Your rights as a patient

This page explains your rights and what you can expect from Elixier Diagnostics every time you contact us, book an appointment or attend our centre. It is written for patients, families, carers and referrers.

At Elixier Diagnostics, every person who walks through our door, calls us or contacts us online can expect to be treated with dignity, respect and compassion.

What we commit to

1. Treat you with dignity, respect and compassion at reception, during your appointment and when communicating your results.
2. Give you clear, honest information about your appointment, examination and results in a way you can understand.
3. Confirm your identity before care, imaging, sample collection, prescribing, result release or disclosure of confidential information.
4. Obtain your consent before any examination, procedure or treatment, and respect your right to decline, ask questions or change your mind.
5. Offer a chaperone for intimate or sensitive examinations and accommodate your preferences wherever reasonably possible.
6. Protect your privacy in the waiting area, clinical rooms, imaging rooms and all communications.
7. Keep your health information secure and share it only with your agreement, for your care, or where the law requires or permits it.
8. Communicate your results clearly, securely and within agreed timescales.
9. Tell you openly and promptly if something has gone wrong and explain what we are doing about it.
10. Take concerns and complaints seriously, investigate them fairly and respond within agreed timeframes.
11. Treat everyone fairly regardless of age, disability, sex, race, religion or belief, pregnancy or maternity, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or any other protected characteristic.

What we ask of you

12. Treat our staff, other patients and visitors with courtesy and respect.
13. Tell us about any communication needs, accessibility requirements or preferences before your appointment where possible.
14. Give us accurate information about your health, symptoms, medicines, allergies and any concerns you have.
15. Tell us if you are pregnant, may be pregnant, or are unsure before any X-ray, CBCT or DEXA examination.
16. Let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment. Read our Legal, Data and Access section for more details.

Your right to consent

Before any examination, procedure or treatment, we will explain what is planned, why it is recommended, what the main risks and alternatives are, and what will happen afterwards. We will give you the opportunity to ask questions.

Consent must be voluntary and informed. You can withdraw consent at any time before or during an examination. If you ask us to stop, we will stop as soon as it is safe to do so and discuss your concerns with you.

Children and young people

Young people aged 16 to 17 can generally consent to their own care. Children under 16 may also be able to consent if they have enough understanding. Where a child cannot consent, a person with parental responsibility may need to consent on their behalf. We will involve children and young people in decisions as much as possible and act in their best interests.

If you may lack capacity

We will assume you can make your own decision unless there is a clear reason to think otherwise. If your ability to decide is affected, we will support you to understand, retain, weigh and communicate your decision. Where a best-interests decision is needed, we will involve appropriate people and record the decision-making process.

Your right to a chaperone

• We will offer a chaperone before any intimate examination.
• You may request a chaperone at any time for any appointment.
• A chaperone is a trained member of staff who supports your dignity and observes that professional standards are maintained.
• You may also bring a friend, family member or carer for personal support, although companions may not be able to stay in radiation rooms during exposure.
• If a chaperone is needed but not available, we will usually rearrange the appointment unless delay would be harmful.

Privacy and dignity

• Only staff who need to be present for your care will be in the room.
• You will be offered appropriate covering, gowns, screens and privacy for changing or undressing.
• Clinical room doors will be closed during examinations wherever clinically appropriate.
• We will speak discreetly and respectfully, including at reception.
• Your clinical information will not be visible to or deliberately overheard by other patients or visitors.

Before you leave your appointment, or at booking where appropriate, we will explain how and when results are expected to be communicated. Please do not assume that no news means a normal result.

How results are communicated

Results will be communicated through secure approved channels such as phone, secure message, patient portal, email or letter, depending on what is appropriate and agreed with you. We will not use social media or personal messaging apps to discuss clinical results.

Urgent and critical findings

If a scan or report identifies something that needs immediate attention, we will not wait for a routine letter. We will contact you or your referring clinician as soon as reasonably practicable and make sure there is a clear next step.

Report amendments

Reports are occasionally updated or corrected. If an amendment changes the clinical significance of your result, we will contact you and the relevant clinician directly.

If something has not met your expectations, we want to know. Feedback and complaints help us improve and will not affect the care you receive.

How to raise a concern

• Informally: speak to a member of staff, call us, or ask to speak to the manager on duty.
• Formally: email complaints@elixierdiagnostics.uk with the subject line "Complaint".
• By post: write to Elixier Diagnostics at the service address shown in this document.
• In person: hand your written complaint to reception.

Please include your name, contact details, what happened, the date and time where known, and what outcome you are seeking. Complaints should usually be raised within 6 months of the event, unless there is a good reason for delay.

If you remain dissatisfied

• We can consider mediation or independent review where appropriate.
• You may share feedback about our service with the Care Quality Commission. The CQC does not usually resolve individual complaints or award compensation, but it uses feedback to inform regulation.
• You may contact the relevant professional regulator if your concern relates to the conduct of a registered professional.
• You may seek independent advice or legal advice at any time.

Compliments

We also welcome compliments and positive feedback. These can be sent to feedback@elixierdiagnostics.uk or shared with the team directly.

Duty of Candour means being open and honest when something unexpected or unintended happens during care and it appears to have caused harm or required additional treatment to prevent harm. We believe openness is the right thing to do, whether or not a concern has already been raised.

• We will contact you as soon as reasonably practicable where the duty applies.
• We will tell you honestly what we know at that time and will not wait unnecessarily for a completed investigation before speaking to you.
• We will offer a sincere apology. An apology is not an admission of legal liability.
• We will explain what further enquiries are planned and give you the chance to ask questions.
• We will follow up in writing with the outcome and any learning actions, where applicable.
• We will give you a named point of contact and signpost support if needed.

Telephone: 01772 356631 | Email: contact@elixierdiagnostics.uk

Unit 5, GF, Fairways Office Park, Oliver's Place, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 9LF