The Supreme Court overturned the judgements of lower courts and held that:

• A patient is owed a common law duty of care from the moment they are booked in - before even they are triaged or treated. 
• This duty applies to medical and non-medical staff alike, although non-medical staff will not be judged to counsels of perfection but to the more reasonable standard of "that of an averagely competent and well-informed person performing the function of a receptionist at a department providing emergency medical care".

Thus, those providers who operate services for patients presenting to emergency departments, urgent care centres, minor injuries units and walk in clinics will need to review their current operating procedures.  Where there is a procedure in place for triaging those patients, patients should be informed of that and the likely timeframe within which that triage will take place. That information could be provided either orally by reception and other 'first contact' staff, by leaflet, or by displaying a prominent notice.  In whichever way, that information must be accurate.  As ever, clear documentation of the advice given to patients about likely timescales to be seen would be extremely valuable in the event of subsequent complaints or claims.

That said, these forms are non-contractual, unnecessary and exist solely as a result of the nursing home's policies. They are thus both excessive and unfounded and so may be refused or charged for. To sugar the pill practices may wish to take the line, 'This is unsafe because... but you could do ...'

The legal basis (under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, to be enacted by the 2018 Data Protection Bill now going through Parliament) under which we hold this personal data is the shared legitimate interest of all parties that this communication should continue to be given and received.

The normal system has been that practice managers will let us have the email addresses of GPs when they join the practice as we have no access to the NHS Global Address List.  We intend this arrangement to continue, subject to the restrictions below.

• If we wish to do any data processing beyond what is necessary to provide you with information or support we will seek your specific consent.  In particular we will not share your personal data with anyone without asking your permission first.
• You can ask for a copy of the personal data we hold on you, which you can have within 30 days.
• You have the right to 'be forgotten' but if you ask us to delete your contact details you will no longer receive any communications or benefits from us.
• If your email address or other item of personal data that you know we hold should change, or if we have it wrong in the first place, please let us know so that we can correct it.
• If you leave medical practice in the county, give up work in the county or simply move away we should be grateful if you would tell us of your intention so that we can remove your personal data from our records - we have no wish to keep them longer than we must.

We hold your data electronically, password protected, on a secure off-site server.  The Office is locked whenever it is not occupied.  Regular and frequent backups are maintained securely.

The BMA website has been updated with a specific section for the GP Forward View. They have pulled everything into one hub page and any updates/new information/guidance specific to the GP Forward View will be linked through this central page.

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/gp-practices/general-practice-forward-view