WOODVIEW MEDICAL CENTRE – K83040

PPG & Survey Results Report

Patient Reference Group

The patient group comprises 28 members

Distribution Details

Attendance
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Gender

Ethnicity
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Age

Group Development

In order to attract as many patients as possible to sign up for the group, the joining form was made available on the practice website and in the practice. Notices were also placed in the practices, Dentist and Pharmacy, asking patients to join up. The front desk reception staff are particularly pro-active in trying to encourage patients to join, especially patients from ethnic minorities. The group continues to be developed and invitations are still going out to patients to join. We see this as a continuous process throughout the rest of 2012.

Development of the Survey

All the patients on the PRG were emailed when they first joined the group to explain what this was all about. Everyone was then sent an email asking for views and opinions on the development of the first survey. Agreement was reached on a general patient experience survey and all suggestions and comments were taken into account and included in the final survey. This was then emailed again to the group for finalization before being made available to all the practice’s patients.

Obtaining Views of Registered Patients

The patient survey is available in the practice and also on the website for patients to complete online. Reception staff were encouraged patient to complete the survey by handing it out to all patients who attended at the surgery. The results of the survey are shown below.

Survey Results

Patient Experience

Number of Responses: 251

Dear Patient,

Many thanks for agreeing to take this short survey to help our practice understand your overall experience when visiting the surgery. Please answer all of the questions you feel comfortable to answer and click 'Send Survey' when you have finished..

Q1. How easy do you find getting into the building at the surgery ?

Very easy80%

Fairly easy18%

Not very easy0%

Not at all easy0%

Q2. How clean is the GP surgery ?

Always clean86%

Often clean9%

Sometimes clean1%

Rarely clean0%

Not clean0%

Don’t know0%

Q3. In the Reception Area, can other patients overhear what you say to the receptionist?

Yes, but don’t mind63%

Yes and am not happy about it18%

No, other patients can’t overhear12%

Don’t know4%

Q4. How helpful do you find the receptionists at the surgery ?

Always helpful69%

Often helpful20%

Sometimes helpful5%

Rarely helpful1%

Not helpful1%

Q5. How long after your appointment time do you normally wait to be seen?

I Don’t normally have appts at a specific time2%

I am normally seen on time32%

Less than 5 minutes18%

5 to 15 minutes37%

15-30 minutes5%

More than 30 minutes0%

Can’t remember0%

Q6. How do you feel about how long you normally have to wait ?

I Don’t normally have to wait long76%

I have to wait a bit too long17%

I have to wait far too long0%

No opinion/doesn’t apply1%

Q7. How easy did you find filling in this questionnaire?

Very easy88%

Easy6%

Straightforward2%

Difficult0%

Very difficult0%

Q8. Is there anything you think could be done to improve the atmosphere in the Medical Centre? Please give suggestions below.

A bit dull, bulbs could be replaced
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Background music
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Bigger waiting room - more toys or furniture for children
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Childrens toys and magazines
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Could do with updating
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Decorate, things are very outdated. Seating worn/ripped. Improve visual displays/boards and variety of info on offer. Make practice more up to date ie Drs names, stats on missed appointments
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Fine as it is
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Fine as it is.
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I do think the central seating area should be changed. More magazines to read please.
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Is a very nice and pleasant waiting room.
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It really needs updating decoration wise. A more private area for reception would be helpful
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It would be helpful, if when speaking to the rceptionist about a matter they do not wish to be overheard, there was somewhere private the patient could speak.
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It would make a difference if the receptionist wasn't rude and a smile goes a long way.
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Magazines of some sort, there's only so many times you can read a poster.
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Maybe music/radio playing would distract from noticing what is happening at reception. I also feel that there is a lot of notices/information on display, but they are placed near reception, which makes it difficult to read them.
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maybe the reception staff and practice manager could be encouraged to believe they are lucky to have a job and not be surly, rude and down right unpleasant, with the exception of one lady who doesnt work many hours there, the staff are without doubt the most rude,obnoxious group of people i have ever come across.
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More toys for small children
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Most times there is a delay, perhaps some relevant literature or magazines
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Music and smile
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Nice big waiting room
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Nice big waiting room, information provided is very useful
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Nice, plenty of room
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No, think it's fine.
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OK
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Only a small point. I've sometimes been startled by doctor's barking out the next patient's name over the internal speaker system, when they are ready to see them. If this could be made to sound a little more friendly. (It reminds me a bit of "1984" by George Orwell - and a sense of doom falls over me - as if being unwell was not enough.) Also, the person's name spoken is not always clear to me, and I'm left wondering if that was me being called. So, a little less volume, a softer tone and more clarity, would be appreciated.
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Perhaps a television would be a good idea.There are many informative videos that could be giving information to waiting patients.
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perhaps some background music, magazines
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Pleasant surroundings. Useful healthcare information available.
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Provide more toys for a kids play area as they seem to always be impatient
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Radio playing possibly so that less opportunity for others to hear what you say to receptionist.
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Receptionist to greet patients with s smile!! Make eye contact and have a friendly approach. Soft piped music to hid conversation between patients and receptionist.
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Receptionists can be a bit defensive, I know they often have to deal with difficult patients, but sometimes this is made difficult by their responses. I think there should be a charm offensive launched. It's Ok having notices everywhere saying that staff have the right not to be abused, but this works both ways. Signs advancing mutual respect and tolerance might work better
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Repair or replace the torn seats in the reception area. Receptionists could be much more polite, especially when I'm phoning to book urgent appointments with the doctor in the morning, and not speak to you feel like a naughty child because you need to see the doctor rather than the nurse.
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Repair seats. Clean carpets. Remove posters and use a noticeboard instead of the whole of the wallspace
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Seating is old and patched with parcel tape. This gives the impression of lack of importance to reception area and patients
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Some very quiet, relaxing music which did not interfer with the receptionists, but might provvide a calming mood could be helpful. You would want the sound to come from the wall opposite reception and for it to be interupted when the Doctors called for a patient.
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The atmosphere in the Reception Area all depends on who is sat on the Reception desk. Most of the receptionists are effective, friendly and welcoming but there is one in particular who is effecient but can be very defensive when asked any questions. On one occassion I witnessed a patient who was in great pain becoming more destressed and agressive due to the defensiveness of the receptionist. All the patient needed was a little reassurance that her needs would be met by the GP.
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The atmosphere is calm, bright and clean.
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The receptionist could be more friendly
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Very pleasant, except when some patients are rude, loud and aggressive to staff.
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When the staff have the radio playing behind the reception desk, it is only just audible. If it is going to be used it would be nicer to be able to hear it properly! This doesn't mean that I would like it to be loud but there is a difference between hearing it and straining your ears!

Q9. Please give any further comments below.

By and large, I think we have nothing to complain about.
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Difficulty appts by telephone
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Dr Wade has been very useful, great manner
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Easier access to appointments further in advance
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Excellent Drs and staff
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Find it a problem to get an appointment to see your own Doctor. Getting through on the phone can take sometime.
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Friendly, helpful staff
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Getting an appointment has improved but you can still wait 2-3 weeks to see your own GP. I just get the quickest appointment now.
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Happy with the services provided
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Happy with this practice.
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Have found when phoning the surgery on an occasion a particular administrator to be rude and impatient when I had a query regarding a prescription. Others have been very pleasant. There is one? who is rude.
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I am not happy the time you have to wait to get an appointment - over 2 weeks.
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I feel the receptionists show empathy to the patients when they are phoning to make appointments or for enquiries. All the staff show real concern for their patients and that comes over generally.
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I found it a challeneg to find the survey from the front page - rather tha saying follow the link below, you could have said, "Follow the link at the bottom of this page in the center"
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I had to have an ECG a few weeks ago, a lovely lady called Sandra done it for me. She could tell I was VERY anxious so took a lot of time telling me what was going to happen and why, which eased my fears. She was also very good about me maintaining my dignity !!! 10/10 to her :-)
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I have always found one particular receptionist here unco-operative, speaks in a rude manner and very unhelpful.
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I have noticed that a number of GPs have recently left the medical centre. No reasons were given and it has left me wondering what is going on behind the scenes of our surgery. Are GPs finding it difficult to work within our medical centre, if so, why?
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if it wasnt for the fact that the locality is convenient for me, i would have left this practice a long time ago based soley on the fact that reception staff seemed to have heard the negative press that medical receptionists have and taken it to be the industry standard. Awful service, to the extent that the lady with the appalling make up has ignored me to carry out a personal phone call on her mobile phone on one occasion.the practice manager seems to want to pick fights when you complain about them having given your prescription to Boots without you requesting it,instead of apologising for her teams poor administration and lack of attention.
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It is not at all easy to get a follow up appointment within the timescale requested by the GP - can anything be done to alleviate this appointment problem?
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It is totally unacceptable how long you have to wait for an appointment. Fair enough if its an emergency you get seen on the day, otherwise your waiting a month! I know of no other doctors surgeries you have to wait like this
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It would be nice to be able to see the doctor of your choice without having to wait 2-3 weeks.
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Much of the information is too small (print) to read casually - much less/bigger print would be more eyecatching and easier to ready and absorb
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Receptionists are sometimes quite rude when you phone for an appointment.
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Some reception staff are non too helpful. Customer service is not something they are aware of. Conversations at the desk are definitely not private and no attempt is made by staff to lower their voice. On accasions I have overheard other patients conversations and the staff member was being rude and quite discriminatory!!
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Some receptionists are very rude on the phone but most are very good.
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Staff are very good
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Telephone cost a fortune you have to phone about 4 times still don't get answer
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Telephoning is not easy nor is making an appointment to see a doctor
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The biggest problem is getting an appointment via telephone. I've waited an hour on several occasions - more telephone lines may help.
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There could be better use of technology, especially e-mails. I am not suggesting diagnosis by e-mail but a facility to contact by e-mail in both directions would be useful. It would help to send reminders for appointments, as would text message reminders. My dentist does both. It would involve updating patients' records to include their e-mail addresses but this could be done on a gradual basis.
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why can't i get an appointment with MY gp unless i am willing to wait for weeks? when gp requests you come back to see them in two weeks because you are waiting for results prior to treatment, that appointment is never available.
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Will it be possible some time in the future to book appointments on line?I do know of practices where this is an option.
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Would be a good idea to put hand sanitizer near to the screen. I watch 14 patients and not one gelled hands.
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Q10. Are you interested in joining our virtual patient group to advise on patient surveys? If so please complete the joining form on our website -

To help us analyse your answers please tell us a few things about yourself:

Are you male or female?

Male36%

Female52%

What age are you?

Under 160%

17 - 249%

25 - 349%

35 - 4419%

45 - 548%

55 - 6421%

65 - 7413%

75 - 846%

Over 843%

What is the ethnic background with which you most identify? Please tick the box opposite your answer.

White British66%

White Irish1%

Mixed White & Black Caribbean2%

Mixed White & Black African0%

Mixed White & Black Asian0%

Indian5%

Pakistani1%

Bangladeshi0%

Black Caribbean1%

Black African4%

Chinese2%

Other6%

How would you describe how often you come to the practice?

Regularly33%

Occasionally47%

Very Rarely9%

Many thanks for your time in answering the questions on this survey.

Developing an Action Plan

The above results have been published on the website and are also available in the surgery for patients to look at. The PRG were emailed to let them know the results had been published and for their comments. The Patient Forum then met to look at the results and to develop an action plan. This was then emailed to the PRG for their comments. Suggestions for improvement and change were incorporated into the action plan below.

Action Plan

Q1.Access

No issues

Q2.Cleanliness

No issues

Q3.Privacy at Reception

Some patients concerned at being overheard. There is a window area in the corridor where patients can go if they want to speak privately to a member of staff without being overheard.

Action:

  • We will place notices on front desk to make patients aware that they can request more privacy to discuss their issues

Q4.Reception Staff

High percentage of satisfaction with the service provided. However there are some rather negative comments from patients in the comments section and we hope the following will address concerns:

Action:

  • Ongoing customer service training for staff
  • Issues are discussed at team meetings in order to improve services
  • We will promote mutual respect and tolerance

Q5 and 6Appointments – Waiting to be seen

50% of patients are seen within 5 minutes of their appointment time and 42% wait longer. 76% feel they don’t have to wait that long. No actions required at this stage.

Q7.Filling in the questionnaire

No issues

PATIENT COMMENTS

Q8 - Improving atmosphere

Background Music/TV – there is a radio on in the reception area to try and give some background sound. If this is on too loud the receptionists would be unable to hear patients. Suggestions about making it available via the PA system for calling patients in, also suggestions for TV/Videos etc.

Action:

  • Relocate radio
  • For financial reasons it is difficult to make any major changes for music etc in the waiting room. However, this can be discussed with the PCT should capital finance funding become available in the future.
  • We will look at other avenues of sponsorship

Magazines/Toys – unfortunately these are not available due to infection control regulations.

Action:

  • Patients are welcome to bring their own reading material or toys for their children.

Decoration – waiting room underwent refurbishment some years ago – painted, carpet and upholstery replaced. Therefore, is not due for further refurbishment at the present time.

Action:

  • Torn seats will be repaired – this has been organised.

Posters – we try and display as much current health advice and issues as possible. There are always lots of new patients joining the practice so this information will be new to them.

Action:

  • Displays to be reviewed
  • Print to be made larger where possible
  • We will explore opportunities for displaying art work from local schools and involving them in local health campaigns
  • To approach the PCT about going into practices to promote health and well-being

Q8.Further Comments

Appointment Availability

There was a delay in making April appointments available as we were making changes to provide more appointments.

Action:

  • The appointment system will be reviewed regularly to ensure appointments will be available
  • We plan to offer telephone booking and/or online booking of appointments in the future

Doctor Availability