Patient Survey Results

Practice Patient Survey June 2018

We value feedback from our patients. We receive survey results and feedback through the NHS patient survey, NHS choices and the PPG members but we feel the best way to find out what patients think of the practice is to ask those who attend for appointments.

We surveyed 2% of our 5408 population attending the Whitwell and Creswell practices over June 2018.

We gave surveys to patients at the reception desk and asked them to complete them and place them in the box provided. Staff were asked to be aware of distributing the surveys between ages, gender, ethnicity, appointment times and ability where possible for a true representation of the practice population.

We surveyed 108 patients attending for appointments for doctor, practice nurse and health care assistants.

  • 76 surveys were completed
  • 1 survey was spoilt

Results and comments

1. How easy is it to get through to the surgery on the telephone?

Very easy – 19

Easy – 39

Difficult – 12

Don’t Know – 5

No Answer – 1

Comments:

  • Sometimes it’s hard to get through at 08:00 and when you do appointments have gone or you have a long wait. 10 patients commented about this
  • Two patients used the online booking system
  • Two patients called at the surgery to book at 08:00

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, the practice only has 1 line at Creswell and 2 at Whitwell due to space availability. We appreciate that it can be difficult to get through and we are looking into the benefits of a call queuing system so patients know where they are in the queue.

We hope patients have knowledge of the online booking system and the telephone triage system for on the day urgent need. This is on display in reception, the patient leaflet and from reception.

2. When you last needed to, were you able to make an appointment or speak to someone?

Very Easy – 27

Easy – 43

Difficult – 5

Don’t Know – 0

No answer – 1

Comments:

  • One patient who responded that it was difficult told us that when they did get through all appointments had gone
  • One patient found it very easy to book by calling at the surgery
  • One patient found it easy and commented that someone will always call you back
  • One patient didn’t think there were enough appointments either on the day or pre-bookable
  • One patient was not happy that they couldn’t book an emergency appointment with the GP of their choice and had to see the on-call GP that day

Conclusion:

Overall, patients responded favourably to this. As with the conclusion for question 1, we try to make patients aware of triage and pre-booking appointments.

3. When you last booked an appointment, was the appointment time convenient for you?

Yes – 69

No – 6

No answer – 1

Comments:

  • One patient did not feel the appointments were late enough
  • One patient said they wanted a morning appointment but could only get afternoon
  • One patient had two different appointments on the same day and would have preferred them to have been at same time
  • One patient said it was not easy to get an emergency appointment
  • One patient found the practice was always accommodating
  • One patient wanted more appointments saved for children as schools don’t allow for absence

Conclusion:

The NHS is in talks with all GPs in the country to establish 8-8 appointments and Saturday and Sunday clinics. We have been part of this discussion, which will be in place later this year. We will give patients more detail as soon as we know.

We will endeavour to give same time appointments for doctors and nurses where possible. We are not an emergency service but urgent calls will be triaged and a clinician will call the patient.

4. How would you rate your overall experience of booking appointments?

Excellent – 17

Very good – 26

Good – 28

Poor – 5

Don’t know – 0

No answer – 0

Comments:

  • One patient found it difficult to see Dr McGorarty.

Conclusion:

At Dr McGroartys request she now works part time for the practice. She works 1 day at Whitwell and 1 day at Creswell. We have employed Lindsey Parker, a clinical practitioner, and she works in place of Dr McGroarty and also does 2 extra days. This should increase the amount of appointments we offer.

5. Are you happy with the opening times of the surgery?

Yes – 68

No – 7

No answer – 1

Comments:

  • Seven patients wanted more early/late or weekend appointments.

Conclusion:

Please see conclusion to question 3.

6. How easily are you able to order your repeat medication (if on repeats)?

Very easy – 23

Easy – 28

Difficult – 2

Don’t know – 17

No answer – 6

Comments:

  • One patient would like to order over the telephone
  • One patient commented that they use online requesting and it is easy
  • Five patients did not know as they did not take repeat medication

Conclusion:

We do not take prescription requests over the telephone as we cannot audit this process. We request in writing to avoid errors. We can accommodate house bound patients. We offer online ordering.

7. How helpful are our receptionists?

Very helpful – 59

Helpful – 14

Not very helpful – 2

No answer – 1

Comments:

  • One patient said the receptionists were brilliant
  • One patient said most receptionists were very helpful
  • One patient thought some were very abrupt
  • One patient thought the receptionists always go the extra mile

Conclusion:

We are happy with the response to our receptionists. 

8. How happy are you with the care you receive from your GP?

Very happy – 32

Happy – 39

Not very happy – 1

No answer – 4

Comments:

  • There was individual praise for Dr Abraham, Dr McGroarty and Dr Riddell and Lindsey Parker
  • One patient commented that they were happy to be referred when needed
  • One patient commented they can’t praise the GP enough
  • One patient commented that they did not feel their problem was important
  • One patient felt they did not find their treatment from a GP useful

Conclusion:

We encourage patients to speak to us if they feel they are not getting a reasonable service. We have a practice complaints procedure if you feel your treatment or contact with the practice is not up to standard. Overall, we are happy with the results.

9. How happy are you with the care you receive from your nurse?

Very happy – 45

Happy – 27

Not very happy – 0

No answer – 4 

Comments:

  • One patient said the nurse was very efficient and helpful
  • One patient said the nurse always looked after them
  • One patient said the nurse was a great help and support
  • One patient said they received a fab service and care

Conclusion:

We are pleased with the response to the nursing team.

10. How happy are you with the care you receive from the health care assistants?

Very happy – 39

Happy – 32

Not very happy – 0

No answer – 5

Comments:

11. How would you rate your overall experience with the surgery?

Excellent – 25

Very good – 32

Good – 12

Poor – 3

Don’t know – 0

No answer – 4

Comments:

  • One patient commented they had no problems
  • One patient commented that they had to wait 1hour 15min for an emergency appointment but had to leave and go to the hospital
  • One patient commented that a GP was difficult to speak to

Conclusion:

We are happy to see that overall patients rate their experience well. Please see the response to conclusion 8 with regards to complaining. We try to keep to appointment times but we cannot always prevent interruptions and urgent calls from hospital or patients. We try to discourage patients attending A&E during opening hours as the waits there can often be long. This was the reason we introduced the triage system.

12. How likely are you to recommend our GP practice to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?

Extremely likely – 27

Likely – 39

Neither likely or unlikely – 4

Unlikely – 1

Extremely unlikely – 0

Don’t know – 1

No answer – 4

We asked patients for any other comments not covered in the questions:

  • “Have always been looked after. Excellent service.”
  • “Reception staff very nice. One GP is rude and abusive.”
  • “More later than 17:00 appointments for workers.”
  • “No complaints”
  • “If it’s broken don’t change the system. I have always been treated well with respect and dignity.  Keep up the good work.”
  • “Since Dr McGroarty is only at Creswell on Monday it is not enough.”
  • “More late nights and Saturday opening”
  • “One GP is a bully and ignorant other than that a fantastic practice.”

Conclusion:

We have discussed the feedback and concluded on this. The extra comments are mainly covered above. The practice would encourage any patient who feels the need to comment on an individual doctor to do so through the practice complaints procedure so we can investigate. Details of this can be found at the practice.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. If you would like to help us make decisions on how the practice works for the patients, please ask about our Patient Participation Group or see the noticeboards in the surgeries.