Heyward Road Surgery

Local Patient Participation Report

Heyward Road Surgery have continued the Patient Participation Group Direct Enhanced Service (PPG DES) that was first initiated in April 2011, as they felt this was an ongoing opportunity to re-engage with their patients.

The Practice has continued to take part in the DES and have been working with their patient population. This report highlights the way in which the Practice delivered on this directed enhanced service during 2013/14.

Update from 2012/13 Agreed Action Points (March 2013)

Following the 2012/13 survey and agreed actions, the practice was pleased to report on the following actions that were taken forward to 2013/14:

  • YOU SAID: A patient newsletter should be published on the Practice website approximately every six months. It will provide information regarding opening hours, any updates on changes to the Practice (building, personnel, clinics), and signpost patients to public health information.

WE DID: Due to ongoing staff transition this has been delayed but it is hoped that a newsletter will be able to go out in late Spring 2014.

  • YOU SAID: The Practice should look to start providing text messaging services to those patients who wish to have this service. Initially the Practice will do a campaign to gather data on who would like this service.

WE DID: We operated a three month trial of text messaging from September to December 2013. Some patients still did not attend and survey responses still did not indicate a large demand for this service. We are however now operating online appointments

  • YOU SAID: The Practice Managershould arrange to have a refresher training session with all reception staff to keep them up to date on the outcomes of the meeting, urgent appointment allocations from hospital colleagues and refresh customer service skills.

WE DID: Undertake this training on Wednesday 24th April 2013 during an in-house training event. .

  • YOU SAID: The Practice should continue to advertise patient participation meetings on the Surgery notice boards for those patient’s who wish to attend.

WE DID: Allocate a large wall in the waiting room for PPG/VPG notices. The PPG/VPG continues to be advertised in the waiting room with future dates.

  • YOU SAID: Six monthly meetings were appropriate to meet and will be arranged with notice.

The first meeting was booked for 25th June 2013 as this was the most convenient date for patients attending the meeting. At that meeting a further date of Tuesday 3rd December 2013 was arranged. An evening meeting was offered on 15th July 2013 but uptake was poor and so lunchtime meetings maintained.

Patient Demographics

Using information from National General Practice Profiles (provided by Portsmouth CCG in October 2014 for CCG Practice Visit) we identified that at present, the highest percentage of patients were:

  • Aged between 25-34 and 40-54
  • Predominantly female, though this was marginal
  • No specified religion
  • 6.2% mix of Asian and black ethnicity groups

The Practice set up a Patient Participation Group in 2011 and worked proactively to continue to recruit patients to the group. The Practice historically used the following methods to recruit patients:

  • Proactive marketing of the participation group and virtual group on their website.
  • Posters inviting patients to join the patient participation group in waiting room
  • Specifically targeting under represented groups opportunistically when attending the surgery.

The Practice had to try and ensure that the patient participation group (PPG) was representative of the practice’s registered patients, and therefore the practice tried to recruit patients to represent their Practice demographic.

In 2013/14, in addition to the original methods, the practice also utilised social media(Twitter) to try and target patients. We are aware that we have a large student population and so we encouraged students who were registered at ‘Fresher’s Fair’ events to become involved. We proactively recruited to this demographic and did see an increase in members against previous years.

Patient Representation 2013/14

We continued to use the annual survey as a further opportunity of recruiting to the patient participation group. In 2013/14 the demographic of the PPG and VPG is as follows:

  • 77% female and 23% male overall
  • 87% British and 13% European or African or Undeclared
  • 100% no specified religion

In comparison to the practice demographic the age range was well represented, though the male population were less represented and we will focus on this area of PPG recruitment.

Steps taken to widen patient participation:

The Practice continued to recruit patients to the ‘Virtual Patient Group’ (VPG) to invite their feedback on the areas of priority agreed. This enabled patients who wound not generally be available to attend meetings to have their say. The option of an evening meeting was proposed, but take up was minimal as most VPG members preferred to remain in email contact. In order to maintain continuity, the virtual patient group would be asked to complete an online questionnaire via Survey Monkey, which would be the same as the questionnaire in reception.

The Practice used minutes of Patient Participation (PPG) meetings held throughout the year, and focus points raised at these meetings to devise the annual patient survey (Appendix 1). There was a clear focus on access, which was echoed through PortsmouthCity and in the Portsmouth regional Patient Participation meetings, but also access to services, physical environment and customer service.

Of the 81 registered patient members of the VPG in 2013/14, only 22 survey responses were received, despite an 8 week survey period. Reminders and prompts were sent to encourage response. Whilst disappointing, it was noted that this was an increase on the previous year uptake.

Questionnaires were placed in reception for all patients attending the surgery to complete from 20th December 2013 – 10th February 2014.

The practice received only17 survey responses from patients attending the surgery despite regular promotion. The responses were analysed and reported on. (Appendix 2)

A further patient participation group was scheduled for Thursday 20th March 2014, and this time the meeting would be a focus group to discuss the responses of the Survey. During the meeting on 20th March 2014, the group discussed the outcomes of the Survey, and the following changes were suggested by the PRG and agreed by the Practice:

The 2013/14 Survey:

This survey was conducted electronically for those patients within the VPG, and via postal survey to all PPG members. Additional surveys were held in reception and all patients attending surgery were encouraged to take part.

The survey itself was formed of priorities agreed with patient members at previous Participation Group meetings.

Following the focus group on Thursday 20th March 2014 the following action plans were agreed:

Action Point 1:

The practice will trial a new triage system and ensure that the alternative options for patients i.e. Minor Injuries/Illnesses Unit / Guildhall Walk Healthcare Centre are clearly advertised without jargon. Feedback will be sought

Action Point 2:

The practice will investigate ways of offering other appointments online such as phlebotomy, rather than just GP appointments

Action Point 3:

The surgery will continue to seek to improve the physical environment. The CQC compliant visitor’schairs were noted and patients agreed the surgery looks better but improvements could still be made.

Action Point 4:

Improve awareness of in-house phlebotomy and look to make appointments available at alternative times i.e. afternoons.

Opening Hours:

As part of this report, the Practice must also confirm opening hours, these are therefore as follows:

Monday8.00am – 6.30pm (with closure for lunch from 12.30pm – 1.30pm)

Tuesday8.00am – 6.30pm (with closure for lunch from 12.30pm – 1.30pm)

Wednesday8.00am – 6.30pm (with closure for lunch from 12.30pm – 1.30pm)

Thursday8.00am – 6.30pm (with closure for lunch from 12.30pm – 1.30pm)

Friday8.00am – 6.30pm (with closure for lunch from 12.30pm – 1.30pm)

The Practice is also currently signed up to the Directed Enhanced Service (DES) for extended hours, and is therefore currently providing extended hours as follows:

Every Monday morning7.00am – 8.00amNurse Appointments

Second Saturday of the month8.30am – 12.00pmDoctors Appointments

The practice can be contacted, during opening hours, via telephone 023 9273 7373.

Appendix 1 – The Survey

FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRE

Heyward Road Surgery’s Patient Participation Group (PPG), and Virtual Participation Group (VPG) help us to identify areas to seek change and/or improvement that form our annual survey. We would appreciate your feedback on these survey questions. If you would like to, please complete the survey below and return to reception BY MONDAY 10th FEBRUARY 2014. Many thanks for your time.

We have undertaken a trial of text messaging alerts to our patients, which we are considering for the future.

Have you received a text message?YESNO

If yes, how useful did you find it with 1 being very useful and 5 not useful at all?1 2 3 4 5

Would you like to receive text alerts?YESNONO PREFERENCE

We are going live with online appointment bookings in 2014!

What clinics would you like to book online (circle all that apply)DOCTORS NURSES PHLEBOTOMY (BLOOD TAKING)

Did you know we already offer online repeat prescription requests?YESNO

Heyward Road Surgery staff endeavour to consistently provide high quality patient care. What are your thoughts on the following?

Access to appointmentsVERY GOODSATISFACTORYCOULD BE IMPROVED

Physical environmentVERY GOODSATISFACTORYCOULD BE IMPROVED

Access to in-house phlebotomy (blood taking) servicesVERY GOOD SATISFACTORYCOULD BE IMPROVED

Telephone answering/Customer Service VERY GOODSATISFACTORYCOULD BE IMPROVED

For any questions you have answered ‘Could be improved’ – could you specify as to how you think this could be achieved:

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

We are looking to improve our access to routine and emergency appointments. Several options will be considered.

Would you be happy to participate in a pilot and feedback on potentially new processes?YESNO

Do you have a suggestion on how we could improve our access?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

We are always looking for broader representation at the Patient Participation Group meetings.

Would you like to attend the PPG meeting?YESNO

Would you prefer to be contacted via email instead of attending a meeting?YESNO

If you would prefer email, please provide your email address …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Appendix 2 – The Results

Patient Participation Group

Patient Survey Results for 20/3/14

1 – We have undertaken a trial of text messaging alerts to our patients, which we are considering for the future.

1a – have you received a text message?

91% had not received a message

6% had received a message

3% declined to answer

1b – if you had, did you find it useful (1-5 with 1 being most useful)

50% most useful (1)

50% in between (3)

1c – Would you like to receive text alerts?

Yes – 55%

No – 18%

No preference – 27%

2 – We are going live with online appointment bookings in 2014!

2a – what clinics would you like to book online?

Doctors – 82%

Nurses – 76%

Blood tests – 70%

No answer – 9%

2b – Did you know we already offer online repeat prescription requests?

Yes – 71%

No – 29%

3 – Heyward Road Surgery staff endeavours to consistently provide high quality patient care. What are your thoughts on the following?

Very Good / Satisfactory / Could be Improved
Access to appointments / 63% / 26% / 11%
Physical environment / 51% / 34% / 15%
Access to phlebotomy / 63% / 25% / 12%
Customer Service / 83% / 17% / 0%

4 – For any questions you have answered ‘could be improved’ – could you specify as to how you think this could be achieved:

  • Reception furniture needs replacing
  • Emergency appointments should be available – shouldn’t have to call back
  • Always asked to make appt for blood test at St Mary’s Hospital – inconvenient
  • Have to go elsewhere for routine blood tests – difficult (written twice)
  • No continuity of care with same GP – especially for acute matters
  • Waiting area needs updating (written twice)
  • No privacy in reception (written twice)
  • Not allowing for patients who are not online
  • Always running late – improve bookings and information to patients on waiting time
  • Put off making appointment as have to wait 7-10 days.

5 – We are looking to improve our access to routine and emergency appointments. Several options will be considered.

5a – would you be happy to participate in a pilot and feedback on potentially new processes?

Yes – 80%

No – 20%

5b – Do you have any suggestions on how we could improve our access?

  • No time limit to urgent appointments
  • No suggestions (three times)
  • Current system is fine
  • Never had a problem
  • Get more GPs trained up – good luck!
  • Drop in nurse and GP triage for urgent issues – no booking but would have to wait
  • Make sure prescriptions are picked up by chemists on time
  • Better telephone answering – long time to answer calls
  • Better than most practices from what I hear from friends/others
  • One doctor specific for emergency appointments and a number of doctors for routines

6 – Broader representation – we added a number of patients to both Virtual and Attending Patient Groups which is great!