Results of Patient Survey 2013

On 31st October 2012 the Patient Reference group (PRG) were emailed and asked to suggest questions to go into a questionnaire. A poster was also displayed in the waiting room asking for questions to be placed in the comments/ suggestion box on the reception desk. This ensured that patients without internet access could also input into the survey. The closing date for suggestions was 16th November 2012.

Specific questions were not identified by any patient but patients (both on the PRG and PPG) suggested that we look at how the new patients from the Swallowbeck Surgery viewed our service initially.

The practice has recently taken on 1500 new patients from the Swallowbeck surgery which had closed due to their GPs retiring. This has resulted in the practice having a large number of patients who had not previously experienced our services. These patients did not want to leave their current practice and so the PRG suggested we ask them if they were happy with the service.

The first question was used to check if the patient had moved to us from Swallowbeck and we then asked just these patients if they had used the service and if so if they were happy with it.

The rest of the questionnaire was completed by all patients and looked at the same areas as last year to see if improvements had been made over the year. This again was a suggestion from the PRG. The priority areas identified were general communication in a number of areas ie use of the online booking system and use of texting appointment reminders to cut DNA’s. Two open questions were asked where patients had the opportunity to state what the practice did well and what they could improve to identify if a pattern emerged. The questions were agreed and trialled on the PPG.

The practice had already started to collect names from patients joining from the Swallowbeck Surgery who would be happy to help with questionnaires and their names were added to those patients already on our list from last year. To recruit people to this group, posters were placed in the waiting area, a flyer was added to prescriptions and notification of the group added to all new patient registration packs. On the 25th February 2013 the practice has 298 patients on its PRG out of a list size of 8712. The practice has taken care to ensure this list is representative of its practice population directly approaching patients who fall into categories not represented such as ethnicity other than White British or young patients.

Type of patients on the reference group

Age of patients on PRG

In December 2012 patients on the PRG were contacted and asked to complete the questionnaire. The number of returns was very low (17). In January and February 2012 the questionnaire was resent and additional patients were asked in the waiting room to ensure a full range of patients were approached and the return was reflective of the patients on the practice list. To date the practice has 180 returns.

Type of patient who filled in the Questionnaire

Sex of patients who returned the questionnaire

Age of patient completing the questionnaire

Does the patient have a long term condition

Results of Questionnaire

The Questions asked have been typed in bold

1. The Practice has recently taken on 1500 new patients following the closure of the Swallowbeck Surgery. Have you joined the practice in the last 3 months?

This question was asked to identify how many of the patients completing the questionnaire were new patients to The Richmond Medical Centre having joined from the Swallowbeck Surgery within the past 3 months. This helps the surgery to find out if these patients have a time limited experience of the Richmond Practice.

This demonstrates that although the practice has only taken on 1500 patients and currently has a list size of 8712 the percentage of patients who completed the survey having just joined the practice was higher than expected. This is likely to be because all new patients who joined the practice were asked if they would join a PRG and a higher than average number have agreed.

If so have you had to use the Richmond Surgery yet?

This demonstrates that a high percentage of patients who had completed the questionnaire had already used the service and so could comment on the standard of service they had received

Was the service you received to the standard you expected?

Only three people had not received the standard of care they had expected. This was a surprise to the practice as we expected this figure to be significantly higher as these patients had joined us all at the same time. Staff had been stretched to the limit with us taking on more new patients in one day than we had previously experienced in two months. This growth went on for three months. This had also impacted onto appointment availability and repeat medication requests which had suddenly increased dramatically.

The questionnaire then asked further questions to all patients regardless as to whether they had just joined the practice or not

How do you currently book your appointments and order repeat medication?

This question was asked to ascertain how patients currently book their appointment and order repeat medication. We have run appointment booking and repeat prescription request online for approximately 6 years. The practice felt they had a higher than average number of patients booking online and currently add information regarding this service to all new patient registration packs. We had data from the questionnaire last year to compare with and to see if any improvement had been made

How would you like to book your appointments and order repeat medication?


This question was asked to see if everyone was happy with how they book their appointment. It is clear to see that a large number of patients currently come into the surgery, and more telephone, in order to book appointments or order repeat medication. The number of patients using the online facility has increased from last year. This facility was publicised more following the last survey and it had obviously worked as the difference between how patients book their appointments and how they would like to book them has narrowed significantly. There are still a number of patients who would like to book on line but who telephone the surgery as they are not aware online booking is available.

4. The practice currently offers a text reminder service where a text is sent to your mobile phone to remind you that you have an appointment the next day. Have you sign up to use it?

The practice started offering this service after the last PRG survey. The PRG wanted to know if the service was being used to its full potential to cut the number of patients who do not attend

Do you currently use the text reminder service?

This shows that in the past year over 25% of patients who completed the questionnaire have started using the text reminder service

Would you like to sign up to receive text messages?

This however shows that there is a large section of the practice list who would like to use the service but have not yet signed up to it.

5. The Practice has just started a system whereby the doctor will phone all patients who request an appointment to be seen the same day (This is called GP triage). Advanced appointments are still available to book up to two weeks in advance. Have you used this service?

The Practice has been running GP triage system for approximately 5 months and the patients wanted to know how successful this had been at reducing the number of appointments.

Have you used the GP triage system?

If you have used the system did you still need an appointment after you had received your phone call from the GP

This shows that out of the 88 that used the triage system only 53 needed an appointment.

Please describe in no more than 20 words what you feel the practice does well

This area was left for patients to let us know what was going well. Last year we shortened the comments but were made aware that this could leave them open to change. For this reason the comments below are as given by the patient but they have been grouped into like comments to see if there is a pattern. Multiple comments have been listed as requested last year.

General comments

Most times everything is fine

Pleased with the way it is run

Very well organised surgery

Most things

Efficient and well organised yet still personal and friendly

Pleased with all aspects

Good online facilities

Friendliness all round

The practice works very well.

First class service and help always

Can not comment as not been with surgery that long

I find your practice to be really good at preventative medicine, every other practice I have been with only waited until something went wrong

The use of technology for instance being able to book appointments and prescriptions online is a major advance and improvement

Since I have joined the service I have not required its services so not able to comment at the moment

Recognises priority of care/Takes a genuine long term interest in the good health of their patients/ Good team work linking different elements of practice staff and liaison with agencies outside the practice

As a family we are extremely satisfied with the service we receive from this practice. We have been patients for nearly 30 years. We feel the practice is continually trying to improve its service. I look after service users with learning disabilities who are registered here and they are always looked after well and treated fairly

everything

Everything about the practice has always been satisfactory

Always kind and polite

Always keep me up to date with my bloods and other checks

I am satisfied with my treatment

Repeat prescriptions sent to the chemist of choice is a lot easier

All the contact I have made seems well organised and professional

The doctors, nurses and staff have been helpful

Team always very professional

Patient care seems to be good

Deals with you as an individual patient, listens to your queries or worries, great at getting prescriptions ready on time

Manages to accommodate all my familys needs so far

Very helpful and well organised

First time of using the practice but seems very nice

Easy to order prescriptions and pick them up from Chemist of choice

Professional and friendly service

Look after old people very well always smiling and happy

Patient Care

A great improvement when ordering repeat prescriptions - thank you

Very helpful with holiday prescriptions

Patient Care

The use of technology ie being able to book appointments and prescriptions online is a major advantage and improvement

Only just joined practice so no comment

The text reminder, online prescriptions and online appointments are very good

Good clear information given

Exploring new ways of working to improve access and tackle issues of waiting time ie offering online services and the self booking system

Able to book appointments on line very useful

As a new pateint I am extremely pleased with all aspects that I have experience so far

New patient but favourable first impressions

Creates a welcoming ambience from reception through to the doctors

Provides an uncomplicated system for booking in

Completely satisfied with the service provided

No complaints

Only seen midwife and had injections but all good

Deals sympathetically with problems

Everything

Helpful

The practice is always clean and any problems are dealt with promptly (looks nice now painted)

Being able to discuss your problem over the telephone first saves any unnecessary appointments being wasted

I feel I am looked after really well

Only used the surgery twice but on both occasions I felt reassured and listened to

You look after me well

Very reliable and helpful

Blood tests and referrals seem to be expedient

Everyone puts you at ease and nothing is too much trouble

Very good service so far

The practice has always been very helpful and friendly

Everything

The present system of working with the receptionists , doctors and nurses all seem very satisfactory to me

Triage

Triage helps to decide if someone needs seeing or not making it easier and saves wasting time and appointments

Triage works well - call back rather than saying no appointments is excellent

Triage is a very successful system

My Triage call did not feel rushed / great experience

We think the GP triage service is fantastic for patients who otherwise might be frustrated if there are no "same day" appointments.

Triage brilliant

I like the triage system - it saves time and I like being able to book my appointments online

Triage worked really well

Triage works well

Triage system much better

Triage

Triage system seems good

Really liked the triage system it meant I did not lose a days pay to be seen

Appointments

My experience so far has been very good - I have managed to get appointments when I need them and when a call back is necessary this has been done promptly

Very quick responses good access to appointments etc

It does try to get you to see a GP the same say

I have been with the practice over 20 years. I always manage to get an appointment but it could be frustrating to get through at 8:10 and find all appointments have gone.

Telephone consultations

Evening appointments

Urgent appointments are always made available when necessary.

Like that I can make appointments and order repeat prescriptions online

Not too long to wait to see GP

I love the online booking but have not signed up to texts yet. Online you can choose your time and doctor although some doctors do have a wait time. Morning appointments are not good for me. Check in is good