Mayfield Surgery Patient Participation Group

Mayfield Surgery Patient Participation Group

Report 2013/2014

1. Introduction: Step 1

We currently have a core group of about 8 patients that attend regularly. The group consists mainly of retired working class patients.

We have advertised the Patient Group in the waiting area and GP’s have invited specific patients they feel might benefit from being part of this group and to encourage a more diverse patient group. This, however is still ongoing as we continue to campaign and GP’s continue to personally invite patients.

2.Agree areas of priority: Step 2

We met at the beginning of 2013 to plan out areas of patient concern. Our aim to meet with the PPG to discuss areas of priority and how they would elicit, through the use of the survey, the views of patients regarding improving the practice, but due to the lack of representation in the group it was agreed that we re-establish the patient group. We discussed ways that we could increase the numbers of the group and make it a more diverse group.

It was suggested that we put posters up in the waiting area to encourage patients to join the group. This was done.Members of the patient group and GP’s were asked to invite patients and we did see an increase in numbers.

The purpose of the PPG was then decided on and agreed that it was not a platform for complaints about the NHS, but rather a group who would support the Surgery and help as and where necessary.

We then turned our attention to our annual patient survey.

3.Patient survey: Step 3

We devised our own survey in collaboration with members of the PPG core group. The PPG decided that in order to have an accurate idea as to how we have improved as a Surgery from last year we should stick to the same survey.

These were then given to patients in the waiting room (with the help of a member from the PPG) and were collated over a period of 2 weeks.

To devise the survey we had a separate meeting to discuss the major issues. Below is a summary of the issues that were discussed.

Last year’s survey

• Last years survey was discussed. It was asked when the survey actually happened and how many people were surveyed, Wendy explained that the survey took place in January and 200 patients took part in the survey.
• The standards the NHS set’s out for us were explained to the group.
• It was suggested that we pretty much keep the same questions as the last survey so that we will have a way to look at improvements.

4. Results of the Patient Survey: Steps 4 & 5

Wendy introduced the topic. Each member was given a copy of the results of both the 2014 and 2013 surveys. It was asked whether the survey was in-house or wider reaching, and Wendy confirmed that this particular survey was in-house only.

Main points of interest from the results:

• Appointments awareness: booking 6 weeks in advance or booking online is not widely known about. The Surgery will introduce an advertising campaign to educate patients of these services. It was suggested that a review be done down the line once patients are using it in greater numbers to ensure that patients who do not access online facilities are not at a disadvantage in terms of their choice and access to appointments.

Wendy agreed to further survey being carried out in 6 months’ time to review the online and advance booking situation.

• Waiting area presentation: The results indicated that improvement to the waiting area was required. The Surgery plans to renew the space by reupholstering furniture, providing a water machine, tidying up the notice board area and possibly introducing plants, real or artificial. Playing background music/changing the TV were also mentioned. One member expressed his dislike of the noise from the TV and the current content, including inappropriate advertising for products such as formula milk and even financial services. One member agreed with some of the survey participants that having the news on would be preferable. We will check the current content on the TV and look into making changes.It was suggested that subtitles could be used instead of sound. Wendy mentioned that classical music could be played in the waiting area and that the TV was probably originally introduced to try to make the conversations in reception less audible.

• Privacy in the waiting area: Phone calls and conversations held in reception can be overheard in the waiting area. Wendy is open to ideas on how to overcome this.

Ideas brought up included changing the position of the reception desk so sound is not being projected directly into the waiting room, moving phone calls away from the front desk, moving the front desk position to the foyer away from the waiting room and creating a privacy barrier either spatially or with a screen. It was also suggested that a ‘right to privacy’ sign be added to front desk to remind patients that they can request to speak to receptionists in a more private place.

Receptionists will be going on refresher courses for customer care.

• More issues raised from the survey: The patients expressed their dissatisfaction at always seeing different GP’s. It was explained that we are currently promoting continuity of care for the patients and the reception staff are being trained to ask patients which GP they normally see. This might take a few months for patients to notice the difference but we should see an improvement.

Publicise actions taken and subsequent achievement: Step 6

Most of these have been discussed above and subsequently are in the process of being actioned.

We are very pleased that 89% of patients said our receptionists were courteous or very courteous, though this is 3% down on last year’s results. The reception staff will be attending customer care courses during 2014 to improve on this.

The front line of General Practice can become very busy and sometime stressful and we recognise this is an area that we need to continually look at.

17% of patients said that they have had to wait longer than expected. We were disappointed with this as this has increased since last year’s survey. The reception staff have been asked to offer pre-bookable appointments first and only to use on the day appointments for urgent issues.

It appears that 55% of patients did not know that a patient could book six weeks in advance, again this is up on last years survey. We are stepping up our campaign by placing posters in the waiting area, a screen message on the LED board and the staff have been asked to advise patients when booking appointments.

43% of our patients did not know that they can book appointments online, this would reduce the stress of waiting on the phone so we are stepping up our campaign in this area too.

Information regarding the appointment system will be put on our website and in our next newsletter.

61% of our patients said that the surgery was “very clean” as opposed to 75% last year. We are currently looking at the waiting are as a whole so improvements will be made.

As a result of the patient survey and PPG meeting it has been decided that we will look into taking the following actions:

• Re-upholster the furniture in the waiting area
• Change the TV content
• Advertise the appointment system
• Take down the posters and “re-vamp” the waiting area
• Possibly get some plants in the waiting area

• Change the reception area – have one person at the desk but greet patients at the small window, this would reduce the amount of conversations the patients in the waiting area could hear, this would help with our current confidentiality issues in the waiting area.
• Move the phone answering to the back where phone conversations cannot be heard – this would help with our current confidentiality issues too.
• Put a comments box in the waiting area for patients so we can continuously monitor patient feedback.

This will be reviewed in six months by the Surgery and the Patient Group.

We really do value our patient participation group and the work that individuals have put to help their fellow patients and ultimately their surgery. We would like the PPG to function as its own self built organisation using Mayfield Surgery to facilitate and host meetings. We would also hope that the PPG would be an active part of other community initiatives such as Local Involvement Network – LINK – and the local commissioning group. We hope ultimately that we are doing our best for the patient’s at Mayfield Surgery and indeed the local community of Roehampton and Putney.