THE BIRCHES PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

Minutes – Thursday 6thApril 2017

Present / Chair Person John Ogle
Practice Manager/Secretary Jan Rogers
Group Members Margaret Ogle
Adrian Koskie
Sylvia Netich
Tracey Bettridge
GP Dr E Lipska
Dr R Lipski
Apologies / Josephine & Michael Roche, Monty Howarth
Minutes of Previous Meeting / Agreed as a true and correct record
Matters Arising / Staff Changes: Now a new GP Partner in place
One of the newly recruited receptionists has
left the practice and returned to her previous
job role. The recruitment process has
commenced again.
Patients not attending for their appointment (DNA)
This month has shown an increase in the number of patients not attending for their appointment. The practice has developed a DNA policy and will write to constant offenders, to see if this helps to reduce the number of missed appointments

The group would like to welcome Tracey Bettridge to the group.

Appointment of a New Partner

Dr Robert Lipski has commenced working at the practice. He commenced on 3rd April 2017.

Aims & Objectives

The aims and objectives of the group were reviewed. It was agreed that they were correct and reflective the groups ethos.

Patient Survey

The group devised a set of 7 questions for the patient survey. It was agreed to limit the questions to 7, as it was felt that the previous questionnaire of 28 questions was rather long. The questions chosen for this years survey were chosen from the areas the practice had scored badly on the previous year. An additional question regarding a patient’s satisfaction with the surgery was also asked, despite the practice scoring highly in previous years.

The survey was handed out the week commencing 13th February 2017. The questionnaires were handed out by reception staff and members of the PPG.

  • 150 questionnaires were handed out
  • 142 questionnaires were returned

The data was analysed by Mr Ogle.

Q1. How helpful do you find the receptionists at our practice? / Receptionists were rated 73% good or better.(5% higher than last year)
This is an improvement from last year and the highest score since 2013
Q2. How easy is it to get through on the telephone? / Telephone access rated at 42% good or better.(3% higher than last year)
This is an improvement from last year, possibly due to the new telephone system
Q3. Do you find it useful being able to speak to a GP on the telephone / Rated 70% good or better.(17% higher than year)
Patients happy with speaking to a GP on the telephone, good way of dealing with test results & medication reviews.
Patients do not have to visit the surgery and a larger practice population can be reached.
Q4. Were you able to see a GP/Nurse within 48 hours? / Rated 43% good or better.(4% higher than last year)
Next year, to make this question into 2 separate questions, as it was felt it was not an accurate representation.
Q5. Were you able to see a practitioner of your choice? / Rated 55% good or better (15%higher than last year)
Offering more telephone consultations, therefore not as many patients requesting an appointment
Q6.Length of time waiting in the practice / Rated 43% good or better (2% less than last year)
This may be due to patients having more complex cases and having to consult with the GP for longer.
Possibly due to GP/Nurse not commencing surgery/clinic on time, this creates a delay in patients seeing the GP or Nurse.
Q7. Your overall satisfaction with the practice / Rated 70% good or better (6% higher than last year)
In the previous year this score was based on an average of the total of the scores for each question rather than as a specific question.

The calculations for the questions were worked out as near as possible to the previous survey. The same calculation was used to achieve the 2016/2017 results, as was used for the 2015/2016 survey.

Using the calculation to ascertain a comparison for the questions asked in this years survey, the following result was achieved:

  • 2015/201664% achieved
  • 2016/201769% achieved

Comments

A patient felt they should have been notified of their blood test result, as a GP appointment was required. The patient has to ring the surgery for the result.

Normally the patient is informed by the Healthcare Assistant to contact the surgery

If the test result is urgent the patient would be contacted the same day

Action Plan

Test Results / To review the system of informing patients
Telephone System / To look into the cost of providing an extra telephone line
Waiting Time in Surgery / To include some “catch-up” slots on the appointment system and audit the result
To audit the start time of surgeries and clinics
See a GP/Nurse within 48 hours / To devise a separate question for the GP and Practice Nurse

CQC Inspection

The practice is being inspected on Tuesday11th April 2017 between 9.00am – 5.00pm.

Mr Ogle and Mr Koskie have volunteered to speak to the CQC Inspectors at approximately 1.00pm. This is due to a request from the CQC to speak to members of the PPG.

The Inspectors also wish to speak to patients, GPs, Practice Nurses, Practice Manager and reception staff.

Any Other Business

None

Date of Next MeetingThursday 29th June 2017 at 1.30pm