Statement of purpose

Statement of purpose

This statement of purpose will be reviewed at least annually.

Aims and Objectives

This medical practice consists of a team of dedicated, professional personnel. We aim to provide medical care and treatment of a consistently high quality for all patients and provide services that meet patients’ needs and wishes. We aim to provide care and treatment in as comfortable an environment as possible.

The purpose of Corner Place Surgery is the management of patients who are ill or believe themselves to be ill, with conditions from which recovery is generally expected, for the duration of that condition, including relevant health promotion advice and referral as appropriate, reflecting patient choice wherever practicable. It also includes the general management of patients who are terminally ill and management of chronic disease in the manner determined by the practice, in discussion with the patient and their relatives or carers as appropriate.

The Practice's priority is to provide the highest standard of clinical care to our registered patients, ensuring we work collaboratively with other healthcare providers and support organisations, to enable more of our patients to be treated in a primary care setting, closer to home.

We aim:

• To understand the expectations of our patients.
• To motivate and invest in our team and acknowledge their value.
• To encourage all team members to participate in achieving our aims and objectives.
• To clearly set and monitor targets in all areas.

Our objectives

The objectives of the practice are to deliver a service of high standard in line with professional standards and:

• To be accountable for individual and team performance.
• To support each other in achieving patient expectations.
• To maintain the highest professional and ethical standards.
• To rapidly respond to the needs of our team and our patients.
• To ensure our staff are trained and competent through investment and personal development.
• To ensure that patients are treated with honesty and integrity, in complete confidence and with the utmost discretion.

Consultations

All consultations are carried out with patients (and their families/carers if appropriate), by qualified personnel in the privacy of the consultation room. Records of all consultations and treatments are kept electronically within the patient’s notes. 

All patients wishing to register with Corner Place Surgery will be asked to complete the new patient questionnaire which informs the practice of past health and present lifestyle. This enables us to better meet a patient’s medical needs until medical notes arrive from the previous surgery. 

We care about providing the right treatment to patients, so treatment and procedures are only carried out after fully discussing the benefits and risks with the patient. Patients have the right to ask questions regarding their care at any time. 

Patients have the right to make their own decisions regarding medical treatment and care. This practice operates a consent policy, which will be issued on request at any time for the patient to read and understand prior to proceeding with any treatment. Consent to treatment must always be given freely and voluntarily by a person capable of making decisions regarding the treatment. 

The privacy and dignity of patients is respected at all times. If a chaperone is required during a consultation or examination, this will clearly be recorded in the patient notes.

Services provided

Corner Place Surgery's regulated activities are:

• Diagnostic and screening procedures.
• Treatment of disease, disorder or injury.
• Surgical procedures.
• Maternity and midwifery services.
• Family planning.

The full range of services provided (including referrals) is:

• A full range of General Medical Services.
• Ante-natal Care.
• Anticoagulant Service and Monitoring.
• Baby Clinic & immunisation.
• Blood Pressure Reviews.
• Cervical Cytology.
• Child health surveillance.
• Childhood developmental checks, vaccinations and immunisations.
• Contraceptive services.
• Dietetics.
• Disease management services including Asthma, Diabetes, Hypertension, Coronary Heart Disease and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
• District Nurse, Health Visiting and Midwifery Services.
• Dressings.
• Ear Syringing.
• Flu Clinics.
• Health promotion services for young people and adults of all ages (Well man/Well woman).
• Immunisations.
• Maternity medical services.
• Minor surgery services.
• New patient consultations.
• Obstetrics services.
• Podiatry.
• Phlebotomy.
• Removal of stitches.
• Smoking cessation service.
• Travel and other immunisations.
• Warfarin monitoring.

Services are provided to the whole of the population and Corner Place Surgery does not discriminate against individuals or groups on any grounds. The Practice is committed to developing and maintaining a safe and secure environment, for its patients, staff and visitors and has a duty to take all reasonable steps to protect and support its staff.

Violent and abusive behaviour includes bullying and or harassment of any description. Violent or abusive behaviour by patients, visitors or staff is not tolerated and decisive action will be taken to protect staff, patients and visitors.

Premises

Corner Place Surgery is based in the centre of Paignton, close to the local bus and train station. There is a limited number of patient parking spaces outside the practice, including designated disabled parking. There are three waiting rooms available for patients, which provide a comfortable waiting space. There are clinical rooms on the ground floor to provide easy access for patients in wheelchairs or with pushchairs or prams. 

Corner Place Surgery operates a smoke-free policy and the building and car park are no smoking areas. 

Patients are requested not to use mobile phones within the practice building. 

Appointments

Corner Place Surgery aims to “do today’s work today”. We operate an appointment system with a mixture of pre-bookable appointments and appointments for booking on the day.

Patients are registered with an individual doctor although patients may ask to see any of our doctors and we will do our best to accommodate that wish. We regard ourselves as a family doctor practice offering good continuity of care.

Home visits are available for those patients who are too unwell, disabled or frail to be able to come to the surgery. Home visits for reasons of convenience or transport will be declined.

Patient surveys

Corner Place Surgery values the views of its patients, staff and visitors and uses these to inform the provision of treatment and care of patients. Patients are welcome to leave feedback at anytime, either in the practice, via our website, or through our patient surveys.

Complaints

In the event of a complaint, patients are asked to contact Evie Rogers, the Practice Manager in the first instance. A copy of the complaints procedure is available on request.

Our complaints procedure is designed to enable us to settle any complaints as quickly as possible. We shall acknowledge complaints within 3 working days and aim to have investigated the complaint with 10 working days of the date when it was raised. We shall then be in a position to offer an explanation or meeting as appropriate. If there are any delays in this process, we will keep the complainant informed.

When looking into a complaint we shall aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

If the complaint is on behalf of another person, the rules of medical confidentiality will be kept and written consent from the patient will be required.

We constantly aim to improve the service we offer, so we encourage all patients to let us know when we have done something well or if there are any suggestions as to how we can improve.