DR STEPHENSON AND PARTNERS

FRIENDS AND FAMILY NOVEMBER2017

Thank you to all who participate in this survey. The feedback helps us review the service provided to you.

June Pace, Practice Manager

505 surveys returned (Paper and electronic via MJOG)

QUESTION ASKED: How likely are you to recommend our GP Practice to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment

RESULTS

Extremely Likely351

Likely98

Neither Likely or unlikely21

Unlikely17

Extremely Unlikely15

Don’t Know3

89% of those patients who replied to our Friends and Family testare likely or extremely likely to recommend our practice to their friends or family. 5% were undecided. 6% would not recommend our practice.

COMMENTS MADE ON SURVEY why a patient would recommend the practice

  • Very pleased
  • Always polite and cheerful, efficient and friendly staff. No problems getting appointments, may not be with my preferred choice of GP but never had to wait weeks as some say.
  • The staff are very helpful and if they can make things easier they will.
  • Polite attentive treatment – no problems
  • Efficient services, friendly staff
  • Good quality, efficient support and care
  • Very happy with service offered
  • I have been with this practices for a long time so I got my family to come here as well
  • Staff are all very friendly
  • Very good friendly service. No problems in the past 20 years or so. Many thanks.
  • Staff very helpful and friendly. Easy to follow appointment check in
  • Staff very friendly and professional. Surgery always clean and warm
  • On time appointment. Polite and courteous. Treatment good and explanation of symptoms
  • Most helpful at all times
  • Happy with service
  • A good service is provided by all staff
  • Happy with service
  • It’s a good service and I am very happy with it
  • Doctors always professional family service rom reception staff. Phone lines can be a nightmare but other than this all other standards are high
  • Very happy with service
  • I find I can always get an appointment so have no issues. Everyone at the practice is always helpful
  • Great service, friendly and helpful staff
  • Lovely staff, always helpful even when very busy
  • Nice girls, good doctors

Negative comments – As survey is anonymous, if anyone has a particular problem please make an appointment to see Practice Manager, June, so that she can look into issues personally and provide explanation

Cannot always get an appointment to suit me

Kept waiting for a receptionist

TELEPHONES

There are peak times at the practice when the phones are busy. 8.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. is a very busy time and between 12.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. (Prescriptions) If your query can wait try to avoid these peak times.

APPOINTMENTS

Please be informed that appointments open up every day for different GPs to be fair to all. If you are seeing a GP for a certain problem the GP will book you a follow up or ask you to take a slip to reception to ensure continuity. Some of our senior GPs have retired and come back to the surgery on reduced working therefore you may not be able to see a GP that you have seen over the years due to this. We employ excellent GPs and it may be necessary for you to consult with another GP so that you have a choice when booking an appointment. We are constantly reviewing our appointment system. We have appointments from 7.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. each day and within the Washington locality there is an extended hours service from 6.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. at the Galleries Health Centre that is offered from local Washington GPs. Very Important – our appointment system allows for anyone who is ill on the day to be seen. No one is turned away. Please let our reception team know if you cannot wait for the next routine appointment.

PRESCRIPTIONS

Due to introducing on-line prescriptions a lot of surgeries have removed their telephone request lines. As a practice, we decided not to do this to give patients flexibility. The request line is open 2 hours per day so that the prescription clerk can deal with the on-line requests too. Please allow plenty of time to request your prescription so that it does not become urgent and if you can use on-line facility please do so, so that those that definitely cannot use on-line have easier access.

You may have read in the news the demand on GP surgeries is ever increasing. We need to work together, patients and practice to try to alleviate some of the unnecessary demand. We have introduced new ways of freeing up resources, using the check in system at the surgery leaves the receptionist free to answer a patient’s telephone call, using on-line leaves the phones lines free for the person who cannot use on-line, speaking to pharmacists before making an appointment to see if they can offer you help/medication for simple problems are some of the ways we can help the pressure on appointments. – Staff are always happy to help with on-line access or any other issue.

Thank you for all the above comments and as always these will be discussed at our patient forum . I appreciate the time taken to help keep us informed on the service we deliver. June Pace, Practice Manager