Introduction
This example publication scheme has been created to outline the types of information that the Practice is expected to publish. The example is based upon the ICO model publication scheme and is broken down into the classes of information required under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. It is recommended that this is laid out in its own section of your Practice’s website, with the below headings listed.
Your Rights to Information
The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2000 provides members of the public with the right access information held by public authorities.
Public authorities are required to routinely publish certain information to the public as part of its normal business activities. This is known as a publication scheme.
The Mountain View Health Centre Publication Scheme is designed to signpost individuals to information we proactively release as and when it becomes available. The aim of this is to explain what information the practice makes available to the public and where possible to provide an easy method of accessing it.
The Publication Scheme contains seven classes of information, as follows, and information falling into each of these classes is published on our practice website:
- Who we are and what we do
- What we spend and how we spend it
- What are our priorities and how we are doing
- How we make decisions
- Our policies and procedures
- Register of members’ interests
- Services we offer
All the information we proactively release is available free of charge on our website. Our publication scheme is a useful place to start if you’re looking for information about Mountain View Health Centre before making a Freedom of Information request.
Information that is not published under the FOI Publication Scheme can be requested in writing and the release of such information will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the FOI Act 2000.
To make a Freedom of Information request, please email contact the practice [email protected] or write to:
Mountain View Health Centre
51 Mayhill Road
Mayhill
Swansea
SA1 6TD
Who we are and what we do
We are a GP practice in the Mayhill area of Swansea who has approximately 6000 patients registered with the practice. We moved to new purpose built premises in 2018 and before this move we were known at Mayhill Surgery residing at 108 Penygraig Road, Mayhill, Swansea.
We are also a member of the City Cluster which is made up of eight separate Practices. The cluster Practices can be found on this website: City Health Cluster – Swansea Bay University Health Board (nhs.wales)
Practice details and our opening times are published on our website, this information be accessed via the https://mountainviewhealthcentre.gpsurgery.net/services/contact-us
The following people work in the Practice. The Practice Team can be found on this weblink Team – Mountain View Health Centre (gpsurgery.net) alternatively see below;
Partners: Dr Baljit Ghuman & Dr Visha Krishnamoorthy
Salaried GPs: Dr Shanti Karupiah & Dr Prema Tirou
Advanced Nurse Practitioner:
Practice Nurses: Cheryl Dyer & Emma Lodwig
Practice Manager: Julie Hayes
Secretary: Caroline Jones
Data Clerk: Elaine Williams
Health Care Support Worker: Danielle Abraham
Admin Staff: Karen Collins (Senior Receptionist) Zillah Baglow, Debra Hemmings, Dawn Lewis, Allison Tobin & Elizabeth Drew-Wellington
Other information is available on the practice notice boards and display tables in the waiting areas.
What we spend and how we spend it
This section is to be filled with information regarding your annual accounts, salaries, and any expenses your Practice has accumulated. This should include information relating to financial projected information and actual income and expenditure, tendering, procurement and contracts. This area may also include any agreements and contracts that your Practice has in place with third parties (a common one here will most likely be a data shredding company).
Mountain View Health Centre receives money from NHS Wales according to its contract for national General Medical Services in exchange for services provided for patients.
The total income received from the NHS before expenses was £790,851.47 for the year ending 31.03.2023.
There may be circumstances where material cannot be released because it is confidential or commercial information or the appropriate officer designated for these purposes, under the Act, has taken the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice’s affairs.
If this is the case, we will respond to your FOI request with a formal letter acknowledging the reasons why we are unable to give you this information.
We do not wish to publish our annual salaries, but they are available on request.
We hold contacts with external agencies please see list below
RPM – telephone system
Matthews Shredding – removal of confidential waste
Cathedral Hygiene – monitoring/maintenance of all sanitary hygiene
FSG – Maintenance of equipment in the plant room
Williams Medical Supplies – for calibration of all practice equipment
What our priorities are and how we are doing
Currently our top priority is to maintain our high levels standards of care for our all our patients and staff.
To alleviate waiting times on the telephone we have this month November 2023 brought in a new call back system on our telephones which enables callers to stay in their place in the queue but have a call back when they have reached the front of the queue.
We will continue to monitor our appointment system, we have recently increased our face to face access.
This can be used to outline anything that your practice feels is a top priority for you. This may outline strategy and performance information, plans, assessments, inspections and reviews.
This also allows the practice to publish any new plans or schemes, for example, are you creating a new system for following up on elderly patients who have been discharged from hospital?
We are currently working closely with our colleagues in the City Cluster to develop and improve services for patients in the local area. Our cluster plan can be found here City Health Cluster – Swansea Bay University Health Board (nhs.wales)
We will be continually inspected by Care Inspectorate Wales information can be obtained from the practice manager
How we make decisions
Mountain View Health Centre has a committee that is made up of the senior partners and the Practice Manager. The Committee meet monthly. Minutes of these meetings can be requested from the Practice Manager.
Our Policies and Procedures
General policies and procedures in use within the practice include, but are not limited to:
- Data Protection
- Prescribing
- Zero Tolerance
All policies and procedures are available for viewing, upon request in writing, please contact the Practice Manager by email; [email protected]
If you have a complaint or concerns about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system. Our complaints system meets national criteria.
A copy of our practice complaints procedure is available here Complaints and compliments – Mountain View Health Centre (gpsurgery.net)This will give you all the information and contact details needed to lodge a complaint.
The services we offer
In addition to routine and emergency services, we offer the following range of services under contract to the NHS:
- Contraceptive Services
- Minor Surgery
- Maternity Medical Services
- Mental Health Nurses
Charges for our private services (including medical reports and travel vaccinations) can be accessed from the receptionist
Additional – Disclosure Log
All Freedom Of Information requests and the response will be kept via a log. This will be helpful when people are looking to submit an Free Of Information request to your practice, as then can check this log beforehand to see if the information they require has already been requested and published.
The method by which information published under this scheme will be made available
The practice will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained.
Where it is within the capability of the practice, information will be provided on the website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on a website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, the practice will assist to provide the information in the format it has been requested or offer an alternative method for it to be obtained.
Charges which may be made for information published under this scheme
The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the practice for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum. Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge.
Generally, only the following charges can be made:
- the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information, photocopying, postage and packaging
- fees permitted by other legislation; and
- for information produced commercially, for example, a book, map or similar publication that you intend to sell and would not otherwise have produced.
