GPAQ RESULTS APRIL 2012 – PRACTICE COMMENTARY
The Practice carried out a survey of patients over several weeks, early in 2012. Some 315 survey forms were completed and the results analysed independently by InTime Data Systems.The survey used was Version 3 of the GP Assessment Questionnaire (GPAQ) which is widely used throughout the UK. The first page of the survey results explains how the ‘mean score’ is calculated for each question. The following pages show the breakdown of patients’ responses in detail.For most of the questions there is data available to compare our mean score with the mean scores of all Practices who have used the GPAQ survey form. Where figures are shown as below, our score is being compared with these other Practices.
There is also a national GP Survey carried out by the government (GPPS). These forms are sent to patients’ homes. Some of the GPAQ questions are the same as GPPS questions and so a further comparison can be made. In these cases, (see ) the row entitled GPAQ is our score, being compared with the national survey score. /
We are very pleased with the results, which consistently rank the Practice higher that both other Practices using the same survey and also higher than the government GPPS survey.
The Doctors have reviewed the results in detail and would add the following comments:
Q1 Reception - How helpful do you find the receptionists at your GP practice?
Some 99.4% of patients rated the receptionist as either ‘Fairly’ or ‘Very Helpful’. We value the reception staff highly and are delighted to see that patients share our view.
Q2 Access - How easy is it to get through to someone at your GP practice on the
phone ?
We knew our old telephone system was letting us down badly. Last year this was replaced and in addition our automated telephone booking system went live. With 89% now reporting it to be ‘easy’ to get through on the phone we feel this was money well spent.
Q3 - How easy is it to speak to your doctor or nurse on the phone at your practice?
The Practice performs very well compared with the all-Practices GPAQ figure.
Q4 - If you need to see a GP urgently, can you normally get seen the same day ?
Some 89% of patients answered Yes. It is important that we see genuinely urgent cases and we hold back some appointments each day to help accommodate these. We also rely on patients’ common sense to judge what really cannot wait.
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Q5 - How important is it to you to be able to book appointments ahead oftime in
your practice?
When we carried out our preliminary survey with members of the Patient Participation Group, the ability to book in advance was ranked quite low. Despite this, 86% of patients felt this was important. The Practice typically has appointments over the next 12 weeks available for advance booking.
Q6 - How easy is it to book ahead in your practice?
Almost 92% of patients reported that advance booking was ‘easy’.
Q7 - How do you normally book your appointments at your practice
Telephone remains by far the most popular way to book appointments. In our next survey we will ask about the automated telephone appointment booking system. We note that 7% of patients use Online booking, which is about the same percentage of patients who have registered for this service. So far more than 600 patients have signed-up.
Q8 - Which of the following methods would you prefer to use to book appointments
at your practice?
Interestingly 15.8% of patients would prefer to book Online, more than twice as many who actually do. Perhaps these patients don’t have the means to book online, or perhaps they are simply not aware this is a service we offer ? We will continue to market this.
Q9 - How quickly can you get to see a particular doctor?
Q10 - How do you rate - how quickly you get to see a particular doctor?
The Practice believes it is important for continuity of care that patients generally try to see the same doctor and definitely see the same doctor during an episode of ill health. We were pleased that 90% of patients reported they could see a particular doctor, within a reasonable time scale. The rating of ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’ & ‘Excellent’, also at 90%, suggests that patients also value this service.
Q11 - How quickly do you get to see any doctor at the practice
Q12 - How do you rate - how quickly you get to see any doctor?
On the first question,90% of patients again reported they could see any doctor within 5 days, with 75% reporting this was normally on the same or next day. The rating of ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’ & ‘Excellent’, at a higher 97.5%, demonstrates just how important this is to patients. This bears out the results of our preliminary survey - which showed that speedy access to any doctor was most patients’ top priority.
Q13 - How long do you wait for your consultation to start
Q14 - How do you rate - how long did you wait for your consultation to start?
For 80% of patients the time spent in the waiting room was no more than 10 minutes. Almost 90% of patients felt this was ‘Good’ or better. The Practice mean score was considerably better that the all-GPAQ Practices mean. The GPs do try their best to keep to time, but some patients sometimes need a little longer.
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Q15 Opening Times - If your practice currently open at times that are convenient to
you?
Q16 Which of the following opening hours would make it easier for you to seeor
speak to someone ?
Some 80% of patients answered Yes to the first question. Of the patients who expressed a preference for different opening hours, late evenings and Saturdays were the top choices. The Practice has offered later evening appointments in the past, but these were often not fully taken up by patients. In addition, the remuneration provided by the government to support additional opening times is very low. For every extra hour provided - which must be after 18:30 or at weekends - just £75 is paid. In addition to GP/Nurse time, this has to cover the cost of reception staff and building overheads such as heating and lighting. The scheme to offer extra hours is currently voluntary and at present the Practice is opting out
Q17 Choice - Is there a particular GP you prefer to see or speak to?
Q18 - How often do you see or speak to the GP you prefer?
On the first question 77% of patients reported that they did have a preferred GP, with 85% reporting that for ‘a lot’ or ‘most’ of the time they were able to see/speak to their preferred GP. Going back to our comments on Q9+Q10, the Practice does believe that sticking with the same GP is important. We are pleased therefore, that from the patients’ perspective, your preference can usually be satisfied.
The next 2 blocks, each of 6 questions,concerned the actual consultation process. The first asked about the last GP seen and the second block was about the last nurse seen.
Q19 - How good was the last GP you saw at giving you enough time?
Q20 - How good was the last GP you saw at listening to you?
Q21 - How good was the last GP you saw at explaining tests and treatments?
Q22 - How good was the last GP you saw at Involving you in decisions about your
care?
Q23 - How good was the last GP you saw at treating you with care and concern?
Q24 - Did you have confidence and trust in the GP you saw or spoke to?
For all questions, Practice scores were typically several % points higher than the mean of other Practices using the GPAQ survey.
Q25 - How good was the last Nurse you saw at giving you enough time?
Q26 - How good was the last Nurse you saw at listening to you?
Q27 - How good was the last Nurse you saw at explaining tests and treatments?
Q28 - How good was the last Nurse you saw at involving you in decisions about
yourcare?
Q29 - How good was the last Nurse you saw at treating you with care and concern?
Q30 - Did you have confidence and trust in the Nurse you saw or spoke to?
Again, our Practice scores were typically several % points higher than the mean of other Practices using the GPAQ survey. For the Nurses the scores on ‘explaining tests and treatments’ and ‘involving you in decisions’, were particularly striking, being some 27% higher than the mean score of the other GPAQ survey practices. We are very proud of our nursing team and are very pleased that patients acknowledge their performance.
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The next group of 3 questions were about Enablement. The extent to which the Practice helps patients to help themselves.
Q31 - How well does the practice help you to understand your health problems ?
Q32 - How well does the practice help you cope with your health problems?
Q33 - How well does the practice help you keep yourself healthy?
With a greater emphasis now given to prevention and self-help, we were pleased that the Practice scored highly in this area. Well ahead of both other practices using the GPAQ survey and the national GPPS figure
The last two questions of the main part of the survey looked at overall satisfaction.
Q34 - Overall, how would you describe your experience of your GP surgery?
Q35 - Would you recommend your GP surgery to someone who has just moved to
your area ?
Some 96.7% of patients rated the surgery overall as ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’. The national GPPS score stands at just 62%. As evidence of this high level of approval, 98.3% of patients reported that they would recommend the surgery to someone else.
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The final 5 questions of the survey asked patients to tell us a little about themselves.
Q36 - Are you male/female?
Q37 - How old are you?
Q38 - Do you have a long-standing health condition?
Q39 - What is your ethnic group?
Q40 - Which of the following best describes you? (employment/retirement/etc.)
Because the survey takes place in the surgery itself, these questions tell us most about those patients who actually attend.
The results of this part of the survey were very much as expected.
- Taking all our registered patients, the male-female split is close to 50:50. The survey result of around 40M:60F, is what we would expect from patients who actually attend.
- The age range of patients completing the survey is again a good reflection of the age range of patients who attend.
- Almost half the surveys were completed by patients who describe themselves as having a long-standing health condition.
- Patients predominantly describe themselves as White and we know this part of Exeteris an area with very little ethnic diversity.
- Employment reported at 58% is a little higher than the Devon figure of 55%, with unemployment correspondingly slightly lower. The reported level of retired patients is about average for Devon.