RAMSBOTTOM GROUP PRACTICE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION REPORT
As part of the Patient Participation Directed Enhanced service 11/12 & 12/13 and using the age/sex profile of the practice( appendix A) and also using local health information from public health to identify specific local health needs, the practice actively recruited to our PRG. Notices were placed around the Health Centre; reminders were attached to patient’s prescriptions and reception staff promoted the group when patients attended for appointments etc. Over the last 18 months more patients put themselves forward to join and we currently have approximately 20 patients in our group. The group compromises both male and female patients who are professional workers, patients with chronic diseases, patients with mental illness , young parents and elderly patients. We did actively recruit among our ethnic minority patients by letter to the local Islamic College (Appendix B) and individual patients but so far have been unsuccessful. We also have members who although they cannot attend the meetings, are actively in touch with the group via the practice email address.
Our meetings are held every 8 weeks on Tuesday’s and at our October 2011 meeting a patient questionnaire was drafted and presented to the group for discussion.(Appendix C) The questionnaire was devised using feedback from previous surveys undertaken by the practice. The group discussed the questions and agreed which ones should be used and also requested a question from the group to be added.
The questionnaire was distributed to the patients of the practice and to ensure that due process had been applied, the method used by the practices previous survey analysts, CFEP UK Surveys, was used. The results of the survey (Appendix D & E) were discussed with the group at our next meeting; copies were made available at reception, in our newsletter and also posted onto the practice website.
The group agreed that it would not be possible to implement all the suggestions from the questionnaire as the practice was limited to what improvements it could make to the Health Centre as the building was owned by NHS Bury. The group were assured that the practice was in regular contact with the estate department about the condition of the building and was hopeful that funding would be identified at some stage to improve things. However, a few areas that the group felt could be implemented within a short period were
- More appointments available on the internet, in particular, more on the day appointments.
- Make appointments available on the internet for our Nurse Practitioner.
- Have a notice board in reception identifying clinicians and administrative staff
Practice Opening Times:
*Monday 8.30am to 6.00pm
*Tuesday 8.30am to 6.00pm
*Wednesday 8.30am to 6.00pm
*Thursday 8.30am to 6.00pm
*Friday 8.30am to 6.00pm
- pre booked, on the day and telephone consultations available with GP’s Nurse Practitioner and Practice Nurse.
Telephone 01706 824413 available
Monday 8.30 to 12.30 and 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Tuesday 8.30 to 12.30 and 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Wednesday 8.30 to 12.30 and 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Thursday 8.30 to 12.30 and 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Friday 8.30 to 12.30 and 2.00pm to 6.00pm
Automated prescription ordering line available 24 hours 7 days a week on 01706 829231
Appendix A
Establishing thePatient Participation Group
Ramsbottom Group Practice welcomed the opportunity of establishing a patient participation group and to involve them in the decisions about the range and quality of services provided by the practice.
Ensuring Demographic Representation.
Whilst acknowledging that no PRG will ever be truly representative of the practice population as a whole, we endeavoured to establish a group that reflected the age/sex distribution, minority ethnic groups, carers, nursing home residents and patients with chronic illnesses at the practice.
Age/sex distribution – the practice currently has 4025 female and 3959 male patients. 30% of patients are under 25. 38% are between 26-50 and 30% over 50. Our elderly population is quite low at 5% with the majority of patients in the age range 26 to 50 years old.
Minority ethnic groups – The practice has a very low number of ethnic minorities the majority of whom (110 patients) are young male students at the local Islamic College.
Carers – the practice has a relatively low number of registered carers and steps have been taken to highlight the carers register to patients.
Nursing home residents – The practice has few patients in residential and nursing homes, the majority (17 patients) of which are in the local nursing home.
Chronically ill patients – the practice has a significant proportion of patients with chronic illnesses.
Our Current PRG Group
The group currently consists 16 patients
Age/sex distribution
AGE / SEX16 -24 / Female
Male
26 -50 / female / 2
Male / 2
50 + / Female / 8
Male / 4
Minority ethnic groups
Sadly, we have been unable to recruit to our group. Letters have been sent to the local Islamic College asking if they would like to send a representative as well as individuals but so far we have not had any response.
Carers/ Nursing home
There are 3 members of the PRG who falls into this category.
Other members
The remaining 13 members either have a chronic condition, young parents, patients with a mental illness or regularly attend the practice and wanted to find out more about the practice and to get involved in future services.
Appendix B
Would you like to have a say about the services provided at Ramsbottom Group Practice.
The Ramsbottom Patient group would like to hear your views
If you would like to join the group, please do get in touch with the practice on 01706 824413 or alternatively, if you provide your email address we can add them to our contact list and get in touch with you every now and again to ask you a question or two.
Yours sincerely
Mary Sharkey
Practice Director
Appendix C
In the past 6 months how easy have you found the following ? Please put a tick in one circle for each row
Haven’ttried / Very
Easy / Fairly
easy / Not very
easy / Not at
all easy / Don’t
know
Getting through on the phone / O / O / O / O / O / O
Speaking to a Doctor/nurse on the phone / O / O / O / O / O / O
Obtaining test results by phone / O / O / O / O / O / O
Think abut the last time you needed an appointment fairly quickly (by fairly quickly we mean on the same day or in the next two weekdays that the surgery was open) Were you able to see someone on the same day or in the next 3 weekdays that the surgery was open
YesNo
In the past 6 months have you tried to pre book an appointment
Yes / ONo / O
Don’t Know/Cant remember / O
O
For pre booked appointments – how long after your appointment time do yu normally have to wait.
5 to 15 minutes / O15 to 30 minutes / O
O
O
O
How helpful do you find the receptionists at the surgery
Very / OFairly
Not very / O
Are the current surgery opening times satisfactory
Yes / ONo / O
Please add any comments here
Do you feel your last consultation with a doctor was satisfactory?
Yes / ONo / O
Comment / O
Local Question. (please add your won surgery questions here)
Appendix D
RESULTS OF PATIENT SURVEY
In the past 6 months how easy have you found the following ?
Easy / Not veryeasy / Not tried
Getting through on the phone / 47% / 45% / 7%
Speaking to a Doctor/Nurse on the phone / 48% / 12% / 33%
Obtaining test results by phone / 33% / 9% / 58%
Think about the last time you needed an appointment fairly quickly. (by fairly quickly we mean on the same day or in the next two weekdays that the surgery was open)Were you able to see someone on the same day or in the next 3 weekdays that the surgery was open.
Yes / 76%No / 17%
Can’t remember / 7%
In the past 6 months have you tried to pre book an appointment.
Yes / 57%No / 40%
Don’t know/can’t remember / 3%
For pre booked appointments – how long after your appointment time do you normally wait to be seen.
5 to 15 minutes / 61%15 to 30 minutes / 12%
How helpful do you find the receptionists at the surgery
Very / 66%Fairly / 32%
Not very / 2%
Are the current surgery opening times satisfactory?
Yes / 88%No / 11%
Please add any comment here:
Do you feel your last consultation with a doctor was satisfactory?
Yes / 91%No / 9%
Comment
See below / O
Local Question (please add your own surgery questions here)
Yes 43%
No 44%
Any other comments
See below
Comments Received:
Want more appointments with Dr C on web bookings
Online system is very easy to use
Would be helpful to see the nurse in the evening
Online would be good if you could book appointments for same week
Insufficient pre bookable appointments
Don’t see why I have to justify myself wanting an appointment when asked if it’s an emergency.
Pre booking is horrendous
Same day appointments on web would be good
Cannot get appointment unless come in person
7am start
Saturday opening would be helpful
Late night surgery is missed for working people
Surgery times not suitable for working people
Shame you have stopped emergency surgery
Booking online fine for in advance but not for same day
Open surgery in morning
Need late nights
Appointments online can sometimes be a week or longer after you want it
Phones hectic
Would like to book with nurse online
Weekend appointments.
Worried about patients not having internet access
More appointments online would be good
Never received referral I asked for and felt I should have been given physical examination
Not able to see doctor who knows my history
Some receptionists are wonderful
Great service!
The surgery provides an excellent service and all the staff are extremely helpful. Many thanks.
Always excellent – don’t change
Very good
An excellent practice – always treated with respect and listened to.
Front of house really lets surgery down
Attitude of some reception staff is terrible
Would like water machine and bins in waiting area
Appendix E
RAMSBOTTOM PATIENT REPRESENTATIVE GROUP
Meeting Tuesday 13th December 2011
Present:Dr G Mackinnon Mary Sharkey AK GO PW LH DH
Patients:
No and item
/Comment
/Action
1. Apologies for absence / PW2. Minutes of the previous meeting / Read and agreed
3. Matters arising
4. Results of recent patient survey / The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss the results of the patient survey. Over 250 questionnaires were returned to the practice and the group went through the results to add further comments and suggestions.
The 1st question dealt with getting through to the surgery by telephone. 47% responded that they could get through easily and 45% said it was not very easy which was a fairly even split.
MS went over the different steps taken to resolve this (additional lines/automated script line/web bookings etc) and Dr Mackinnon commented that possibly no system would ever be fully operational and meet all patients needs.
The group suggested that the results should be published for all patients to read and a newsletter could be put together.
The group then discussed getting an appointment and commented on there not being enough appointments available to pre book. MS explained that appointments were divided into on the day/pre booked/web bookings and telephone consultations and that the pre booked appointments were booked several weeks in advance, especially if patients wanted to see a particular GP. The group suggested making more appointments available online on the day, however, one group member felt that this would disadvantage patients who did not have access to the internet.
The group also suggested making nursing appointments available online.
The group next discussed comments about reception staff and opening times. 88% of patients had responded by saying they were satisfied with the current open times, however, the group did mention that late hours and early morning surgeries were useful for patients who worked. Dr Mackinnon agreed but informed that a lot of the extended hours appointments were used by elderly or school children. PW felt this was probably because the parents were working and the late appointments were the only time they could bring children.
The group put forward the suggestion of having a picture board in reception so that patients can identify the Doctors and staff at the practice / MS to publish newsletter
MS to ask IT supplier re Nurse appt’s
MS to speak to EM
Patient L.H. very kindly agreed to be the groups representative and MS will pass her name to the new GPCC organisation to be added to the mail list.
The group agreed to meet approx every 8 weeks
Next meeting: Tuesday 7th February 1.15pm