Freedom of Information
How to ask us for recorded information about the practice, and what we publish as a matter of course.
Winscombe & Banwell Family Practice is a public authority under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for its NHS work. Anyone, anywhere, can ask us for recorded information we hold about the practice. You do not have to say why you want it.
This is different from asking for your own medical records. That is a subject access request – please see our Access to Medical Records information instead.
How to ask
Your request needs to be in writing – a letter, an email or a message through the website is fine. It must give your name, an address we can reply to, and a description of the information you want. You do not need to mention the Freedom of Information Act.
We cannot treat a request made only by telephone as a Freedom of Information request, but if you ask us we will help you put it in writing.
Write to: Practice Manager, Winscombe & Banwell Family Practice, Hillyfields Way, Winscombe BS25 1AF.
What happens next
- Your request goes to the Practice Manager on the day it arrives.
- We acknowledge it within three working days.
- We answer within 20 working days, counted from the day after we receive it.
- If the request is not clear, we will ask you what you mean. The clock pauses until you reply.
We will give you the information, tell you we do not hold it, or explain why an exemption applies.
When we cannot give you the information
Some information is exempt. The exemptions that come up most often in general practice are personal information about patients or staff, which we never disclose; information given to us in confidence; information that is already easily available, for example on this website; and requests that would cost more than the limit set by the Act. Where a request would go over the cost limit we will tell you and offer to help you narrow it down.
Where an exemption requires us to weigh the public interest, we do that and record our reasons.
Charges
There is normally no charge. We may charge for photocopying and postage, and we will always tell you before we do. Paper copies of documents longer than 20 pages are charged at 10p per side.
If you are unhappy with our answer
You can ask for an internal review. A partner who had nothing to do with the original answer will carry it out within 20 working days.
After that, or at any time, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. The ICO helpline is 0303 123 1113 and its website is ico.org.uk. Our ICO registration number is Z7202798.
Environmental information
Requests about things like the energy use, waste or emissions of our buildings are handled under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. These can be made verbally as well as in writing, and we deal with them through the same process.
Our publication scheme
We have adopted the Information Commissioner’s model publication scheme. That means we routinely publish the classes of information below. If you ask us for something in one of these classes, we will point you to where it is already published. Everything here is free unless we say otherwise.
Who we are and what we do
Practice name, address and contact details for all our sites; the partners and staff by role; opening hours; the services we provide, including enhanced services and our Primary Care Network; our Statement of Purpose; our CQC registration and latest rating; the integrated care board we work with; and our Patient Participation Group.
Where: This website and the practice leaflet
What we spend and how we spend it
The NHS payments we receive are published by NHS England. We publish our average GP earnings statement as our contract requires, and our charges for non-NHS services.
Where: This website, and NHS England published data
What our priorities are and how we are doing
GP Patient Survey results; our Friends and Family Test summary; our CQC inspection report; our annual complaints summary; the Patient Participation Group’s “you said, we did”; and our QOF achievement.
Where: This website, the CQC website, and NHS England published data
How we make decisions
Our governance meeting structure, Patient Participation Group minutes, and significant service changes together with any consultation we carried out.
Where: This website – Patient Participation Group page; otherwise on request
Our policies and procedures
Our patient-facing policies: privacy notices, complaints procedure, zero tolerance, access and appointments, chaperones, confidentiality, removal of patients, freedom of information, equality and accessible information, and the practice charter. Internal staff policies are available on request unless they are exempt.
Where: This website – Policies; otherwise on request
Lists and registers
A summary of our register of interests and of our gifts and hospitality register; our CQC registration; our ICO registration (Z7202798). Our asset register is available on request, excluding anything that would affect security.
Where: This website; otherwise on request
The services we offer
Our clinical and non-NHS services and how to get them, our referral and prescribing arrangements, online services including the NHS App and Anima, interpreter services, and the facilities and accessibility at each of our sites.
Where: This website and the practice leaflet
The Practice Manager checks this website against the scheme every six months and records the check. We normally provide information electronically. Paper copies are available at reception.