Talbot Medical Centre
Patient Fair Use Policy
Approved by: GP Partners / Practice Management Team
Effective Date: 09.07.2026
Review Date: 09.07.2027
- Purpose
This policy explains how patients and the practice can work together to ensure that our services remain safe, accessible and fair for everyone.
General practice operates within finite NHS resources and increasing demand. Our aim is to provide patients with timely access to appropriate care according to clinical need whilst ensuring that appointments, online consultations, telephone services and administrative support remain available to everyone who needs them.
Most patients use our services appropriately and responsibly. This policy is intended to provide clarity about how services should be used, what patients can expect from us, and how we will respond if services are used in a way that significantly affects our ability to provide care to others.
- Scope
This policy applies to all registered patients and anyone accessing services provided by the practice, including:
- Online consultation requests
- GP, nurse and other clinician appointments
- Telephone consultations
- Prescription requests
- Administrative requests
- Home visit requests
- Interactions with practice staff
- Digital and online services
- Our Commitment to Patients
We are committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive service. We will:
- Treat every patient with dignity, courtesy and respect.
- Provide care based on clinical need.
- Offer appointments with the most appropriate clinician or member of the wider healthcare team.
- Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
- Use NHS resources responsibly and fairly.
- Keep patients informed about how to access our services.
- Consider individual circumstances when making decisions about access to care.
- Make reasonable adjustments for patients with disabilities, communication needs, learning disabilities, mental health conditions or other vulnerabilities in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
- Operate an accessible complaints procedure and welcome feedback to help improve our services.
- Patient Responsibilities
Patients also play an important role in helping us provide an effective service for everyone.
Using Online Consultations
Please:
- Submit one online consultation for each medical problem.
- Include all relevant information when completing your request.
- Avoid submitting duplicate requests through multiple channels for the same issue.
- Contact us again if your condition changes significantly or worsens after submitting your request.
- Provide accurate and truthful information to help us assess your clinical needs safely.
Submitting multiple requests for the same problem does not normally result in a quicker response and may delay care for other patients.
Appointments
To help maximise appointment availability, patients should:
- Attend appointments on time.
- Cancel appointments as soon as possible if they are no longer required.
- Arrive promptly for appointments.
- Understand that multiple or complex issues may require more than one appointment.
- Accept that the clinician seen may not always be a GP if another healthcare professional is better placed to help.
Where patients repeatedly fail to attend appointments without notice, we may contact them to discuss the reasons and agree ways to improve future attendance.
Prescription Requests
Patients should:
- Request repeat prescriptions using approved methods.
- Allow sufficient processing time in accordance with practice policy.
- Attend medication reviews when requested.
- Avoid requesting urgent prescriptions unless clinically necessary.
Prescription queries should be directed through the designated practice process wherever possible.
Home Visits
Home visits are intended for patients who are genuinely unable to attend the surgery because of their medical condition or who are housebound. Patients who are able to attend hospital appointments are expected to attend for GP appts.
All requests are clinically assessed to determine the most appropriate response.
Administrative Requests
Please provide reasonable notice when requesting:
- Medical reports
- Letters
- Fit notes
- Insurance forms
- Other administrative documentation
These requests may take longer than clinical appointments because they require protected clinician time.
Respectful Behaviour
We expect all interactions between patients and staff to be courteous and respectful.
The practice operates a zero-tolerance approach towards:
- Violence or threats of violence
- Physical or verbal abuse
- Aggressive or intimidating behaviour
- Harassment or discrimination
- Damage to practice property
- Abusive or threatening behaviour on social media directed towards staff
Such behaviour may result in immediate action in accordance with NHS guidance and, where appropriate, referral to the police or removal from the practice list.
- Fair Use of Practice Services
We recognise that patients’ health needs can change unexpectedly.
If your symptoms worsen or new symptoms develop after contacting us, we encourage you to let us know so that we can reassess your clinical priority.
However, inappropriate or excessive use of practice services can reduce access for other patients.
We would therefore politely request that you
- Only contact us again when your symptoms have changed or worsened. .
- Only submit one request for each issue and wait for our response.
- Understand that our clinicians have reviewed your symptoms and offered an appropriate appointment.
- Always attend booked appointments. Repeatedly not attending may result in action being taken.
- Always provide honest and accurate information.
- Understand that routine issues will be offered routine appointments.
- Do not overuse practice resources significantly beyond that expected for clinical need.
Each situation will always be considered individually, taking into account the patient’s medical circumstances, communication needs and any vulnerabilities.
- Supporting Patients with Additional Needs
We recognise that some patients may experience barriers to accessing healthcare.
Where appropriate, we will make reasonable adjustments for patients who require additional support because of:
- Disability
- Learning disability
- Mental health conditions
- Cognitive impairment
- Sensory impairment
- Language barriers
- Digital exclusion
- Other vulnerabilities
If a patient is unable to complete an online consultation independently, our reception team will assist wherever possible.
- Managing Concerns About Service Use
Where concerns arise regarding repeated inappropriate use of services, our approach will always be supportive and proportionate.
Where possible, we will:
Stage 1 – Informal Discussion
We will discuss the concerns with the patient to understand any underlying issues and explain how practice services operate.
Stage 2 – Written Communication
If concerns continue, we may write to the patient outlining the issues identified and explaining how inappropriate use affects access for other patients.
Stage 3 – Meeting and Agreed Access Plan
Where appropriate, we will invite the patient to meet with representatives of the practice to discuss concerns and agree a reasonable access plan that supports both the patient’s needs and the fair use of practice resources.
This may include agreeing the most appropriate routes for contacting the practice or how future requests will be managed.
- Removal from the Practice List
Removal from the practice list is always a last resort.
Where there has been an irretrievable breakdown in the doctor–patient relationship or persistent behaviour that seriously affects the safe and effective operation of the practice, we may begin the formal NHS process for patient removal.
This will only occur after careful consideration of all relevant circumstances, unless immediate removal is justified because of violence or serious threats.
Any decision will be made in accordance with NHS regulations and guidance.
Patients will normally receive written notification explaining:
- the reasons for the decision;
- the date on which removal will take effect;
- how to register with another GP practice; and
- any other information required under NHS regulations.
- Equality, Fairness and Proportionality
This policy will be applied fairly, consistently and without discrimination.
We recognise that frequent contact with the practice may sometimes reflect genuine clinical need rather than inappropriate use. Decisions under this policy will always consider:
- clinical complexity;
- long-term health conditions;
- disability;
- mental health;
- safeguarding concerns;
- communication needs; and
- other individual circumstances.
No patient will be disadvantaged because they require additional support to access healthcare.
- Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if NHS guidance, legislation or operational requirements change.
Approved by: GP Partners
Version: 2.0
Effective Date: 09.07.2026
Review Date: 09.07.2027
