Publication Scheme

Your Rights to Information

The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2000 provides members of the public with the right to access
information held by public authorities.

Public authorities are required to routinely publish certain information to the public as part of its normal
business activities. This is known as a publication scheme.

The Fairfield Surgery Publication Scheme is designed to signpost individuals to information we proactively
release as and when it becomes available. The aim of this is to explain what information the practice makes available to the public and where possible to provide an easy method of accessing it.

The Publication Scheme contains seven classes of information, as follows, and information falling into each of these classes is published on our practice website:

• Who we are and what we do
  What we spend and how we spend it
• What are our priorities and how we are doing
• How we make decisions
• Our policies and procedures
• Register of members’ interests
• Services we offer

All the information we proactively release is available free of charge on our website. Our publication scheme is a useful place to start if you’re looking for information about Fairfield Surgery before making a Freedom of Information request.

Information that is not published under the FOI Publication Scheme can be requested in writing and the
release of such information will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the FOI Act 2000.

To make a Freedom of Information request, please contact the practice on enquiries.w92021@wales.nhs.uk or write to:

Fairfield Surgery
1 Park Crescent
Llanelli, SA15 3AE

Who we are and what we do

Fairfield Surgery has almost 8,000 patients in the Llanelli area and was formed in 1910. We are also a member of the Llanelli Cluster which is made up of seven separate Practices. The cluster Practices can be found on this website: https://www.llanellicluster.co.uk/

Practice details and our opening times are published on our website; this information be accessed free of
charge via the following link – https://wwww.fairfieldsurgeryllanelli.wales.nhs.uk/

Details of our clinical and admin staff, together with clinics, etc, can be found on the above website.

Other information is available on the practice notice boards.

What we spend and how we spend it

Fairfield Surgery receives money from NHS Wales according to its contract for national General Medical Services in exchange for services provided for patients. The total income received from the NHS before expenses is available on request.

There may be circumstances where material cannot be released because it is confidential or commercial information or the appropriate officer designated for these purposes, under the Act, has taken the view that it may be prejudicial to the conduct of the Practice’s affairs.

If this is the case, we will respond to your FOI request with a formal letter acknowledging the reasons
why we are unable to give you this information.

What our priorities are and how we are doing

Following the patient survey undertaken in 2022/23, patients advised that they wished to be seen face to face and preferred not to have telephone consultations. We therefore implemented total face to face appointments last year and hope to have the capacity to continue to offer that for the foreseeable future.

We are currently working closely with our colleagues in the Llanelli Cluster to develop and improve services for patients in the local area. Our cluster plan can be found here https://www.llanellicluster.co.uk/

How we make decisions

Fairfield Surgery’s senior management team meet regularly to discuss the running of the Practice. Records
of decisions made in the practice affecting the provision of NHS services is available on request.

Our Policies and Procedures

Data Quality Policy – available on request
Information Governance -available on request
Privacy Notices – available on requet
Records Management – available on request
Equality and Diversity – available on request

All policies and procedures are available for viewing, upon request in writing, please contact the Practice at the above address or enquiries email address.

If you have a complaint or concerns about the service you have received from the doctors or any of the staff working in this practice, please let us know. We operate a complaints procedure as part of the NHS system. Our complaints system meets national criteria.

A copy of our practice complaints procedure is available here –
https://www.fairfieldsurgeryllanelli.wales.nhs.uk/

This will give you all the information and contact details needed to lodge a complaint.

Lists and Registers

The Practice operates three CCTV cameras outside the Surgery covering the front and rear of the building.

There is also one camera which covers the waiting room and does not record sound.

The services we offer

Details of services provided under contract to the NHS is available on request.

Charges for our private services (including medical reports and travel vaccinations) are published on our website, this information be accessed via the following link:
https://www.fairfieldsurgeryllanelli.wales.nhs.uk/

The method by which information published under this scheme will be made available

The practice will indicate clearly to the public what information is covered by this scheme and how it can be obtained.

Where it is within the capability of the practice, information will be provided on the website. Where it is impracticable to make information available on a website or when an individual does not wish to access the information by the website, the practice will assist to provide the information in the format it has been requested or offer an alternative method for it to be obtained.

Charges which may be made for information published under this scheme

The purpose of this scheme is to make the maximum amount of information readily available at minimum inconvenience and cost to the public. Charges made by the practice for routinely published material will be justified and transparent and kept to a minimum. Material which is published and accessed on a website will be provided free of charge.

Generally, only the following charges can be made:

• the costs directly incurred as a result of viewing information, photocopying, postage and packaging
• fees permitted by other legislation; and
• for information produced commercially, for example, a book, map or similar publication that you intend to sell and would not otherwise have produced.