a non-clinical member of staff may be asked to chaperone. All clinical and non-clinical staff have received chaperone training.

Arranging a chaperone

If you would like to arrange a chaperone in advance, please let us know when you request an appointment so we can arrange for a nurse or healthcare assistant to be available. If during your consultation the clinician feels a chaperone is needed, they will attempt to arrange this, if possible during the consultation. In the unlikely event a chaperone cannot be arranged you may be asked to arrange another appointment.

What is the chaperones responsibility?

• Ensure that their conduct is sensitive and respectful of your privacy and dignity
• To reassure you if you are distressed or experiencing any discomfort and to communicate this, if appropriate, to the clinician
• Ensure that they can communicate with you a way that you can understand

Can a family member act as a chaperone?

Your family member cannot act as a formal chaperone. You can however request that a member of your family or a friend be present as an informal chaperone during the examination.

Can I refuse a chaperone?

You have the right to refuse a particular person as a chaperone; in this instance we will document the reasons for your refusal and an alternative chaperone will be arranged.

Confidentiality

All our staff and clinicians are trained to a high level on the laws and policies relating to data protection and confidentiality. Your chaperone will not disclose any information obtained during your examination or procedure. In all cases where the presence of a chaperone may intrude in a confidential clinician-patient discussion, their presence will be confined to the physical examination only. One to one communication with the clinician will continue once the chaperone has left.

As part of the NHS commitment to providing more personalised care, all practices are required to provide all their patients with a named GP who will have overall responsibility for the care and support that our surgery provides.

• This will not impact your experience at the practice, the provision of appointments, your treatment, or which GP you can see.
• You may wonder why your allocated GP is not necessarily the one you see most regularly. Please be assured that you can still access all of our medical team in exactly the same way as before.
• Having a named GP does not guarantee you will always be seen by that GP.
• If you wish to be registered with a different GP we can alter this for you. However, this does not change the availability of appointments for that GP.
• Please note that the GP responsible for your care may be subject to change and reallocation in the future.

You do not need to take any further action, but if you have any questions or wish to know your named GP, please contact reception.

What does ‘accountable’ mean?

This is largely a role of oversight, with the requirements being introduced to reassure patients that they have one GP within the practice who is responsible for ensuring that this work is carried out on their behalf.

What are the named GP’s responsibilities to 75s and over?

For patients aged 75 and over, the named accountable GP is responsible for:

• Working with relevant associated health and social care professionals to deliver a multi-disciplinary care package that meets the needs of the patient.
• Ensuring that these patients have access to a health check as set out in section 7.9 of the GMS Contract Regulations.

Does the requirement mean 24-hour responsibility for patients?

No. The named GP will not:

• Take on vicarious responsibility for the work of other doctors or health professional.
• Take on 24-hour responsibility for the patient, or have to change their working hours. The requirement does not imply personal availability for GPs throughout the working week.
• Be the only GP or clinician who will provide care to that patient.

Can patients choose their own named GP?

In the first instance, patients should simply be allocated a named GP. However, if a patient requests a particular GP, reasonable efforts should be made to accommodate their preference, recognising that there are occasions when the practice may not feel the patient’s preference is suitable.

Do patients have to see the named GP when they book an appointment with the practice?

No. Patients can and should feel free to choose to see any GP or nurse in the practice in line with current arrangements. However, some practices may see this change as a way to encourage and promote a greater degree of continuity of care for patients.