Feedback from Patient Meeting 23/11/16 – Durrington Surgery

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the meeting. We appreciate you having taken the time to share your opinions with us.

You Said / Our Response
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  • Overall, you are happy with the care and services we provide.
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  • A sincere thank you from us all.
  • We are committed to making our services better still.

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  • Sometimes it’s hard to contact us by phone.
  • We don’t like the repetition of recorded messages which might prevent us getting through and which cause frustration.
  • It would be useful to know where we are in the queue.
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  • Sorry, we realise it can be difficult at times. Here’s an explanation, not an excuse!
  • On a typical day wecan answer over 300 calls. Apart from first thing in the morning, it’s difficult to predict when calls peak.
  • We have several team members answering calls, many of which involve multiple and detailed enquiries.
  • It’s not feasible to employ extra staff to cover quieter periods. Where possible, by ringing later in the day you may find it quicker to get through.
  • We will reduce the frequency of recorded messages.
  • Previously, we’ve had a mixed reaction to messages advising your position in the queue. However we’ll conduct a survey and let you know the results soon.
  • Experience shows that patients are re-assured by messages advising them that receptionists only ask questions that have been agreed by the doctors.

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  • Why not have team members who onlyanswer the phone?
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  • Realistically this only works at surgeries with more than 10,000 patients and would not be practical for a practice our size.
  • More significantly, it’s by maintaining a smaller, multi-skilled team that we can continue to provide the consistent, personal service you tell us you value and rely on.
  • Having access to shared, up-to-date knowledge of your circumstances enables us to better assist you as a team.

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  • Why must we continue to accept new patients when the Practice is already very busy?
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  • All practices have contractual obligations to accept new patients.
  • An advantage of growth is that it enables us to expand our team and facilities.
  • This has already happened at Durrington where we have 3 new consultation rooms plus an additional treatment suite.
  • Without the rooms to see patients in, we are unable to increase our team.

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  • Walk-in clinics work well. Can we have more, including Fridays?
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  • We are encouraged by your feedback and will continue to include these within our appointments schedule.
  • Extra walk-in clinics have been held over the last few weeks and we would like to run more.
  • Right now it’s difficult to recruit GP’s nationwide, but if we can increase our team in the future, we’ll certainly keep Fridays in mind.

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  • The availability of Nurse Practitioners is well received.
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  • We’ve been fortunate to have 2 Nurse Practitioners to date and are doing our best to keep it this way!
  • Alison O’Donnell will be joining us on the 1st February and will undertake similar duties to what Lindsay used to do in time.
  • Cathy will continue to specialise in long-term conditions.

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  • Will Avon Valley Practice be open at weekends?
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  • Not immediately but weekend opening will come.
  • However this will be locality, not practice based – there simply isn’t the capacity for individual surgeries to open at weekends.
Before this can happen, the infrastructure which supports GP services will need to be improved.
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  • Occasionally things go wrong, but when they do you know what to do and who to contact.
  • You are satisfied that we respond to your complaints in a prompt, thorough and fair manner.
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  • We do our best to get things right but it’s important you tell us when things go astray to give us the opportunity to put them right.
  • Don’t forget, information about making a complaint can be found on our website or please ask at reception for more information.
  • Formal complaints should first be made in writing to our Practice Manager, Mrs Anna Morton or, for a verbalchat, you can speak to Mrs Nina Hammond, who can be contacted via reception.

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  • Our surgeries have the facilities you need.
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  • Good and don’t forget to let us know your suggestions when you think of them.

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  • Whenever you have an idea or suggestion you know we are eager to hear.
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  • Excellent, it’s by working together that we can continue to make your Practice the best it can possibly be.
  • Suggestions and feedback can be made by replying via text to our Friends & Family survey but you don’t have to restrict it to that – e-mails, notes through the letter box and of course a quick word with one of our team work just as well.

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  • You like to be kept informed about what’s going on.
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  • We agree, it’s essential.
  • We will produce seasonal newsletters to keep you up-to-date.
  • These will be up-loaded onto our website and electronic notice boards, as well as copies placed on reception desks.

Don’t forget, if there’s something you would like to discuss – we are all here to help.