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PATIENT SURVEY

STEP 1 GROUP FORMATION AND PROFILES

In February 2010 the practice made the decision to re convene a new patient
participation group in order to involve patients in the services we provide. At this
point posters were displayed within the practice and volunteers were sought via the
practice newsletter.

The response was limited but the practice decided to continue to proceed and the
formation process began. The group agreed its terms of reference and decided that
the values and comments of patients were needed to identify the short falls in the
national survey around the telephone system and appointment availability. A patient
survey was constructed and the group agreed that this should be sent to a random
selection of 500 patients registered with the practice. (see minutes dated 23/02/2010
& 23/03/2010).

Before the agreed patient survey was distributed, the practice signed up to the
national Directed enhanced service for the provision of a patient forum and agreed to
wait until further details on requirements were received.

All the current members were contacted by e-mail in May 2011 and the new patient
forum documentation was sent out. Prior to this, the group had agreed that
additional members were required especially from the Sherburn site as the practice
operates over 2 sites and wanted to have site representation as well as age, race
etc.

The practice placed notices within the practice, notices on the LED boards, asked for
volunteers via the patient newsletter and asked for patients to sign up via the newly
introduced web site.

Despite many measures no further volunteers came forward for the actual group but
6 patients expressed an interest in being part of a virtual group to be contacted via e-
mail. This led to the formation of 2 groups:-

1. Virtual group (see practice web site)

6 registered patients: Male aged 45 54 white British

Female aged 65 74 white British

Female aged 45 54 white British


Male aged 55 64 white British

Female aged 25 34 white British

Male aged 55 64 white British

2. Patient participation group

Pat 1014 Female aged 55 64 white British

Pat id 4509 female aged 75 84 white British

Pat id 4753 male aged 45 54 white British

Pat id 3324 male aged 65 74 white British

Pat id 12967 male aged 55 64 white British

The practice have struggled to engage the younger population despite the web site
and ability to join on line and not having to attend actual meetings. Reception staff
have also actively asked patients if they would be interested but to no avail. This
unfortunately is a historic problem within the geographical areas the practice covers.

At present the practice has an extremely low ethnicity population with only 4% of
patients. This group has been the most difficult to target with no response what so
ever.

2. STEP 2 PATIENT SURVEY PRIOROTIES

The practice has historically had lower than average satisfaction from patients
in any surveys in relation to the telephone system ability to get through and
the use of 0844 telephone numbers along with appointment availability. In
May 2011 the practice contacted the exiting patient group with details of the
new DES requirements and to identify 5 or 6 main areas that we felt that
patients are most likely to be concerned about. The group felt that despite the
introduction of the web site and the practice trial with the new triage system
for the GP on call that things had not changed and patients still had concerns
over the telephone systems and numbers and appointment availability. This
was also apparent from 2 complaints received relating to 0844 and
appointment systems.

A general questionnaire was therefore constructed to include:-

How treated by reception staff


Opening hours and what additional hours patients would like to see
How quickly patients got to see a Gp and how they rated this
Length of waiting time before consultation with GP
Ability to get through on the phone and how patients rate this
How they were treat by GP and nursing staff
Any other comments they would like to raise.

The draft questionnaire was circulated to the forum group for consideration. And
agreed.

3. STEP 3 collection of survey results

The patient survey was carried out during February 2012 to identify patient feedback
on all aspects of the practice service/provision. This is to help us provide the highest
standard of care possible and look at areas of improvement.

The survey was issued in 3 different ways:-

A random selection of 50 patients were selected and postal questionnaires


were sent out.
During a full 2 week period all patients visiting the practice were asked to
complete the same survey.
The survey was made available on line for any patient wishing to complete.

The survey questionnaire was based upon the national style of previous years and
asked patients to comment on:-

Reception staff
Opening hours & additional hours patients would like to see
How quick patients were able to see a GP
How long they waited in reception before their consultation
Ability to get through on the telephone and how they rated this
Ability to speak to a GP on the phone
Ability to see regular GP
How they were treat by GP
How they were treat by nursing staff
And a room for any other comments

2012 survey
results.xls.xlsx

The responses indicated that most patients felt they were treated well by reception
staff, the practice opening hours were good to very good, if additional hours were
available then patients would prefer evenings as their preference although one
patient did request all. Over half of the patients who responded said they were able
to see a GP that day or within 2 working days although 7 did state it took more than
5 working days to see a GP.

The average waiting time in reception has increased slightly and almost half of the
patients who responded said they had to wait 11 20 minutes after their
appointment time and they felt that this was only fair.

The phone facility did not fare well with patient responses. 21 patients felt that
getting through on the phone was good or very good, whereas 13 thought it to be fair
and 14 either poor or very poor.

Again the ability to speak to a GP over the phone did not rate well with only 13
patients thinking this was good to very good, 12 saying fair and 10 claiming poor to
very poor.

4. STEP 4 SURVEY RESULTS

The practice are in unusual position this year after finding out that it has secured an
improvement grant for a huge ext4esntion at its Sherburn site. The practice took the
decision to delay the forum meeting until after the planning permission decision
which should have been the end of February. However due to technical issues we
were not made aware that decision had been delayed until middle of April.

The decision to include planning permission as part of the forum action plan is
because of space availability Sherburn cannot always provide a GP to accommodate
the number of appointments required by patients. The ability to have more rooms
will elevate some of the patient concerns around this problem.

A meeting was then arranged with the forum to discuss the results and agree an
initial 2 month action plan (after which planning application status will be known)
unfortunately due to lack of attendance this could not take place. Survey results
were sent to the forum member and those of the virtual group for comments and
ideas re initial action plan.

The practice received e-mailed comments from 3 members of the group and the
practice manager had a verbal discussion with one. The main area of concern lay
around the telephone and appointment systems but also included the ability to speak
to the GP on the phone. These have been long standing issues and need to be
addressed.

The practice introduced a new clinical system in November which has numerous
patient facilities attached to it. How to best utilise this to accommodate patient needs
is something that the forum agree needs to be investigated along with advice &
guidance on telecommunication systems. At this stage following the survey does the
practice need to make any contractual changes. Patients have again reiterated the
need for evening surgeries. The practice provides an extended service on a
Tuesday evening be it only at the Belmont site due to health & safety issues
surrounding lack of space at the Sherburn site. Hopefully if planning permission is
granted then this can be distributed across both sites.

5. STEP 5 ACTION PLAN

The forum have infamously agreed that patients are not happy with the phone
system and this needs to be a priority. The group are aware of the practice
contractual issues with the current provider however feel that we are now in a
position when this must be investigated and looked into. Between March and
planned meeting for end of April (after planning meeting) the practice will carry
out a further capacity audit to identify needs analysis with the phone provider
over the number of lines coming into each surgery. The practice are to approach
the PCT communications manager and arrange a meeting with him and the
forum for advice and guidance on new available systems and how to get out of
the current contract.

Until a planning permission decision is made the group feel that at this stage it
would not be justified in making any further action decisions as the building
proposals will have a large impact on rectifying the problems that patients have
identified. The required action will be totally different if permission is not granted.

The forum will be meeting at the end of April once the planning decision has been
made to look at full annual action plan and the possibility of further patient
questionnaires specific to the areas identified by the patients in the current
survey.

6. STEP 6 PRACTICE WEB SITE

www.Belmontandsherburnmedicalgroup.com

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