Practice Policies

In accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Access to Health Records Act, patients (or their representatives) may request access to their medical records. No information will be released without the patient (or their representatives) consent unless we are legally obliged to do so. Requests are free of charge and under the GDPR and DPA 2018 we have one month to comply with your request. Under the Access to Health Records (access to deceased individuals records) we have 40 calendar days to comply with such requests.

The practice complies with data protection and access to medical records legislation. Identifiable information about you will be shared with others in the following circumstances:

• To provide further medical treatment for you e.g. from district nurses and hospital services.
• To help you get other services e.g. from the social work department. This requires your consent.
• When we have a duty to others e.g. in child protection cases anonymised patient information will also be used at local and national level to help the Health Board and Government plan services e.g. for diabetic care.

If you do not wish anonymous information about you to be used in such a way, please let us know.

Reception and administration staff require access to your medical records in order to do their jobs. These members of staff are bound by the same rules of confidentiality as the medical staff.

At Argyll House we are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is celebrated, and every individual is treated with respect and fairness. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute to their full potential.

We provide equal opportunities for all, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, or gender reassignment. We strictly adhere to the principles of the UK Equality Act 2010 and take active steps to ensure fair treatment in all aspects of our employment practices.

By promoting diversity and inclusivity, we aim to enhance our creativity, innovation, and success. We believe that a diverse team strengthens our ability to achieve excellence and meet the needs of the community we serve.

If you have any questions about our commitment to equality and diversity or require adjustments during the recruitment process, please feel free to contact the Practice Manager.

Information regarding GPs and the practice, as required under relevant legislation, can be made available to the public. All requests for such information must be submitted in writing to the Practice Manager.

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) in the UK, public authorities are required to respond to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests within 20 working days from the day after the request is received.

Extensions to the Timeframe:

• If additional time is needed to consider the public interest test, the authority may extend the response period by up to 20 additional working days.
• For environmental information requests governed by the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) 2004, extensions may apply in cases of complexity.

Non-Compliance Procedures: If a public authority fails to meet the response deadline:

1. The requester can submit a request for an internal review to the authority.
2. If the issue remains unresolved, the requester can file a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Click here to download our IPC Annual Statement 2026

The DPA (Data Protection Act) 2018 sets out the framework for data protection law in the UK. It updates and replaces the Data Protection Act 1998, and came into effect on 25 May 2018.

It sits alongside the GDPR, and tailors how the GDPR applies in the UK – for example by providing exemptions. It also sets out separate data protection rules for law enforcement authorities, extends data protection to some other areas such as national security and defence, and sets out the Information Commissioner’s functions and powers.

The GDPR is the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679. It sets out the key principles, rights and obligations for most processing of personal data – but it does not apply to processing for law enforcement purposes, or to areas outside EU law such as national security or defence.

The GDPR came into effect on 25 May 2018. As a European Regulation, it has direct effect in UK law and automatically applies in the UK until we leave the EU (or until the end of any agreed transition period, if we leave with a deal). After this date, it will form part of UK law under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, with some technical changes to make it work effectively in a UK context

The NHS operates a zero tolerance policy with regard to violence and abuse and the practice has the right to remove violent patients from the list with immediate effect in order to safeguard practice staff, patients and other persons. Violence in this context includes actual or threatened physical violence or verbal abuse which leads to fear for a person’s safety. In this situation we will notify the patient in writing of their removal from the list and record in the patient’s medical records the fact of the removal and the circumstances leading to it.