BROADSHIRES HEALTH CENTRE
REPORT FOR PATIENT SURVEY 2012
  • The Practice Profile, opening hours and how patients access services during core hours
Patient Population: 9,454
Aged: 0 to 101 years
  • 46% Male
  • 54% Female
  • 97% recorded as White
  • 3 % recorded Black, Asian, Mixed or Other ethnic minority
The Practice has 6 partners operating from one site in Carterton.We look after a semi-rural population and are supported by 3 practice nurses, a health care practitioner and a phlebotomist alongside an administrative team. Also, we have other NHS staffwho are based at the surgery, including Health Visitors, District Nurses, a School Nurse, Podiatrists, Midwives, Counsellors, and a Speech Therapist.
Practice Opening Hours
Monday 08.00am-18.30pm
Tuesday 08.00am-18.30pm
Wednesday 08.00am-18.30pm
Thursday 08.00am-18.30pm
Friday 08.00am-18.30pm
Treatment Room Times
Monday – Friday 08.30am–18:00pm
Blood tests, injections, dressings, minor injuries, sutures, chronic disease management, smoking cessation, travel clinics, etc.
Appointments are available by phoning 08444 778 780 and booking direct throughreception, via our 24 hour automated booking service or by visiting the practice.
  • Profile of the members of the Practice Reference Group
Members Aged between: 17 years and 75 years
27% 17 – 65 years old and 73% 65 years and over
43% Male and 57% Female,
86% White and 14% Asian
Members of this Patient Group present with a number of chronic conditions
  • How the Patient Participation Group was formed
We looked at our Practice Population and set out to actively recruit new members for our Practice Reference Group (PRG).
We did this by:
  • Placing an open invite message on our Practice web site requesting for any interested patients to join the PRG
  • Putting up a poster in the waiting room, inviting patients to sign up to become members
  • The Doctors and Nurses personally asking/inviting patients to join the PRG, particularly asking those groups of patients who were not represented on the PRG
  • How the Practice agreed with members of the Patient reference group which issues are a priority and to be included in the survey questionnaire
In January 2012 members of the PRG were approached to determine and reach agreement on local issues which were relevant to the Practice, and what questions were to be included in the patient survey. This was facilitated via email, telephone and face to face discussions. Areas of interest suggested by the PRG included the phone system, appointments and receptionists.
After collating the results of this initial consultation, agreement was reached and a questionnaire was drawn up for distribution amongst the Practice Patients.
  • How the patient views were collected
The Survey was carried out over a three week period in February 2012
We distributed 250 patient questionnaires and received 199 responses with the survey being made available for patients to complete via the practice website, reception desk and in the waiting area.
Following completion of the survey, members of the PRG were then invited to discuss / comment on the survey results. These responses were then relayed back to the doctors to help formulate an action plan.
SURVEY RESULTS AND ACTION PLAN
Of those who completed the survey 41% were male and 59% were female
3% were under 18 years of age
7% were aged between 18 and 24
16% were aged between 25 and 34
15% were aged between 34 and 44
17% were aged between 45 and 54 / 18% were between 55 and 64
13% were between 65 and 74
8% were between 75 and 84
3% were 85 and over

Question 1.

We have invested in refresher training for our reception team which has

helped to maintain our previously high achievement rating in this area.

Question 2.

Question 3.

We recently trialled a different method of dealing with patient requests for urgent

appointments where they believe they needed to be seen the same day. This was a

telephone assessment by the Duty Doctor to determine whether the patient needed

to come to the surgery or not. This has met with mixed results, however, one of the

findings from the trial was that many patients are very happy to have a telephone

consultation, which should result in those patients still wishing or needing to be

seen by a clinician being able to.

  • ACTION: Taking the survey results together with a detailed analysis of consultation statistics, we have increased the number of routine and urgent telephone slots, to manage patient demand.

Question 4.

Question 5a.

Question 5b.

ACTION: We communicate via our receptionists informing patients when a

particular doctor might be running late, but, as a result of the survey, we have

also put a notice board in the waiting room, requesting patients help a clinician

run to time, for instance by considering removing coats and jackets if they know

they will need an examination or an injection, or to get a sample pot from reception

before they see a clinician if they have a suspected urinary tract infection. These

small things can significantly help a clinician run to time and save patients from

waiting too long.

Question 6a.

Over 15% of our GP appointments are made via our 24 hour automated booking service.

Whilst 59% of those surveyed said that they thought the ability to get through on the

phone was good or above, we are aware of some patients having difficulties in getting

through. Several comments also complained about the 0844 number, explaining that

they found it expensive to phone the practice from a mobile. Some also commented

that if they were on a call plan and they did not pay for local calls, they were

still being charged because of the 0844 number.

ACTION: The practice is currently considering changing its current telephone

system to enable patients to telephone a local number as opposed to our current

0844 number, with added benefits of having an indicator to let patients know where

their call is in the queue. Under the new proposed system, patients will also not be

charged until their call is connected to a phone at the surgery, thus reducing costs for

patients when they wait for their call to be answered.

Question 6b.

From the recent trial we carried out, it was evident that some Patients were not aware

of the ability to request a telephone appointment rather than a face to face consultation

and was shown by the 25 % who they did not know or had tried in the survey.

ACTION: As a result, our receptionists will now ask whether a patient requesting to see

a doctor would prefer a telephone or a face to face appointment and more telephone

appointments have been made available.

Question 7a.

Question 7b.

Sometimes it is not always possible to see your usual doctor, especially if it is at

short-notice, however the Practice does not have defined patient lists, therefore

you can see any doctor. If a patient requires a follow-up or a medication review,

we are able to book 3 months and sometimes even further ahead for GP appointments.

Question 8a.

Question 8b.

Question 8c.

Question 9.

Question 10a.

Question 10b.

Question 10c.

Question 11.

Question 12.

Question 13.

Question 14.

A selection of some of the comments received from the survey:

Is there anything particularly good about this practice and your health care?

Quality of personal service provided by the staff.

Smoothly run, very nice surroundings, pleasant experience

Am quite happy with the excellent service at the surgery

Asthma clinic – absolutely fantastic

The facility to receive a phone call from a GP

I would not move because of the good medical care I receive here

Always see me at short notice

Well run and excellent facilities

The quality of care is excellent

Drs phone calls are always very good and often saves having to come in for an appointment

I have some personal medical issues and the Broadshires has been wonderful

Just keep going, you’re doing great

Is there anything that could be improved?

I do not like the phone appointment system.

At times, waiting to see a particular doctor can be too long

Longer hours and Saturdays

Seeing patients on time

Waiting time for routine appointments

Reduce waiting times

Booking an appointment on the automatic phone system, not easy

Expand the premises

Would rather speak to a person than use the automated booking service

Any other comments?

This is the best doctors surgery that I have ever been a patient of.

I am pleased to be at this practice, I like the staff who are always helpful

Very appreciative and very happy with service and care given to all my family

Thank you for all your help and support

Over the years I have been a patient at a number of different practices, this is by far the best

Having been dissatisfied at my previous practice, my expectations have been exceeded and now realise how poor the previous practice was

Am considering moving practice

  • ACTION PLAN
The survey responses were collated with the following actions being proposed by the members of the PRG and the Practice. These were then subsequently agreed and for the Practice to take forward.
  • Taking the survey results together with a detailed analysis of consultation statistics, we have increased the number of routine and urgent telephone slots, to manage patient demand.
  • As a result of the survey, we have also put a notice board in the waiting room, requesting patients help a clinician run to time, for instance by considering removing coats and jackets if they know they will need an examination or an injection, or to get a sample pot from reception before they see a clinician if they have a suspected urinary tract infection. These small things can significantly help a clinician run to time and save patients from waiting too long.
  • The practice is currently considering changing its current telephone system to enable patients to telephone a local number as opposed to our current 0844 number, with added benefits of having an indicator to let patients know where their call is in the queue. Under the new proposed system, patients will also not be charged until their call is connected to a phone at the surgery, thus reducing costs for patients when they wait for their call to be answered.
  • Our receptionists will now ask whether a patient requesting to see a doctor would prefer a telephone or a face to face appointment and more telephone appointments have been made available.