THE VILLAGE SURGERY

AMENBURY LANE

HARPENDEN

AL5 2BT

01582 712021

WWW.THEVILLAGESURGERIES.CO.UK

BACKGROUND

The Village surgery has two sites

  1. Main site – Harpenden – 10,000 patients
  2. Branch site – Wheathampstead – 6,000 patients.

The Surgery established a PPG over five years ago. All members of the patient population were encouraged to join the Group- via the website, leaflets in the surgery, information in the village and word of mouth.The aim of the group was to have a similar demographic profile to that of the patient population. It is managed by patients from the Wheathampstead Surgery.The PPG is well established,has its own website, , committee and objectives as below

  • Enabling a dialogue between doctors and patients to improve the quality of service provided and to help shape future policies of their Village Surgery
  • Arranging Health Talks. Over the past 4 years subjects covered have been: CHILDREN’S ALLERGIES, OSTEOPOROSIS, CARDIOLOGY, OBESITY, HIP PROBLEMS AND REPLACEMENTS, GYNAECOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS, UROLOGY, DEMENTIA, ST FRANCIS HOSPICE – TERMINAL CARE, DIABETES, UNDERSTANDING AND USING YOUR PHARMACY, and UNDERSTANDING THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
  • Reaching out to the community by providing a MINI HEALTH FAIR in the Mead Hall, East Lane, with St John’s Ambulance demonstrating CPR; a Surgery Doctor taking blood pressure and BMI; a Specialist Dietician outlining salt and sugar quantities in a typical day’s food intake and advising on healthy diets
  • Providing 3 weekly 1-hour sessions on physical fitness on Tuesday afternoons. These sessions are led by a Physiotherapist and highly qualified Pilates teacher (with all equipment provided)

Although the practice has had an established PPG this is only the second year that the Practice has participated in the DES.

Although the PPG is well established in Wheathampstead, the patients from Harpenden Surgery have not been as well represented and our aim has been to encourage engagement from Harpenden patients.

We now have a small virtual group in Harpenden and continue to advertise the group:

  • On the website
  • Via twitter
  • In the surgery
  • Practice newsletter
  • New patient information

The group continues to be weighted towards the over 60’s despite the various initiatives set in place during 2013/14

Schools have been contacted, twitter and email messages sent and leaflets given to younger patients when they attend surgery. Unfortunately, it is apparent from other patient groups that the younger people do not engage and a vast majority of patient groups have a high percentage of over 60 age group members. We feel we have encouraged a wide range of patients to join the group since its inception over six years ago.

Please see appendix A re the demographics of the Practice and the PPG.

  1. The area has extremely low unemployment and a large percentage of commuters.
  2. Mostly white British population
  3. Patients at St Georges boarding school
  4. A number of residential homes
  5. Meadowacres – for special needs
  6. Large number of families

The group concentrated on the following areas during 2013/14

  1. Communication
  2. Patient access

2014-15

During 2014-15 we continued to work on the above areas with new initiatives discussed and agreed with the Patient Group.

At the beginning of the current year the PPG was consulted regarding priority areas and the following areas were agreed

1) Extended hours (starting at 7am and evening surgeries on certain days)

2) Considering triaging via telephone consultations - doctors screening in coming calls to see if some can be handled without the patients needing to come inor directing them to the correct person in the practice to help them.

3) Implementing patient partner- automatic telephone booking of appointments.

4) commence a quarterly newsletter.

What we did next

the proposed introduction of extended hours.

We surveyed all patients via text and paper slips within the surgeries.

We asked:

Would they welcome the introduction of extended opening hours

If so would they prefer morning 7-8, evening 6.30-8.30pm or both

We received 2044 replies broken down as follows

Morning 213

Evening 783

Both 1048

We discussed the results with the PPG and commenced extended opening hours on 1.7.14.

We advertised the new service via text messages, on the website and notices in the surgeries.

The extended hours have been very well received by patients and the surgery has received many positive comments from patients. The extended hours have especially benefitted the working population – however all patients have benefitted due to the increased number of appointments. We have discussed feedback received from patients with the PPG – examples of comments received:

The concept of early and late closing is an excellent one but I do hope it is not abused by those who are able to come in at a more appropriate time. I know, for example, that at one of your opposition surgeries there are too many people who don't need to come on a Saturday morning and are taking appointments away from those who do.

I think the extra surgery hours are a good idea,

Information has been published in the PPG newsletter, on the website, surgery newsletter, by text and information on twitter

Patient Partner automated telephone appointment booking service

The surgery had commenced on line appointment booking during 2013-14 and this had proved very popular with the patients. We had started to investigate the patient partner system and had various discussions with the PRG. We had various technical difficulties setting the system up however we decided to go live with the system on 1.12. 14. We advertised the system via text, on the website and in the surgeries. We also attached information to prescriptions and discussed with patients when they came to the surgery.

We had some technical difficulties with the system at our branch surgery..We discussed how the system would work for the branch surgery with the PRG and a member of the PRG came into the Surgery to have a demonstration of the system. It was then agreed that the system would go live at the branch surgery on 2.1.15 and notices were placed in the waiting room and receptionists discussed the system with as many patients as possible.

The system has proved to be extremely popular with many patients and again we have received many positive comments from patients.

Patient Partner: I have used it and found it excellent, though we are all surprised at how easy it is to see Dr Ingramat 0800!

The system enables patients to make, cancel or change an appointment 24 hours a day via the telephone – patients can choose when to make an appointment and are not restricted to surgery opening hours.

A report re the usage of the system will be included in the Spring newsletter

Telephone consultations

We do not have a formal for telephone consultations with GPs. We held a survey to obtain the patients’ views. The overwhelming response from patients was that they thought telephone consultations were an excellent idea especially for the working population. We are still in the process of implementing telephone consultations and will keep the PPG informed

Phone consultations: again it is 2015 so it seems logical to me - the doctor has all our details in front of him, and I guess half of us have Google open at the right page as well!

Automated telephone booking I have not tried yet but think telephone consultations could be beneficial.

Newsletter

It was felt that there had been many improvements to the services at the practice and to ensure we communicated the changes to as many patients as possible it was thought a quarterly patient newsletter should be introduced. The PPG already publishes a newsletter for the PPG members – it was therefore important the Practice newsletter differed. Following discussion with the PRG it was decided to commence a quarterly newsletter to inform patients of any changes regarding services. The newsletter would be placed on the website and paper copies would be available in the Surgeries. Patients would be notified whenthe newsletter was available either by text or automatically via the website if they had signed up to receive notifications. A copy of the newsletter was sent to the PPG before being published for any comments.

The monthly and quarterly newsletter is helpful.

Please see Appendix B for copy of first newsletter

We have had continuous dialogue with the PPG – meetings held on 27.10.14, 24.11.14 and 2.2.15 re all the new initiatives that were agreed at the beginning of the year. The PPG were consulted regarding action plans, implementation of new initiatives and feedback once the new initiatives had been introduced.

As a result of the survey we have not changed our opening times

Confirmation of opening times

You can call the surgery on 01582 763961( Harpenden)

01582 832258 ( Wheathampstead) Monday – Friday 8am - 6.30pm

The surgery reception is open Monday-Friday 8am - 6.00pm

GP Consulting times as follows

HARPENDEN

GP / MONDAY / TUESDAY / WED / THURS / FRIDAY
Dr Gibbs / AM / - / AM/PM / PM / AM
Dr O’Hare / AM / AM/PM / AM/PM
Dr Walker / AM/RW / AM/PM / AM
Dr Ingram / PM / AM / AM / AM/PM / PM
Dr Goodwin / AM/PM / AM/PM / AM
Dr Solomons / AM / AM/KS / AM / AM/PM

Dr Modi AM PM PM AM

WHEATHAMPSTEAD

GP / MONDAY / TUESDAY / WED / THURS / FRIDAY
Dr O’Hare / PM
Dr Gilham / PM / AM / PM / AM
Dr Ingram / AM / AM / PM
Dr Maruthainar / AM/PM / - / AM/PM

Dr Harding AM/PM AM AM/PM

Dr Modi PM PM AM AM PM

Outside of normal opening hours please call 111

Appendix A

Appendix B

The Village Surgery NEWSLETTER January 2015

Welcome to the FIRST edition of our Practice Newsletter.

We hope to publish quarterly newsletters on the website.

WINTER PRESSURES

When the surgery is closed please call 111 Put this number in your mobile phone -111

Every attendance at A & E costs at least £70. A & E Departments are for patients who either suffer a serious accident or a life threatening emergency. For any other complaint please ring 111 when the surgery is closed.

Our website has details of what to do when the surgery is closed.

FLU VACCINATIONS

We vaccinated over 3800 at risk patients during September – December. At 3 minutes per jab that is over 190 hours spent vaccinating.

We do not routinely send letters to the over 65’s due to the cost implications – please put a note in your diary for September 2015 and either contact the surgery for details of the 2015 flu clinics or look on our website

PNEUMONIA VACCINATIONS

If you are 65 or over you are entitled to a free pneumonia vaccination. We will be holding clinics during February and March – if you have not had this vaccination please contact the surgery. In most cases you only need the vaccination once.

APPOINTMENTS

Our automated telephone appointment booking system has proved very popular with many of our patients. Patients can call any time – day or night and are able to book, cancel or amend appointments with their usual GP and blood tests at Harpenden Memorial Hospital.

Harpenden patients call 01582 763951 to use automated system or to book an appointment via a receptionist

As from 2.2.15 the system will be available to Wheathampstead patients

Wheathampstead patients

To use the automated system – please call 01582 763951

To book an appointment via a receptionist – please call 01582 832258.

We would be very happy to receive any feedback regarding our new system.

GP CHANGES

We are very sad to announce that Dr Murphy will be leaving us on Friday 16 January – however she is leaving for a very happy reason – her baby is due on 31st January – we are all looking forward to meeting her bump

Dr Walker will be reducing his commitments at the Village Surgery as from Monday 26 January. He will work part time.

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE VILLAGE FAMILY

We are pleased to announce that two new GPs will be starting with us in January

Dr Sheetal Purohit – who worked here during 2014 – will commence on 19 January

Dr Dave Creak will start on Thursday 29 January

Dr Purohit and Dr Creak will be looking after Dr Murphy’s patients and Dr Walker’s patients whose surname begins with A – I until we recruit new Partners – hopefully in June this year.

Finally a huge thank you to all our patients that dropped presents into the surgery over the Christmas period.

They are all very much appreciated – even if they do lead to expanding our waist lines!