Aspen House,
67 Wembdon Road,
Bridgwater,
Somerset TA6 7DR
01278 422978
enquiries@turners-optometrists.co.uk
www.turners-optometrists.co.uk
Freedom of Information Act
Publication Scheme
Welcome to the Publication Scheme for Turners Optometrists as required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Introduction
This Publication Scheme is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by Turners Optometrists. It is a description of the information about our NHS services that we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals and we will monitor its effectiveness.
How much does it cost?
The publications are free unless otherwise indicated. Where information is provided at a cost, the charges will be calculated as set out in Class 7
How is the information made available?
The information within each Class is available as a hard copy on request from the practice, or can be printed from our website:
www.turners-optometrists.co.uk
Your Rights to Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to promote openness and accountability amongst all organisations that receive public money
From January 1st 2005 it will oblige all opticians’ and optometrists’ practices to respond to requests about the NHS related information that it holds, and it will create a right of access to that information. These rights are subject to some exceptions that have to be taken into consideration before releasing information
In addition to accessing the information identified in the Publication Scheme, you are entitled to request information about our NHS services under the NHS Openness Code 1995
New environmental information regulations may be introduced as early as 2003. These will enable similar access to environmental information as under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records and other personal information held about you, and you can contact any practice where your records are held to do this
Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request from information from this scheme, please write to the Practice Manager.
Classes of Information
All NHS information at Turners Optometrists is held, retained, and destroyed, within NHS guidelines. Our commitment to publish this information excludes any information that can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness code or Freedom of Information Act 2000. From 2005, individual Classes are subject to exemptions, the main reason being the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This Scheme has been written in accordance with those exemptions. The information on this scheme is grouped into the following categories:
1) Who we are
Turners Optometrists give full details of practice information on our practice website. Hard copies of the information from the website may be provided on request at a charge, or downloaded from the website without charge
Practice contact details are on the website, and in practice information leaflets available free of charge on request from the practice
Details of all of our optometrists and other staff are displayed in the practice, on our website, or can be provided on request
Alternatively, details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from the General Optical Council 41 Harley Street, London W1G 8DJ Tel 020 7580 3898 Fax 020 7307 3939 email goc@optical.org
2) Our Services
Turners Optometrists provide NHS funded sight tests for those who are eligible. You may also be entitled to vouchers that can be uses towards the cost of glasses and some types of contact lenses if you require them. To find out if you are eligible for assistance, ask for the appropriate NHS leaflet or see www.doh.gov.uk/nhscharges/hc12.htm
Appointments for NHS sight tests can be booked over the phone, by calling into the practice, or by sending in an e-mail request to: reception@turners-optometrists.co.uk.
Our current opening hours are displayed on our web site or can be obtained by contacting the practice
3) Financial and Funding Information
For every sight test performed on behalf of the NHS the practice receives a set fee of £20.70 (February 2011 or as subsequently amended). This covers expenses such as optometrist and staff salaries, equipment costs, and other overheads.
If you are not eligible for an NHS sight test, please contact the practice for details of our current fees and charges
4) Regular Publications and Information for the Public
A comprehensive set of information about optical and ocular conditions, NHS sight tests, eye examination procedures, glasses, and contact lenses can be found on www.turners-optometrists.co.uk, and in the links from that site
Some of this information is also available in the form of patient leaflets. These are available from the practice, or by downloading from our web site
5) Complaints
If you have a complaint about any of our products or services, we recommend that you first discuss any problems with our manager. Our policy is always to try and resolve any problems positively and with as little disruption as possible.
If the matter cannot be resolved in this way, or you are unsatisfied with the response you receive, the we have a formal complaints procedure, copies of which are available on request from the practice
6) Our Policies and Procedures
We have formal policies regarding the following and these are available (in whole or part as required by legislation) on request from the practice
Complaints
Data Protection
Health and Safety
7) The Publication Scheme
In this class we will publish any changes we make to this Publication Scheme, the criteria on which our information management policies are made, and a referral point for all enquiries regarding information management generally within the practice. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available. The Publication Scheme is available from our web site, in hard copy from the practice on request, or by e-mail as a Word file
Cost of Information
For the most part, we will only charge for hard copies or copies onto media. Charges are as follows and will be reviewed periodically
Access to our web site – free of charge
Single sheet hard copies – free of charge
Multiple sheet hard copies or archived copies will attract a charge for retrieval, printing, photocopying, and postage. We will inform you of these charges in advance on request
E-mail is normally free of charge
