PRACTICE ACTION PLAN : Improving Communication and Information (Again)

PRACTICE ACTION PLAN : “Improving communication and information “ (again)

Last year we said we would improve communication and information as it was agreed that the practice provides a very good service but unfortunately patients may not be aware of some of the services offered.

Some examples: we started a Newsletter with current information, opening hours and how to book an appointment. We put up signs at the entrance doors and reception to make patients aware of the possibility of pre-booking an appointment up to 6 weeks in advance (also on Newsletter). Extended hours are advertised in the Newsletter, website and panel outside the surgery. Information about prescriptions on line is in reception, pick up cards are available in the waiting rooms, notes on scripts, …

Despite all, one of the main problems still seems to be a lack of information and perhaps how we communicate that information to our patients.

We decided that this year we are going to continue focusing on addressing these issues. Doing so will ensure more patients are aware of the services we provide and how to access them. This will have an impact on their care and in their general satisfaction with the practice. Hopefully it will also help to attract more members for the group and will encourage more patients to provide opinions and comments.

SPECIFIC POINTS RELATED TO THE SURVEY RESULTS

1.  DEMOGRAPHICS:

We are still struggling to get young people to complete the survey. We have done much better regarding ethnicity and achieving a more representative sample in each surgery, especially at MS.

2.  SATISFACTION WITH OPENING HOURS, TRIAGE AND BOOKING APPOINTMENTS IN ADVANCE:

-  We felt patients may not be aware of our opening hours and that we are already offering late opening 4 days a week (44.6% don’t know we offer extended hours). 54.6% of patients would like additional opening hours, 39.4% of them would like the surgery to open late, which we are already doing. This needs to be promoted so that more of our patients are aware and can utilise this service.

-  We felt that patients were still not aware of their options when booking an appointment. It should be better publicised as to when and how to use triage and also of the option of pre-booking an appointment as 58% still don’t know they can do this.

-  Receptionists should be clearer about this when the patient phones to ask for an appointment.

-  Advantages of triage, opening hours , extended hours and the possibility of pre-booking an appointment should be publicised in a newsletter and on the website.

3.  GETTING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE GP OF YOUR CHOICE:

-  Any special interests or skills should be advertised.

-  Getting to see the preferred GP for a routine problem or a review is easier if the patient asks for a routine appointment (it can be pre-booked up to 6 weeks in advance). Not everyone needs an appointment on the same day. Again, patients need to know about the possibility of booking appointments in advance.

-  Many patients still don’t know which doctors are regular at the surgery and when they work etc. This needs to be publicised better.

4.  NURSES:

-  About half of the patients find it difficult or very difficult seeing the nurse for a chronic condition check up. We are considering the employment of a Nurse Practitioner.

-  More than half of the patients find it difficult or very difficult to get an appointment for a blood test. It needs to be made clear to them that if there is a long wait for an appointment at the surgery they can attend one of the hospitals to have their blood taken if they wish. This needs to be publicised and patients should also be made aware by reception staff.

5.  MISCELLANEOUS:

-  33.2% of our patients still don’t know we have a website.

-  50.3% of our patients still don’t know they can request repeat prescriptions online.

-  69.3% don’t know they can view their medical record and cancel appointment online.

-  61.8% still don’t know about the PRG.

-  All this needs to be better advertised.

6.  POSITIVE COMMENTS: These need to be displayed in order to encourage staff and improve morale. Notifications to be sent when these are received and perhaps talk about them at the next in-house TARGET meeting.

7.  NEGATIVE COMMENTS: The repeated negative comments were about the following:

-  Lack of parking at Harrogate Road: this is due solely to lack of space and unfortunately there is little we can do at present. This is a matter for the future.

-  Premises: the need for more privacy in reception and waiting rooms, mainly due to layout of the building. Hopefully it will improve in future if we are able to obtain more space; we would then also hope to provide additional services.

-  Notice boards and walls; these are crowded and information repeated. We try but it is not easy to find the time to keep them up to date.

-  Dealing with reception can be difficult sometimes, in person and over the phone. This is something that can be discussed at staff meetings. I will let the HR partner know.

-  Getting through on the phones can be difficult. We are in the process of updating the telephone system, so hopefully this will begin to improve shortly.

-  Waiting too long to be seen. Unfortunately there is little we can do about this. Sometimes we face unexpected problems or very complex patients and that can make us late. We can only apologise when this happens.

-  The name of the doctor whom you are going to see. The receptionist should tell you this when you book an appointment. Information about the doctors should be displayed.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION?

1.  WEBSITE: this is a powerful tool that we should use to a greater extent than now.

-  Ensure it is kept up to date. Look at a new design which is more attractive to patients.

-  Updated practice leaflet: include a downloadable PDF.

-  Virtual notice board: make it more noticeable and include up to date information regarding the PRG (see details below), use it to publicise any seasonal campaign such as flu injections or the practice newsletter (see details below).

-  Information about the PRG: include an explanation of what it is, why it exists, rules of the group, expectations and the difference between virtual and face to face group. Keep it updated with the agenda for the next meeting, with an invitation to join in, and with the minutes of meetings. Also include the latest survey results, Action Plan and Local Patient Participation Report.

2.  NOTICE BOARDS:

-  Notice board exclusively dedicated to PRG: ensure it is not used for anything else. Include information as outlined above.

-  Notice board in waiting rooms: try to keep them tidy and only use up to date information. Rotate posters so that regular patients don’t get bored seeing the same subjects again and again, and then perhaps they will pay more attention to the information displayed.

3.  PRACTICE LEAFLET: Keep it up to date. Make it available in the reception area to “take away” and also on the notice board and practice website.

4.  TEXT MESSAGES: according to the survey it is the preferred method of patients by which to receive information from the Practice. Try to use it more often; for example, this year we have used it to improve the uptake of flu vaccination and to inform patients about the online survey.

5.  NEWSLETTER: We’ll produce one twice a year. The newsletter will be available from reception and also from the website.

We agreed the next one (due end of March or beginning of April) should focus on “Did you know you can…?”. This will give clear and to the point information about what patients can do and what they might not know, such as booking an appointment up to 6 weeks in advance, requesting scripts online etc. This specific newsletter will be handed out by doctors and nurses during a period of 3 to 6 months (yet to be decided) to all the patients who are seen; hopefully ensuring this information reaches the greatest number of patients.

6.  FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION ABOUT RECEPTIONISTS, NURSES, DOCTORS AND THE PRACTICE

-  To send notifications to doctors, nurses and receptionists to let them know about the positive and negative comments made by the patients.

-  To discuss these comments, perhaps at an in-house TARGET meeting, and make the HR Partner aware so that they can be discussed at the next Staff Meeting.

-  To discuss at the next business meeting the possibility of putting up a poster at the entrance with the names and pictures of all the receptionists, nurses and regular doctors. To also discuss the matter of receptionists wearing name badges and regular doctors and nurses using their nameplates on consulting room doors.

-  Ensure there is up to date information about all the regular doctors on the website, the practice leaflet and the next Newsletter: where and when they are working, if female or male, if any special skill, and if they speak other languages etc.