Confidentiality is very important to us. Any medical information about you will only be shared with other health professionals involved in your care. Please note that although our secretarial staff have access to your records to perform their duties, for example to type referral letters, they are fully trained about their duty of confidentiality. Please note that for anyone else to have access to your records (e.g. solicitors, insurance companies, employers, even relatives), we will need your written consent beforehand. Your medical records are used by Chafford Medical Group for the following purposes: to provide you with information about your health, enabling you & your healthcare professional to make decisions about your treatment; ensure your care is safe & effective; check quality of care (such as clinical audit); protect health of the general public, manage services provided by Chafford Medical Group; help investigate any concerns or complaints you or your family have about your health care; research.

Chafford Medical Group is 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 dignity and safety of everyone is of paramount importance. All patients are entitled to have a chaperone present for any consultation, examination or procedure where they feel one is required. This chaperone may be a family member or friend. On occasions you may prefer a formal chaperone to be present, i.e. a Nurse Practitioner or a suitably-trained receptionist. Wherever possible, we would ask you to make this request at the time of booking appointment so that arrangements can be made and your appointment is not delayed in any way. Where this is not possible we will endeavour to provide a formal chaperone at the time of request. However occasionally it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment. Your healthcare professional may also require a chaperone to be present for certain consultations in accordance with our chaperone policy. If you would like to a copy of ‘Chafford Medical Group: Chaperone Policy’ ask at reception. If you have any questions or comments regarding this please contact one of the Nurse Practitioners

We take seriously any threatening, abusive or violent behaviour against any of our staff or patients. If a patient is violent or abusive, they will be warned to stop their behaviour. If they persist, we may exercise our right to take action to have them removed, immediately if necessary, by the police. In such cases a formal letter of disengagement will follow within a period of 8 – 12 weeks.