NHS DIRECT

You can contact NHS Direct or visit NHS Direct Online for health advice 24 hours a day.

Tel: 0845 4647.
Web: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk

EXPERT PATIENT PROGRAMME

If you have a chronic condition (or are living with someone with a long-term health condition) ask your GP about the Expert Patient Programme. It is a self-management programme designed to give patients additional skills to help them to manage their own condition eg exercise and diet advice, problem solving, getting the most out of your visit to the GP or hospital. The six-week (two hours a week) course is free and is run by patients themselves.

VIOLENCE

Staff treating patients have a right to work free from any form of threat, fear, abuse or violence. The GP practices in Gloucestershire have agreed a Zero Tolerance Policy. Depending on the gravity of the incident, a patient who is verbally rude or mildly abusive may be given a 'Yellow Card' as a final warning. Any further incident will result in a 'Red Card' with the patient being removed from the practice list.

Following a 'Red Card', the patient may face police charges resulting from the incident and will not be seen by any local GP practice. The patient will have to travel to Gloucester to the Vaughan Centre to receive any further GP services in a secure environment and will not receive home visits.