Access to services is a common barrier faced daily by many deaf people. Something simple, like seeing a GP or attending hospital appointments can cause difficulties for many deaf people.

The main barrier faced is often that of communication. An all-too-common example are health issues, where deaf people could be misdiagnosed or receive the wrong medication due to poor communication. This is often because symptoms cannot be fully explained without appropriate and professional communication support. The result of a lack of good communication can and does have very negative effects on deaf people’s physical and mental health. These experiences could be greatly improved through effective communication, knowledge and techniques and would open up services currently widely available to all, such as support, counselling and advocacy groups.

As a GP practice it is crucial that we make our surgery accessible, so that people who are deaf or have hearing loss can contact our services, communicate well during appointments and fully understand the information we give them. It is crucial that we do all we can to help our patients by meeting the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and the national guidelines and quality standards aiming to improve accessibility.

Provide a range of contact methods

People with hearing loss may find it difficult or impossible to use the telephone to book an appointment, order repeat prescriptions or receive test results. They may benefit from other contact methods, such as:

• email
• online booking
• SMS text
• textphone
• Relay UK (which has replaced Text Relay) – typed messages are relayed to the other caller via an operator
• video relay – conversation is relayed through a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter using video

People with hearing loss may also benefit from visual display systems and flashing or vibrating pagers that let them know when it’s their turn to be seen. Working hearing loops should be in place for people who use hearing aids. If a patient requires communication support, this should be available when they arrive. At William Hopwood Surgery we provide the following for deaf patients:

• Interpreting services
• Hearing Loop
• SMS service
• Practice Website
• Practice Email
• NHS App
• Online communication Via PATCHS

Provide communication support during appointments

Patients are asked if they need help to communicate well and/or understand information. Once recorded, these communication and information needs are highly visible or linked to an electronic alert on the records, to prompt staff members to take the appropriate action when that patient books an appointment.

For example, patients with hearing loss should be able to book a longer appointment to make sure there’s time for effective communication. Remember, people with hearing loss benefit from different types of communication support.

Accessibility tips

• Foster good deaf awareness: staff should keep in mind simple communication tips such as speaking clearly, facing the person while speaking to them, and not obscuring their lip movements.
• Provide hearing loop systems that help people who use hearing aids on the hearing loop setting (formerly known as the ‘T’ setting) hear sounds more clearly over background noise. Read more about hearing loops
• Provide registered communication professionals who help people with hearing loss communicate and/or understand spoken English. Put procedures in places so that communication professionals can be booked in advance – you can’t always secure them at short notice. Family and friends must not be used to interpret, unless the patient explicitly asks for them.
• Publish an accessible communication and information policy, in accessible formats, to let your patients known about the support available.
• Enable patients to give feedback about your services in an accessible way.

Useful Contacts

BID Services Deaf Cultural Centre, Ladywood Road, Birmingham B16 8SZ Telephone: 0121 246 6100, textphone: 0121 246 6101, fax: 0121 246 6125
Email: info@bid.org.uk
Website: www.bid.org.uk

Action on Hearing Loss Head Office, 19-23 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8SL Telephone: 020 7296 8000, textphone: 020 7296 8001
Email: informationline@hearingloss.org.uk
Website: www.hearingloss.org.uk

DeafblindUK National Centre for Deafblindness, John and Lucille van Geest Place Cygnet Road, Hampton, Peterborough, PE7 8FD
Telephone/textphone: 01733 358 100, fax: 01733 358 356
Email: info@deafblind.org.uk
Website: www.deafblind.org.uk

Sense 101 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9LG
Telephone: 0300 330 9250 / 020 7520 0999, fax: 0300 320 9251 / 020 7520 0958
Email: facilities@sense.org.uk
Website: www.sense.org.uk

British Deaf Association 3rd Floor, 356 Holloway Road, London, N7 6PA
Telephone: 0207 697 4140, SMS: 07795 410 724
Email: bda@bda.org.uk
Website: www.bda.org.uk

SignHealth 5 Baring Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2NB
Telephone: 01494 687600
Email: info@signhealth.org.uk
Website: www.signhealth.org.uk

The National Deaf Children’s Society Ground Floor South, Castle House, 37 – 45 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4LS
Telephone: 020 7490 8656, textphone: 020 7490 8656, fax: 020 7251 5020
Email: ndcs@ndcs.org.uk
Website: www.ndcs.org.uk

Please view our Chaperone Policy here.

If you have a complaint or concern about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this GP surgery, please let us know. This includes Primary Care Network staff working as part of our GP surgery. We operate a complaints procedure as part of an NHS system for dealing with complaints. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

How to complain

We hope that most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly when they arise and with the person concerned. For example, by requesting a face-to-face meeting to discuss your concerns.

If your problem cannot be sorted out this way and you wish to make a complaint, we would like you to let us know as soon as possible. By making your complaint quickly, it is easier for us to establish what happened. If it is not possible to do that, please let us have details of your complaint:

• Within 6 months of the incident that caused the problem; or
• Within 6 months of discovering that you have a problem, provided this is within 12 months of the incident.

Complaints should be addressed to the GP surgery team verbally or in writing to the Support Manager. Alternatively, you may ask for an appointment with the GP surgery to discuss your concerns. They will explain the complaints procedure to you and make sure your concerns are dealt with promptly. Please be as specific as possible about your complaint.

What we will do

We will acknowledge your complaint within three working days. We will aim to have investigated your complaint within ten working days of the date you raised it with us. We will then offer you an explanation or a meeting with the people involved, if you would like this. When we investigate your complaint, we will aim to:

• Find out what happened and what went wrong.
• Make it possible for you to discuss what happened with those concerned, if you would like this.
• Make sure you receive an apology, where this is appropriate.
• Identify what we can do to make sure the problem does not happen again.

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.

Complaining to NHS England

We hope that you will use our Practice Complaints Procedure if you are unhappy. We believe this will give us the best chance of putting right whatever has gone wrong and an opportunity to improve our GP surgery.

However, if you feel you cannot raise the complaint with us directly, please contact NHS England. You can find more information on how to make a complaint at https://www.england.nhs.uk/contact-us/complaint/complaining-to-nhse/.

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, Healthwatch Hounslow can help you find independent NHS complaints advocacy services in your area.

Alternatively, 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.

Please view our Covid-19 Privacy Notice here.

Please view our Records Management Policy here.

Please view our Freedom of Information Act Policy here.

The practice receives money under Personal Medical Services from Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group in accordance to its contract in exchange for services provided for patients.

All GP practices are required 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 in William Hopwood Surgery in the last financial year was £46,509.

You have been referred for onward care – what you need to know.

What happens when you are referred by your GP to see a specialist?

This page describes what you can expect to happen when your GP has referred you to see a specialist or consultant, at a hospital or a community health centre.

Why have I been referred?

Your GP has referred you because they want a specialist’s help in deciding on the best way to treat your condition. This might involve referring you for tests or investigations that cannot be carried out in a GP surgery.

How will I hear about where and when the appointment is?

GP practices and hospitals use different ways of arranging appointments:

• Following your consultation in the surgery, your GP practice may send you a reference number and a password you can use to book, change or cancel your appointment online or by phone. In time, more and more GP practices will refer patients in this way.
• You may receive a letter from the hospital confirming your appointment. You need to reply as soon as possible and tell the hospital if you can attend on the date offered.
• Alternatively, sometimes patients receive a letter asking them to telephone the hospital to make an appointment with a specialist.

Wait times

Wait times for appointments to see a Specialist Consultant at a hospital or a community health centre are beyond the control of Primary Care and the practice.

You can find out the average wait times of different hospital departments at www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk

Contacting your local hospital for help and support

Most patients are referred for care in the local area through East Lancashire Hospitals Trust and you can visit their website at elht.nhs.uk

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a free and confidential service for anyone who has concerns or questions about aspects of care. PALS are here to help you identify what to do, where to go and who to speak to for support.

PALS Freephone: 0800 234 6088

To get update on waiting times at your local hospital trust click below link:

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust – My Planned Care NHS

A list of specialties at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. Select the Specialty you have been referred to.

www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk

Seeing the specialist

What happens if I need a test or procedure?

Normally, if the specialist thinks you need any test, investigation or surgical procedure, the specialist is responsible for:

• arranging the test, investigation or procedure, explaining how and when you will receive a date and what to do if the date is not suitable for you; and
• giving you the results and explaining what they mean (this may be done in a separate appointment with the specialist or by letter).

What happens if I need new medicines?

The specialist might suggest prescribing new medicines for you or might want to make changes to the medicines that you are already taking. The specialist is responsible for:

• giving you the first prescription for any new medicine that you need to start taking straightaway; and
• giving you enough medicine to last at least the first seven days, unless you need to take the medicine for a shorter time. After this, you will need to contact your GP surgery if another prescription is required. It is important that you understand whether you need to start any new medicines, or whether the specialist has changed the medicines you already take, so ask the specialist if you are not sure. In some cases, your GP will not be able to prescribe certain medicines and you will need to continue to receive these from the hospital. You will be told about this at your appointment.

What if I need a Fit Note (previously known as Sick Note)?

If you need to be certified as unfit for work following treatment by a specialist:

• The specialist should issue you with a Fit Note.
• The Fit Note should cover the period they expect you to be unfit to work, or until your next contact with the specialist. You should not need to see your GP to get a Fit Note following hospital treatment, unless your inability to work is unexpectedly prolonged.

 What if I need a follow up appointment?

The specialist will discuss with you whether you should attend hospital for ongoing follow-up care or whether you should be discharged back to your GP. If the specialist thinks you do need to be seen again, the hospital will give you another appointment or tell you when to expect this. If you do not hear anything, please contact the specialist’s office, rather than your GP surgery.

What do I do if I have any questions?

• If you have any specific questions related to your hospital care, your specialist will be able to help you with this, so it is important that you make sure you know how you can contact your specialist’s office.
• If you have any general questions related to your health, your GP surgery will be able to help you.

If you are unsure about any of the questions, please make sure you discuss them with a member of staff before you leave hospital.

What happens if I would like a private referral?

If your GP thinks you need specialist treatment and you want to pay for it privately, they will write a letter of referral to a private consultant or specialist explaining your condition and your medical history in the same way. It is recommended that you approach your private doctor or consultant first to find out what information is needed to make the referral.

If you have private medical or health insurance and would like to use this to cover the costs of your treatment, it may be sensible to check your policy to find out:

• if your policy covers the treatment you need
• whether your insurance company accepts consultant referrals from GPs or if it has its own list of consultants
• when you need to contact your insurance company to tell them you’ve been referred for treatment

.          If you make a claim for treatment under your private medical insurance, some sections of the claim form will probably need to be completed by a doctor. In most cases, the doctor who provides your treatment will be the best person to complete the form, because they will have the information required. Please be aware that if you ask your GP to complete this form there may be a charge.

Please also refer to practice policy on supporting patients under care of private providers.

We endeavour to offer a high-quality service.

Please view our Zero Tolerance Policy here.