Patient Experience Questionnaire Review

Palfrey Health Centre

Practice / Palfrey Health Centre
Milton House
151 Wednesbury Road
Walsall
WS1 4JQ
Practice Patient Experience lead / Mr Obaid Siddiq & Dr S Siddiq
Date of Review / 22.02.16
Type of Questionnaire completed / Version – GPAQ V2
Type – Consultation
Number of questionnaires returned to practice: 160 (2.4 WTE GPs/ 1 Session ANP)
Practice list size: 4300

1. Survey Results

Persons present for review

Name / Position
Mr Obaid Siddiq
Dr Sohaib Siddiq
Dr Amina Ahmed
NB: Patient Participation Group presented report on 4.4.16 / Practice Business Manager
Principal GP
GP Partner
Summary of this year’s survey findings / Satisfaction with Reception staff (Q1)
A survey score of 80 was achieved which was above the benchmark figure of 77.
Following the disruption to reception staffing three years ago, we have now reached a steady complement of staff who are committed and enthusiastic, which was further backed up during the practice CQC visit and feedback in September 2013.
We have developed a good working partnership with the local Job Centre and Walsall College, which has enabled us to participate in the ‘Walsall Works’ Apprenticeship Scheme. This has enabled 3 staff members to be supported over 12 months on work based training programmes relating to Customer Services and Administration, over the past 3 years.
NB: Recruitment of staff with GP practice experience has proven difficult with the additional requirement to offer a second language i.e. Urdu, Punjabi or Bengali. This is an on-going issue which is unlikely to be resolved in the foreseeable future as the large majority of patients do not have English as their first language.
Staff appraisal is used to identify areas of skills mix and knowledge where additional support and training is required by staff. Staff are offered ‘protected time’ for training, Online modular training and identified off site training courses as a part of development.
Satisfaction with appointments system (Q 2,3)
A score of 67 for satisfaction with seeing a particular GP (Q2b) and 79 for satisfaction with being able to see any GP (Q3b) compared with benchmarks of 60 and 69 respectively (2014/15 survey result = 63 and 75).
There are a range of appointments available – both patient based and triaged. Patient choice has been improved by allowing female patients preferential access to the female ANP/GP, same day, 24/48 hour in advance appointments and extended opening as well as ‘fast track’ clinics in the Winter season for young children and babies. GP/ANP sessions have also been reallocated to specific days/times in the week to meet patient demand. We have also offered online access to appointments/prescription requests, which will hopefully increase over time and further improve access.
Although the practice has recruited an ANP (and previous to this locum GPs), patients have historically preferred to see Dr S Siddiq or Dr N Bashir due to the trusting relationship they had developed with them. Dr Bashir chose to leave the Partnership in April 2014 after seven years of service to the Practice. Since his departure, the Practice has worked very hard to recruit a long-term replacement. Dr Mudassar Majid was appointed on 03.02.15 in a salaried capacity. The Practice will also be appointing another salaried GP (Dr M Akbar) in April of this year. The practice is confident that over time patients will develop a similar relationship with the newer members of the team with the view to providing additional sessions/capacity in the future. As a result satisfaction will continue to improve.
Satisfaction with Telephone Access (Q4)
A mean score of 68 was achieved for patient satisfaction with phoning through to the practice, which is above the benchmark figure of 59. There are periods in any week day when call rates will peak e.g. 8am – 9am and during triage times. The practice phones are manned by two reception staff throughout the day from 8am – 6.30pm (Mon- Thurs) and Fri (8am – 12pm) to reflect the demand to answer calls. As patients main mode of contact with the GP practice is by telephone (with limited contact at the reception desk or online booking system) this places an unusual level of demand upon the current telephony system (with up to 100-130 calls per day).
Satisfaction with being able to speak with a doctor over the telephone achieved a mean score of 72. A doctor is available to take calls twice daily for a total period of 2 hours with up to 25 - 30 calls being handled during this period. This is an extremely popular service used by patients providing flexibility and access to medical care. This service does experience at certain times of the year long wait times for patients on the telephone due to the demand and also complex nature of calls being handled by the GP. The service is also used inappropriately at times by patients which results in additional demand.
The current system has been in place for eight years and was setup to offer patient call activity at specific times in the day without this activity impacting upon other clinical commitments in the day. Previously to this the practice GPs experienced patient calls throughout the day which impacted upon patient clinics.
The practice has also changed its telephone number from 0844 to a 01922 code, to reflect patient’s views and also make this service more accessible.
A Third Party telephony provider has been contracted in to provide technical support and identify areas of the telephone system that can be upgraded/ maximised to improve the telephone experience for patients.
Note: The GPs will also see a high level of minor ailments (particularly during the Winter period). The practice has made efforts to re-educate the patient population to self-manage their illness/es more effectively but also by using the Pharmacy First Scheme (where appropriate). This has helped to free up additional appointment slots to increase capacity as well as begin to reduce telephone demand. This is an ongoing process to support the practice to reduce inappropriate usage of limited resources.
Satisfaction with the Doctor – Patient Interaction (Q5,6)
The mean scores achieved for question 5 compare favourably to the national benchmarks and the 2014/15 survey results. This is a reflection of:
1) The experience, knowledge and skills of the clinical team.
2) A sound understanding of the social, cultural and language needs of the population. Although the practice encourages patients to communicate in English, we can accommodate for five foreign languages and we feel this is very important to our patients.
3) Introduction of translator service for the duration of clinics with members of staff who consult solely in English – e.g. Practice nurse / ANP.
4) Clinical staff spending more time with patients during consultation (where there is a justified need).
Patient confidence with regards to understanding of illness after the consultation was favourable – score of 81. Patients were also confident about coping with illness and keeping healthy when compared to the benchmark (scores of 77 and 69 respectively) – we feel this is dependent on social, cultural and economic factors as well as the discussion that occurs during the consultation with the GP which together influences the patient’s ability to manage their condition.
To support patients in the understanding of their medical condition/s and health in general, the practice has made:
- health promotional material readily available for patients in paper format and in alternative languages (where available).
- referral where appropriate to health trainer service, smoking cessation service, in house mental health nurse and diabetes nurse services.
Action / Responsibility of: / To be completed by (date) / Date completed
Patient Education
Further development of health educational material and practice information – Review of material in alternative languages and format of delivery i.e. audio visual recordings for patient waiting room. / Obaid Siddiq & PPG members / On-going & dependent upon funding sources
Improving Access to practice services
Reduction of DNA Rate
- Implementation of robust policies
- raise patient awareness
- Implementation of mobile text reminder system
- Reception staff - appointment ‘call reminder’
Review of Telephone system
- Utilise telephone audit data to determine demand upon system through any one day. Determine most appropriate and cost effective solution to current/future telephony system usage.
Implementation of relevant new technologies
- Online appointment booking & Prescription service
Increase uptake of Pharmacy First scheme usage
Designated Clinics (‘fast track’) for identified patient groups. Increase appt capacity and reduce A/E attendance. For example: Over 75’s clinics. / Obaid Siddiq & GP Partners
Obaid Siddiq/ GP Partner/
Reception team/Telephony providers
Obaid Siddiq
Obaid Siddiq/ Reception Team
Obaid Siddiq/ GP Partners / Review after 12 months (Audit data indicates reduction in DNA by up to 20-30% on monthly basis for GP/nurse appt’s)
3rd Party Telephony support company providing audit and technical support
Online system is being implemented (Uptake > 554 users – 40 active users)
Review after 12 months (Uptake currently 2331 users)
On-going & dependent upon funding sources / On-going monitoring
On-going monitoring
On-going monitoring
On-going monitoring
On-going monitoring
Multi Skilled Team - Building capacity
Identifying appropriate training needs via staff appraisal for clinical and non-clinical staff. Develop skills mix. / Obaid Siddiq/ GP Partners/ Training providers / Review after 12 months (Protected learning time/ Practice meetings/Individual staff targets) / On-going monitoring

Specific actions to be taken as priorities following 15/16 survey

How have you communicated the findings of the survey to patients: (please give details)

The findings of the survey will be communicated to patients by;
1) Information posters displayed in waiting rooms – By March 2016
2) Presentation of findings to Practice Patient Group – March 2016