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CONTENTS:
Introduction
How can YOU help?
General Practitioner
(GP)
Taking Medications
Accident and Emergency
Going into hospital
When in hospital
Before you leave
hospital
Social workers
Out-of-hours services
Feedback/complaints
Freedom of Information
Data Protection
Act
Useful Contacts
Introduction
Each one of us has a responsibility
to improve the quality and safety of health and
social care. You, as a user, patient or family
carer can play a vital role by becoming an active
and informed member of your care team.
From talking to people Health
and Social Services Councils have learned that
people's health and social care experiences could
have been improved if they had been better prepared.
This booklet suggests how you can work in partnership
with those looking after you to get the best possible
care and treatment.
This booklet also aims to provide
you with:
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Information
about what to expect from your care team. |
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An explanation
on how to discuss concerns about your health
and social care needs. |
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Tips for improving
your health and social care management. |
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Suggested questions
to ask your care team. |
No matter which member of the
health care team (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, occupational
therapist, physiotherapist, social worker, health
visitor, dentist and others) that you are seeing,
this booklet will be of help to you when you want
to ask questions about the care you are getting.
So ... why should you get actively
involved?
When you or a member of your
family visits a health or social care professional
you expect to:
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Get
enough information about your care. |
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Be able to
make choices about the care that is available
to you. |
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Be given care
that is based on your needs. |
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Receive the
best and safest care available. |
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Understand
what you are sigining if asked to give your
written consent for treatment or care. |
Health and social care is becoming more complex
every day and money is limited. There is increasing
demand to do more with less. While most receive
excellent care, there is an increasing awareness
that sometimes things can go wrong, or services
are not received when they are most needed.
Errors occur mostly because of
the way things are done, not as a result of who
is doing them.
Everyone has a part to play -
from the Government, which makes decisions about
the health and social care system, to your own
active involvement in your health and social care
needs, which can lead to better overall experiences
and outcomes.
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How
can YOU help?
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Speak up if
you have questions or concerns. If you don't
understand, ask again. You have a right to
ask questions and to expect answers you can
understand. |
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Don't be afraid to tell
any member of the health or social care team
if you think he or she has confused you with
someone else. |
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If you feel insecure or
intimidated tell a senior member of staff. |
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Pay attention to the care
you are receiving. Make sure that you are
getting the right treatments and medicine
by the right health or social care professionals. |
The following pages can assist
you in becoming more actively involved and informed
in managing your own health and social care when
you attend or receive care or treatment from:
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A General Practitioner
(Family Doctor) |
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The Accident and Emergency
Department. |
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Hospital. |
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The Social Worker. |
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GENERAL
PRACTITIONER (GP)
When you see your GP
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Write down what
you want to know about your condition or treatment
before your appointment. That way you won't
forget to ask any questions. |
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Take notes or have a family
member or carer with you to do that. |
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Tell your GP about all your
symptoms no matter how trivial you think they
are. |
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You should be kept informed
and agree on what treatment will be done during
each step of your care. |
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Ask how long any treatment
will last and how you should feel. |
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Ask what will happen if
you don't have this operation or treatment. |
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Remember that more tests
or medicines may not always be better. |
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Tell your GP about any complementary
or over-the-counter medicines that you might
be taking. |
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If you are unsure about
the nature of your illness or condition keep
asking questions. |
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Ask are there alternative
ways to treat your condition. |
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Keep a record of your own
and your family medical history; talk this
over with your GP. |
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Ask for the name of any
support groups for your illness or condition. |
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Call your doctor to find
out the results of tests or procedures and
ask what this means for your care. Don't simply
think 'no news is good news'. |
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Go back to your GP if you
remain unwell. |
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If you cannot keep an appointment,
let your GP know in time. |
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Find out who to contact
if you need a doctor after your surgery closes,
at the weekends and public holidays. |
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In general, find out who
to contact if you have any enquiries or concerns. |
Don't forget to
ask:
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Can you please
tell me more about my condition? |
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How sure are you that I
have this condition? |
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Do you have any information
that I can take home with me? |
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Can you tell me where I
can find out more? |
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Why do I need this particular
test? |
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What are the different treatments
for this condition? |
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How will this treatment
help me? |
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What does the treatment
involve? |
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What are the risks of this
treatment? |
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What is likely to happen
if I don't have this treatment? |
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What signs/symptoms should
I look out for? |
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What can I do to help myself? |
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When should I come back
to see you? |
Remember:
You have the right to be respected;
your health or social care professional also has
the right to be respected.
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TAKING
MEDICATIONS
Know what medicines you take
and why you take them. Errors with medicines are
one of the most common forms of healthcare mistakes.
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When you get
your medicine read the label, including the
warnings. Make sure it is what was ordered
for you - if not, tell your doctor/pharmacist. |
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You should make a list of
all medicines you are taking and any drug
allergies you may have. Remember to include
prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines
and complementary medicines (such as vitamins
and herbs) on your list. |
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Keep the list of all of
your medicines safe and tell a friend/relative
where it is. Take it with you if or when you
have to go into hospital. |
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Ask your doctor/pharmacist
why you are taking the medication and ask
for written information about it. Also enquire
about the side effects of the medication. |
Remember to ask:
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Do you have
any written information about this medicine? |
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What do the directions on
the label mean? |
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How much should I take and
when should I take it? |
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What are the common side
effects? |
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What should I look out for? |
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How long before it starts
to work? |
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Will this medicine work
together with the other medicines that I am
taking? |
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Are there any foods or other
things that I should avoid while I'm on this
medicine? |
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How long do I need to take
this medicine? |
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ACCIDENT
AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS
If you need to attend an Accident
and Emergency Department (Casualty/A&E Department).
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Ask who will
be in charge of your care. |
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Ask how long you will have
to wait to be seen by a nurse or doctor. |
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If you don't
understand what is being said to you, as for
it to be explained again. |
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Tell the staff about allergies
you have, or unexpected reactions you have
had to medicines in the past. |
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Staff working
in casualty should introduce themselves when
they meet you. If they don't, ask their name
or check their name badge. |
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If you would like a trusted
family member or friend to speak on your behalf,
tell staff. |
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Your friend
can ask questions that you may not think of
while you are ill. |
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He/she can help remember
answers to questions you have asked and speak
up for you if you cannot. |
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Make sure this person understands
your preferences and wishes concerning your
care and treatment. |
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GOING
INTO HOSPITAL
You may attend an outpatient
clinic or become an inpatient for any of a variety
of procedures or treatments.
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If you cannot
keep an appointment let the hospital know. |
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Ask what treatment is planned
for you. |
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Ask how this
treatment will help you. |
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Ask are there any possible
risks attached to the treatment. |
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Ask how soon
you will get the treatment for your condition. |
WHEN IN HOSPITAL
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Ask for a copy
of the hospital leaflet. |
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Ask who will be in charge
of your care. |
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Ask who will
be doing the operation or procedure, what
it will involve and how long it will take. |
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Tell those in charge of
your care if you have allergies or if you
have ever had an unexpected reaction to an
anaesthetic or any other drug. Discuss this
before any operation or procedure. |
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Make sure any
member of the healthcare team confirms your
identity, checks your wristband or asks your
name before giving any medicine or treatment. |
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Ask your doctor or surgeon
exactly what treatment/operation is planned. |
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Ask how having
this treatment/operation will help you. |
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Ask about the possible risks
attached to this treatment/operation. |
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Ask how you should expect
to feel after your treatment/operation. |
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Ask what will happen after
your treatment/operation. |
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Ask how long you are likely
to be in hospital. |
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Ask when your visitors can
or cannot visit. |
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If you are worried about
healthcare associated infections, you should
speak to a member of your healthcare team
who will be able to give you information about
the measures in place to prevent and control
infection. |
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Remember that patients and
their visitors have an important role to play
in preventing infection. Information on this
will be available from staff or in the hospital
booklet. |
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Make sure you and your consultant
agree on what will be done during any operation. |
You should confirm with your
surgeon the operation to be performed as close
as possible to it happening. Do not be afraid
to ask for the site to be marked.
Know what medicines you take
and why you take them. Errors with medicines are
one of the most common forms of healthcare mistakes.
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If you do not
recognise a medicine, check that it is for
you. You can also ask about the contents of
intravenous fluids (drip). If you are given
a drip, ask the nurse how long it should take
for the liquid to "run out". |
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Tell the nurse if you feel
it diesn't seem to be dripping properly (that
it is too fast or too slow). |
Take part in all decisions about
your treatment. The health and social care team
is working for you.
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BEFORE
YOU LEAVE HOSPITAL
Ask those in charge of your treatment
and care to explain the treatment plan you will
use at home.
It is important that you fully
understand your treatment plan upon discharge
from hospital including any follow-up care. Don't
forget to ask for some written information about
your treatment/operation.
If you have any medicines to
take, know what medicines you should be taking
and for how long.
If you are taking a lot of medicines,
ask your doctor or local pharmacist if it is safe
to take them all together.
This is also true for vitamins,
herbal supplements and over-the-counter medicines
that have been bought for you.
Remember to ask:
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Who will be
following up on my care and when do I need
to see them? |
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How can I contact them? |
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When can I go
back to work? |
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When can I drive? |
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Will I be given
a writen summary of my care to pass on to
my GP or will this be sent directly to my
GP? |
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SOCIAL
WORKERS AND SOCIAL CARE WORKERS
Social workers and social care
workers have a role to help individuals, families
and communities meet their specific personal care
and support needs.
They work with:
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Elderly people. |
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People with physical or
learning disabilities. |
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People with
mental health problems. |
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People with addictions. |
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Fostering and
adoption. |
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Children being cared for
in children's homes or by foster parents. |
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Young people
in the criminal justice system. |
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Homeless people. |
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Disadvantaged
groups and/or communities. |
Social workers have the responsibility
for the assessment of service users' care and
the planning and management of care services.
Social care workers provide personal care and
support services to individuals and families.
Don't be afraid to ask questions
if you require social care help at home.
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Who are these
people coming into my home? |
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How many will be coming
in? |
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What will they
be doing? |
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How often should I expect
them? |
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How will I know
them? |
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How will they ensure that
my specific needs are met? |
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OUT
OF HOURS SERVICES
To ensure that there is 24 hour
care available to those who need it, out-of-hour
medical and social care services are in place.
These services should be used in the case of an
emergency situation outside the normal operating
hours of GP surgeries, social work offices etc.
If you need an out-of-hours service, you should
telephone first. Your call will be taken by specially
trained staff who will be able to offer advice
and help. If you don't have the out-of-hours number,
dial your usual contact number and a message will
tell you how to contact the out-of-hours service
for your area.
FEEDBACK/SUGGESTIONS/COMPLAINTS
Health and social services can
be improved by listening to and learning from
your experience. If you are not happy with your
treatment, tell those providing the service. If
you wish to make a complaint,m then your hospital,
social services, GP or other service you wish
to complain about should have a trained person
who can assist you and provide information about
the complaints process. Printed information can
be provided for you to take away and consider.
Some people require support in
making
a complaint and help and advice can be provided
by your local Health and Social Services Council.
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Freedom
of Information 2000
The Freedom of Information Act
gives anyone the right to ask public authorities
for any information they hold. This includes health
and social services. Any person who makes a request
for information to a public authority must be
informed whether the public authority holds that
information. Subject to exemptions they should
supply the information that has been requested.
There may be a fee attached to this.
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Data
Protection Act 1998
The Data Protection Act 1998
gives you the right to obtain information about
yourself. This includes access to health records
held by hospitals, GPs, dentists, social workers
and other health care professionals. The records
tell you about your health and any care or treatment
you've received. First ask the person who holds
the records if you can see them. If your request
is refused you have a legal right to ask again.
Health and Social Care Organisations have an obligation
to protect an individual's personal information
from inappropriate use.
If you have a query about Data
Protection or access to records you can contact
your local Health and Social Services Council
for advice.
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USEFUL
CONTACT POINTS
Health and Social Services Councils
were set up by Government to represent the views
and opinions of the public. There are four Councils
in Northern Ireland:
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Northern
Health and Social Services Council
Houston's Mill Site,10A Buckna Road, Broughshane,
Ballymena, BT42 4NJ
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Southern
Health and Social Services Council
Quaker Buildings, High Street, Lurgan, BT66
8BB
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Eastern
Health and Social Services Council
1st Floor, Lesley House, 25-27 Wellington
Street, Belfast, BT1 6GQ
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Western
Health and Social Services Council
Hilltop, Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital,
Omagh,
Co Tyrone, BT79 0NS
Other useful contacts: |
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The
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children
and Young People
Millennium House, 17-25 Great Victoria Street,
Belfast, BT2 7BN
For advice on Human Rights
issues contact: |
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Northern
Ireland Human Rights Commission
Temple Court, 39 North Street, Belfast,
BT1 1NA
For advice regarding discrimination
on grounds of disability, gender, race,
religious belief and political opinion: |
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Equality
Commission
Equality House, 7-9 Shaftesbury Square,
Belfast, BT2 7DP
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Information
Commission's Office
Room 101, Regus House, 33 Clarendon Dock,
Laganside, Belfast, BT1 3BG
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Data
Protection Office
37 Castle Avenue, Moira, Co Armagh, BT67
0NH
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Remember:
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Be actively
involved in your health and wellbeing |
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Take part in decisions about
your treatment |
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See yourself
and your health or social care worker as a
team |
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You have the right to be
respected |
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Your health
or social care worker has the right to be
respected ... now we're talking. |
This leaflet was adapted for
Northern Ireland in agreement between NI Clinical
and Social Care Governance Support Team and Irish
Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare,
and in partnership with the four Health and Social
Services Councils.
Units 2 & 3,
St John's Court, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast,
BT16 1RJ
| Tel |
028 9048 0066 |
| Fax |
028 9048 0050 |
If this booklet
is required in other languages or formats, please
contact one of the Health Councils.
August 2005
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