Beech Grove Medical Practice
Local Patient Participation Report 2012/2013
Introduction
Beech Grove Medical Practice had not had a Patient Reference Group (PRG) until 2011, when we decided to set one up in preparation for the Patient Participation DES. This was with the eventual aim to ensure that our patients are as involved as possible in decisions which may lead to changes in the way we provide services in the future.
During the last 12 months we have managed to expand the number of patients in our PRG to 26, which we feel is more representative of our patient demographic. We continue to advertise the PRG on the practice website, and invite new members to sign up.
In order to make the group as inclusive as possible we also reached out to those patients who may not have access to a computer, and invited them to contribute to the PRG by way of a suggestion box and slips to complete in the waiting room.
Whilst we are aware that our PRG is still not wholly representative of our practice demographic, we were very active in attempting to recruit patients from minority groups. For reasons that we will continue to explore and address, those groups did not join in the numbers anticipated. We continue to collect information regarding ethnicity to ensure that we can make comparison between our practice population as a whole, and the ethnic mix of our PRG. In future years we are confident that our efforts to improve representation of minority groups will be successful.
Agreeing areas of priority with the PRG
We contacted our virtual PRG by email and explained that we were planning our annual patient survey. We asked them what they thought were the most important issues regarding the practice that they would like the wider practice population to be surveyed on. For example, clinical care, getting an appointment, reception issues, opening times, parking and so on. We also printed the same invitation to provide comments on slips which were placed in the waiting room and at reception, so that patients without computer access were not excluded.
We used the PRG feedback, as well as any suggestions that had been submitted over the course of the year, to develop the annual practice survey. This year the areas highlighted to explore further with the survey were
- Appointments – extended hours surgeries for those who work
- Telephone access especially during busy periods
- The waiting room facilities
The Annual Patient Survey
We collated all the comments submitted and composed the survey based on the common themes. These broadly fell into the following categories
Communication with the practice
Opening Hours
Appointments
Overall Satisfaction
Information regarding the patient's age, gender, employment, ethnicity and religion was also collected.
The survey was published as an interactive questionnaire on the practice website and also in paper format given to patients upon arrival for their appointment at the surgery or opportunistically by the practice manager.
The survey was carried out in November 2012.
PPG & Survey Results Report
Patient Reference Group
The patient group comprises 26 members
Distribution Details
Attendance/ Gender
Ethnicity
/ Age
Survey Results
Patient Survey 2012
Number of Responses: 163
Dear Patient,
We have recently been asking patients for their comments and suggestions of ways to improve the practice. We would be grateful if you would take a few minutes of your time to complete a survey based on those comments.
COMMUNICATION
Q1. Looking at awareness of how the practice contacts its patients, did you know?
We send text messages if we have your details
Yes71%
No26%
No response3%
We put information on the website
Yes70%
No27%
No response3%
You can request your repeat medication online
Yes82%
No15%
No response3%
Q2. Looking at improving communication between the practice and its patients, how likely are you to respond to?
A text message being sent to you
Never9%
Not very likely6%
Moderately likely8%
Very likely29%
Extremely likely44%
No response4%
Information being put on the website
Never9%
Not very likely19%
Moderately likely36%
Very likely21%
Extremely likely9%
No response6%
Information being left in the surgery
Never8%
Not very likely23%
Moderately likely38%
Very likely23%
Extremely likely3%
No response5%
Information being put on the electronic touchscreen in the waiting room
Never10%
Not very likely20%
Moderately likely28%
Very likely26%
Extremely likely10%
No response6%
Q3. How would you like to hear about practice developments? (You can choose more than one)
Text message39%
Email68%
Website20%
Newsletter23%
Waiting room touchscreen12%
Not interested3%
Other1%
OPENING HOURS
Q4. How satisfied are you with the opening hours at the surgery?
Very51%
Fairly28%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied8%
Quite dissatisfied2%
Don't know opening hours7%
No response4%
Q5. As far as you know is the surgery open.... Please put a tick in each row
Before 8am?
Yes11%
No42%
Sometimes22%
Don't know21%
No response4%
At lunchtime?
Yes34%
No34%
Sometimes4%
Don't know23%
No response5%
After 6.30pm?
Yes17%
No26%
Sometimes30%
Don't know23%
No response4%
On Saturdays?
Yes3%
No67%
Sometimes4%
Don't know21%
No response5%
On Sundays?
Yes0%
No79%
Sometimes0%
Don't know13%
No response8%
Q6. Would you like the surgery open at additional times?
Yes50%
No44%
No response6%
APPOINTMENTS
Q7. When did you last see a Doctor at the GP surgery?
In the past 3 months60%
Between 3 and 6 months ago22%
More than 6 months ago16%
I have never been seen at my present GP surgery0%
No response2%
Q8. If you haven't seen a doctor in the past 6 months, why is that? Please tick all that apply
I haven't needed to see a doctor22%
I couldn't be seen at a convenient time2%
I couldn't get to my appointment easily0%
I didn't like or trust the doctors0%
Another reason0%
Thinking of times when you want to see a particular doctor:
Q9. How quickly do you usually get seen?
Same day or next day19%
2-4 days55%
5 days or more11%
I don't usually need to be seen quickly8%
Don't know, never tried4%
No response3%
Q10. How do you rate this?
Excellent16%
Very good28%
Good26%
Fair13%
Poor6%
Very poor0%
Does not apply4%
No response7%
Thinking of times when you are willing to see any doctor: (tick one box only)
Q11. How quickly do you usually get seen?
Same day or next day38%
2-4 days43%
5 days or more3%
I don't usually need to be seen quickly7%
Don't know, never tried5%
No response4%
Q12. How do you rate this?
Excellent28%
Very good22%
Good19%
Fair14%
Poor3%
Very poor0%
Does not apply6%
No response8%
Q13. If you need to see a GP urgently can you normally get an appointment for the same day?
Yes56%
No12%
Don't know/never necessary30%
No response2%
Q14. How do you rate this?
Excellent35%
Very good16%
Good4%
Fair4%
Poor6%
Very poor1%
Does not apply21%
No response13%
ARRIVING FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
Q15. In the Reception Area, can other patients overhear what you say to the Receptionist?
Yes, but don't mind53%
Yes and I am not happy about it15%
No other patients can't overhear12%
Don't know16%
No response4%
Q16. How helpful do you find the Receptionists at the Surgery?
Very80%
Fairly16%
Not very1%
Not at all0%
No response3%
YOUR OVERALL SATISFACTION
Q17. In general, how satisfied are you with the care you get at the Surgery?
Very76%
Fairly20%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied0%
Quite dissatisfied1%
Very dissatisfied0%
No response3%
Q18. Would you recommend the Surgery to someone who has just moved to your local area?
Yes85%
Might7%
Not sure2%
Probably not1%
Definitely not0%
Don't know0%
No response5%
SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU
The following questions will help us to see how experiences vary between different groups of the population. We will keep your answers completely confidential.
Q19. Are you male or female?
Male46%
Female52%
No response2%
Q20. How old are you?
Under 180%
18-241%
25-348%
35-4413%
45-5417%
55-6423%
65-7423%
75-849%
85 and over0%
No response6%
Q21. Which of these best describes what you are doing at present? If more than one of these applies, please tick the main one ONLY
Full-time paid work (30 hrs or more per week)29%
Part-time paid work (under 30hrs per week)19%
Full-time education (school, college, univeristy)0%
Unemployed1%
Permanently sick or disabled2%
Fully retired from work37%
Looking after the home6%
Doing something else0%
No response6%
Q22. Do you have carer responsibilities for anyone in your household with a longstanding health problem or disability?
Yes7%
No90%
No response3%
Q23. What is your ethnic group?(Choose one section from A to E below, then select the appropriate option to induicate your ethnic group)
A. White
British95%
Irish0%
Any other white background1%
No response4%
B. Mixed
White & Black Caribbean0%
White & Black African0%
White & Asian0%
Any other Mixed background0%
No response100%
C. Asian or Asia British
Indian0%
Pakistani0%
Bangladeshi0%
Any other Asian background0%
No response100%
D. Black or Black British
Caribbean0%
African0%
Any other Black background0%
No response100%
E. Chinese or other ethnic group
Chinese0%
Any other ethnic group0%
No response100%
Q24. Which of the following best describes how you think of yourself?
Heterosexual/straight89%
Gay/Lesbian1%
Bisexual0%
Other0%
I would prefer not to say3%
No response7%
Q25. Which of the following best describes your religion?
None20%
Buddhist0%
Christian(incl.Church of England, Catholic, Protestant & other Christian denominations)73%
Hindu0%
Jewish0%
Muslim0%
Sikh0%
Other1%
Prefer not to say1%
No response5%
Many thanks for your time in answering the questions on this survey.
Survey Results
The number of surveys returned was 163, which was a considerable increase on the previous year, when we had 37. This demonstrates that our efforts to improve awareness of the PRG and survey have been effective.
The full survey results are available to view on the practice website at
The results were analysed by the practice manager and a GP, and published on the practice website in January 2013. We emailed all the members of our PRG and informed them of the availability of the results. We asked them to feed back to us comments and in particular their suggestions for any improvements that could be made to the service which we provide, based on the survey results.
We also made available some paper copies of the survey results and placed these on the reception counter and in the waiting room. We put a message on the electronic touch screen to inform all patients that the survey results were available to view in the surgery or online, and asked for feedback on the results. These suggestions were to be collated and an action plan agreed.
Despite us asking PRG members to be involved in the production of an action plan, we did not receive any suggestions, and therefore we have formulated our action plan based on what we felt were the common themes emerging from the survey, and also suggestions which have been made by several different patients over the last year.
Action Plan
We have agreed that we will start to make some of the routine doctor appointments available to be booked online via our website. This should eventually mean that the phone lines are less busy, and free-up the reception staff to answer other queries and deal with more urgent enquiries. It also means that patients will be able to book their appointment any time of the day (or night), even when the surgery is closed. We have had one occasion of a patient wishing to book a future appointment whilst they were abroad, and online booking will make this possible.
Having discussed and agreed the above action plan, we developed the idea and started online booking in March 2013. We have advertised this new service widely via the website, and the receptionists have been promoting it during face to face encounters with patients.
Conclusion
We are pleased with the progress we have made over the last 12 months, both in terms of increasing the membership of the Patient Reference Group from 16 to 26 patients, and also the considerably greater awareness and response to the patient survey from 37 responses to 163 responses this year.
As part of our action plan for 2011/2012 we pledged to ensure that patients were more aware of the surgery opening hours and in particular the extended hours that we operate. The survey questions regarding opening hours show that satisfaction with and awareness of the opening and extended hours have improved in the last 12 months.
We will continue to consult with the PRG and also listen to and consider suggestions made by all our patients. The next annual survey will take place in November 2013.
Practice opening times, extended hours and out of hours arrangements
Opening Times
TimesMonday / 08:00 - 18:00
Tuesday / 08:00- 18:00
Wednesday / 08:00 - 18:00
Thursday / 08:00 - 18:00
Friday / 08:00 - 18:00
Extended Opening Hours
Early morning and late evening appointments are available for those patients that may find it difficult to attend during normal surgery hours i.e: before 8am and after 6pm on several days of the week.
When We Are Closed
Between 6.00pm and 8.00am Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and bank holidays, the practice will be closed. During these hours the practice is covered by the local out of hours service.
If you require urgent medical attention when the surgery is closed, please telephone
0845 056 8060.