Patient Survey Results 2013

The Practice has been asked to discuss with our Patient Representative Group the results of the 2013 patient survey we carried out and formulate some actions to take forward over the coming year and repeat this as on ongoing process. It should be noted that the practice is delighted with the way our patients have supported our attempts to provide an excellent service and we have taken on board the comments and suggestions and have agreed a plan with the Patient Representative Group.

This is how we developed our Patient Representative Group (PRG)

  • The practice has a PRG made up of male and female members of both working and retirement age who come from across the whole of the area covered by the practice.
  • The PRG supports the principles of Equal Opportunities and any member of the practice list is welcome to join
  • The practice advertised in the practice waiting room for any registered patient to join the representative group and this is still open to patients willing to join the group and help in the development of the practice. The clinicians asked some of the patients they were attending to if they would like to consider becoming a member of the PRG.
  • The group, at its first meeting, was asked what brought them to the practice group and what they would like to achieve whilst attending the meetings. This gave the group an opportunity to drive the agenda for the meetings. The previous patient forum minutes were brought up in order to ensure there were no outstanding actions. The group were asked to consider any objectives they would like to be considered.
  • At the outset of this process we agreed with the PRG that we would use the GPAQ questionnaire available to all practices  http://www.gpaq.info/

The main points from the survey

  • The practice used a standard approved patient questionnaire in order to seek the views of a sample of its patient population who attended the surgery during the first quarter of 2013. The results were collated and circulated in the practice.
  • The patient group were asked to consider the report produced from the survey and their opinions and suggestions were fed back to the practice via a questionnaire. Regular quarterly meetings will continue to be which will allow further  consideration of the results of the survey. Through this feedback the practice can agree an action plan for the coming year which will consider the areas the patients survey suggested needed to be considered.
  • The patient group was happy with the patient survey report and suggested that the practice was well respected and the survey showed the practice in a good light and in particular the PRG felt we performed well in these areas;
  • access to the practice over the telephone and at reception,
  • the care and treatment given and
  • the services provided by the practice for its patients.
2012 2013
Mean score Mean score GPAQ benchmark
Q2. Satisfaction with receptionists 77 80 77
Q3a. Satisfaction with opening hours 75 79 67
Q4b. Satisfaction with availability of particular doctor 63 71 60
Q5b. Satisfaction with availability of any doctor 68 70 69
Q7b. Satisfaction with waiting times at practice 69 60 57
Q8a. Satisfaction with phoning through to practice 74 78 59
Q8b. Satisfaction with phoning through to doctor for advice 66 73 61
Q9b. Satisfaction with continuity of care 77 73 69
Q10a. Satisfaction with doctor’s questioning 89 92 81
Q10b. Satisfaction with how well doctor listens 90 91 84
Q10c. Satisfaction with how well doctor puts patient at ease 91 98 84
Q10d. Satisfaction with how much doctor involves patient 90 95 81
Q10e. Satisfaction with doctor’s explanations 91 92 83
Q10f. Satisfaction with time doctor spends 88 91 80
Q10g. Satisfaction with doctor’s patience 90 88 84
Q10h. Satisfaction with doctor’s caring and concern 90 89 84
Q11a. Ability to understand problem after visiting doctor 76 85 69
Q11b. Ability to cope with problem after visiting doctor 70 79 66
Q11c. Ability to keep healthy after visiting doctor 65 83 61
Q12. Overall satisfaction with practice 86 92 62
  • The table above shows good patient satisfaction levels across the full range of services, availability, opening hours and care given which all culminates in a very high overall satisfaction with the practice as shown by the responses to Question 12
  • Waiting times whilst at the practice had worsened since last year but in a year where we had two full time GP’s on long term sick the practice did have to employ locum cover who were new to our GP system which was installed right in the middle of the sickness period. This may also reflect why continuity of care dipped this year. However we note that the patients still feel we are better than the national average in these areas.

We discussed the report with the PRG who gave us this feedback :

“The survey results are excellent”

“It is good to see year on year improvement”

“The survey is an excellent tool for the patients to express any praise or concern for their experience.”

The results can be used to improve areas of concern and also maintain good practice”

“Excellent results overall and show the patients have confidence with their GP”

“Representative of a well run practice”

“The slightly lower results in some areas compared to last year still met the benchmark”

“The practice should feel proud to be the owner of these results”

“There is overall very high satisfaction with the practice”

“Additional hours requested was an issue in the 2012 survey. It is good to see that it is not really an issue now, and that action taken has largely resolved the matter.”

This feedback was received into the practice in March 2013.

In the area of concern last year the practice has improved its communication with the patients with the intention of helping them decide when they should attend the practice and how to avoid using other services for inappropriate reasons. The practice agreed with the PRG that the they would target communication with the over 65’s in this area.

2012 2013
Q3b. Additional hours requested Number of responses
Mornings 5 0
Lunchtime 1 4
Evenings 22 4
Weekends 32 4
None 101 48
  • The above table shows that the vast majority of respondents were satisfied with our opening hours as also shown by the response to Question 3a in the top table.
  • Some patients did suggest that the practice opened at weekends so we discussed this with the patient group.

Previously the patient group had asked us to communicate to the elderly patients how they access our services more appropriately and the result this year is that approx 10% of patients wished us to open on a weekend as against last years 20

  • The patient survey asked for Mornings and Evenings to be provided
  • The Patient Forum agreed that the practice was meeting this request already but should take note if considering any change to the services provided.

The PRG have asked the practice to consider why waiting times at the practice produced a lower satisfaction this year

The PRG have asked the practice to consider why satisfaction with the availability of a doctor is lower compared to the other very high scores.

The PRG have asked us to maintain our performance based on this survey and we will once again provide patient communication to help them better understand how to access our services and help reduce some of the anxiety over accessing the practice. We will also continue to promote the use of booking appointments online which should help ease telephone congestion at busy times.

The PRG has asked us to monitor the needs of the elderly in our provision of services as they are the highest responders to our surveys. This ties in with our continued agreement to direct communication to them in order to help them access our survey.

The practice is happy to consider these elements and work towards an improvement in these areas whilst maintaining its high performance in the other areas.

  • The practice will communicate this report to the Primary Care Trust so that it is aware that the PRG reviewed the results and the PCT understands that we will be acting on the suggestions made. Note should be made that a sample of the feedback has been used here in order to provide proof that the PRG did provide feedback on the 2013 and that was received into the practice in March 2013.

The patient survey will be repeated in another year and the practice will hope to have improved its communications so that the elderly population feel more comfortable with how to access care throughout the weekend.

Just as a reminder, this is how patients can access our service

  1.  The practice reception is open from 8:30am to 5:30pm every day and all telephone calls to the practice should be made by dialling (0191) 5193000
  2. Please ask reception how to register for Emis Access which will allow you to book appointments and order prescriptions over the internet.
  3. Surgeries are by appointment only and made by telephone, in person or ask at reception for online appointment booking.
  4. If your problem is an emergency tell the receptionist and you will be seen the same day.
  5. You may see any doctor you choose, but we do suggest you see the same doctor whenever possible.
  6. If you would like your child to be examined, please loosen outer garments whilst waiting to see the doctor.
  7. If you have a minor ailment please book an appointment with our Nurse Practitioner.
  8. The practice provides some out of hours access as agreed with the PCT and are available from 7 to 8am on Tuesday and  Wednesday mornings; we are also available between 6 and 7pm every Thursday evening and every other Monday evening. Please contact our reception to book your appointment.

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