General
Information
In
addition to the topics shown below, further topics relating to practice
administration can be found in the Practice
Administration section -
.
Adults
with incapacity - managing the financial and welfare affairs of people who are unable to manage them for themselves - 
Age
discrimination legislation - 
Asylum
seekers and refugees - useful information - 
Batteries Directive - rules for battery disposal - 
Business
Names Act - requirement to put Partners' names on stationery
- 
Caldicott - implementing in Primary Care - 
Child
consent to treatment - DoH guidance booklet
with general information and parents' responsibilities - 
Civil
Contingencies Act - 
Complaints handling - 
Compulsory
checks to prevent illegal working - it
is a criminal offence to employ a person who does not have the right
to work in the UK - 
Computer
viruses/how to avoid/what to do if you get one - 
Computers
and information management in general practice -
guidance from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) - 
Confidentiality
issues - sources of guidance - 
Connecting
for Health (CfH) - inc. NHS Care
Records Service, Choose & Book, Electronic Transfer of Prescriptions
(ETP) - 
Consent
to treatment - 
Data Protection
Act scams - a number of bogus agencies are
operating across the UK demanding money to register organisations
under the Data Protection Act - 
Decontamination
of surgical instruments - 
Discrimination legislation - 
Diverting
phones in the event of a power cut - BT service: 0800 800 111
Energy Performance Certificates - 
Enhanced Services Payments - survey results - 
Fire
inspection scams -
bogus organisations charging for carrying out fire safety checks - 
Flu
Pandemic - 
Fraser
Guidelines (re: contraceptive advice for
young people) - 
Freedom
of Information Act - a summary of key points
about this legislation, on which practices need to take action - 
Gamcare - Counselling Services for Problem Gamblers - Details of this nationwide service available in your area - 
Gas Safety Certificates - 
Good medical practice in action - an interactive tool provided by the GMC - 
Green issues/carbon reduction - 
GPs
with Special Interests (GPwSI) - 
Hazardous Waste Regulations - 
Health
& Safety scams - companies
asking for a fee to ensure compliance with health and safety law - 
Health
information for people going abroad - 
Heatwave plan (England) 2010 - 
Information
Governance (IG) Toolkit - 
Junk
mail, email and faxes, unsolicited phone calls - how to stop them - 
Leaflets
translated into other languages - 
Mental
Capacity Act - 
Mobile phones and
hand-held devices -
employers could be held liable and risk fines of up to £2,500
if they 'cause or permit' employees to use their mobile phones
without a hands-free kit whilst driving - 
Music/TV in the
waiting room - you
must have a licence - 
Name change/Deed Poll - 
NHS Constitution - 
Non-hazardous (landfill) waste regulations - 
'Out
Of Office' reply to emails - how to set up Outlook - 
Overseas
patients - providing treatment, levying charges - 
Overseas
patients - shortened guidance for GPs in Scotland - 
Patient
Participation Groups - National Association for Patient Participation
guidance - 
Patient
safety incidents (reporting of) - 
Patient
satisfaction surveys - 
Patients'
rights under the Data Protection Act - 
Patients
from abroad - providing treatment, levying charges - 
Phishing scams - 
Releasing
patients' notes - 
Retaining
records - how long? - 
Smoking ban in public
places & work places - 
SMS
Text messaging through NHS Mail - 
Software
licences - Copyright & Trademarks Act (criminal offence to
use illegal software) - 
Useful
websites - 
Volunteers - information on using volunteers - 
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment - 