Edlesborough / Pitstone
Surgery
Patient Survey Results 2012/2013
How the survey was devised
• Sample questions- from a bank of accepted
questions.
• Existing Patient Participation Group felt the
use of the same questions as last year would
allow comparison from year to year.
• Survey put on the website and distributed in
surgery- surgery ones more successfulpositioning on website initially not high profile.
• No response answer omitted so % not 100
Over the last month, if you have visited your GP, how often has the
Dr given you enough information about your condition or
treatment?
Pts who had not attended omitted for clarity throughout.
70
60
50
40
30
2012%
2013%
20
10
0
All of Most Some Never/
the of the of the hardly
time time time ever
Are you aware that many matters can be dealt with by a Nurse
Practitioner?
2012 and
2013 very
similar within
1%
At your last visit did you feel that the Dr/Nurse took appropriate
action to deal with the reason(s) for your visit?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2012%
2013%
Yes
No
The last time you saw a doctor or nurse at the surgery, how good
were they at each of the following?
Giving enough time
80
70
60
50
2012%
2013%
40
30
20
10
0
V good
Good
Average
Poor T
Asking about symptoms
80
70
60
50
2012%
2013%
40
30
20
10
0
V Good
Good
Average
Poor
Listening
80
70
60
50
2012%
2013%
40
30
20
10
0
V Good
Good
Average
Poor
Explaining tests
70
60
50
40
2012%
2013%
30
20
10
0
V Good
Good
Average
Poor
2013 17 % no
response rate
Involving you in decision making
70
60
50
40
2012%
2013%
30
20
10
0
V good
Good
Average
Poor
Treating you with care and
compassion
80
70
60
50
2012%
2013%
40
30
20
10
0
V good
Good
Average
Poor
Taking your problem seriously
80
70
60
50
2012%
2013%
40
30
20
10
0
V good
Good
Average
Poor
On the last occasion you asked to see a Doctor or Nurse urgently
were you offered an appointment on the same day or within a
reasonable time?
80
70
60
50
40
30
2012
2013
20
10
0
Yes
No
Don't
know
In the past six months how easy have you
found the following?
Getting through on the phone
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
2012
2013
10
5
0
V Good
Good
Average
Poor
Speaking to a doctor on the phone
30
25
20
2012%
2013%
15
10
5
0
V Easy
Easy
Average
Poor
Speaking to a nurse on the phone
35
30
25
20
2012%
2013%
15
10
5
0
V Easy
Easy
Average
Poor
Obtaining test results by phone
30
25
20
2012
2013
15
10
5
0
V Easy
Easy
Average
Poor
How do you find receptionists at the surgery in
regard to the following?
Politeness
80
70
60
50
2012
2013
40
30
20
10
0
V polite
Polite
Average
Poor
Offering appointment times
60
50
40
2012
2013
30
20
10
0
V Good
Good
Average
Poor
General helpfulness
70
60
50
40
2012
2013
30
20
10
0
V
Helpful Average Poor
Helpful
If you have experience of a telephone consultation with
a doctor or nurse, how satisfied were you with this?
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
2012
2013
10
5
0
V satisfied
Satisfied
Average
How clean is the GP surgery
60
50
40
2012
2013
30
20
10
0
V Clean
Clean
Not v clean
Would you recommend the surgery to
someone who has just moved to the area?
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2012
2013
Recomm
Not
Comments
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Welcome to Dr Patel – Surgery keeping up with usual fab doctors.
A very well run surgery.
All staff always very helpful also in the dispensary.
Always treated very well even when its so very busy, everyone has
time for us. Really good surgery and Dr Patel a kind and
compassionate lady. Thank you all for your care.
As you can see everything is ok.
Bigger car park? (2 patients commented).
But there are too many people here already.
Cannot understand why you cannot pick prescriptions up between
12 and 2. You could have someone (pharmacist) there and cut
people down at other times. (3 pts made this comment).
Routine doctors appointments (5 patients commented on difficulty).
Comments continued
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Reception layout needs improving (3 patients commented).
Everyone at the surgery treat me with the greatest respect and kindness
at all times. Nothing is too much trouble for them. I consider myself to be
very lucky to have so much kindness and medical professionalism
Dr Johnston is great and we would recommend her any day of the week, always
professional and efficient, when Dr Johnston says she will do something, or ring you
she always does. Her referral letters are excellent and we are delighted to say that Dr
Johnston is our GP.
Found the receptionists to be considerably helpful and approachable, the best I've
come across. Certainly not like the reputation that most receptionist have. Well done
for having lovely staff. Doctors are helpful and appear to be more on the ball at this
surgery than others where I have been a patient. Mostly they get it right but they need
to explain what the medication they prescribe is, ie: is it known by another name
(antidepressant, HRT etc) and what effect it might have on pre existing conditions
that patients have ie: will it affect asthma etc, otherwise the medication ends up being
wasted and go in the bin and the reason for the visit to the doctors surgery not
resolved. This could result in an illness getting worse. This isn’t a complaint, purely
an observation. This is a lovely surgery, the best I have been a patient at!!
Comments continued
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Only use the Pitstone surgery where we find the regular staff here are extremely
helpful. The pharmacy here is a big plus too.
Although the friendliness at reception has improved in recent months, it would still be
nice to get a smile occasionally.
At reception the staff on occasions when you ask them to delete an item from your
repeat prescription, write it on a piece of paper to carry out later. Then it is over
looked and not carried out. You are then given the same items on your next
prescription, which you do not require. costing the practice extra money.
I find the surgery staff can be rude, and very unhelpful at times, and are sometimes
very patronising.
I think all the staff do a difficult job well. They could sometimes be a little more
friendly. I was impressed to be offered an appointment at the Pitstone surgery when
there was nothing available at Edlesborough. Thanks for everything you do.
I had one instance of being given wrong information regarding a test result . Apart
from that we both feel we have wonderful service from the practice.
Love the new website - makes reordering prescriptions so much easier.
Nice people to deal with :)
Not very easy to pick up prescriptions if you work away from the area ie. not open Sat
mornings!
Comments continued
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Sometimes it appears that not everyone is aware of the correct processes to follow. It
can take a long time to get a letter from a doctor for example. Quite often repeat
prescriptions are not ready and one has to make a trip between the pharmacy and
the surgery (queue) to then go back and get the item.
Worse, they're closed on Tuesday afternoons as well and they don't even answer the
phone within a reasonable time when they claim to be open.
Care needed with email security (2 patients commented)
In your email you refer to the 'patient's survey' on the web site it is the 'practice
survey'. It should be the same name. Otherwise we find the surgery very good and
helpful. How much response do you get to this survey and is it worth the costs
involved?
Most of the receptionists are helpful and polite, one less so.
Rarely speak on the phone to the doctor
Reception staff are not all as helpful as they could be even in a genuine emergency.
They could try a friendlier approach but one or two are very helpful which is
appreciated. A smile helps.
Sometimes it is difficult to make an appointment, as the telephone is usually engaged
often call down to surgery instead.
Some staff can be abrupt and rude if a patient has a complaint. The website
(particularly the page with this survey) was confused and not well designed.
Comments continued
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Very happy with quality of care.
We are very satisfied with all the help we receive from all at Cow Lane Surgery and
Pharmacy. We receive first class treatment and are treated with the utmost respect
and kindness at all times and are truly appreciative.
We have always received excellent service from Dr Bell.
Would be good to make blood test appointments with necessary blood tests directly
with nurse.
Waiting four days for prescription is bad. You don't need a doctor or nurse for this.
Doctor are good and nurses when you manage to get an appointment.
Just the best surgery I have ever been involved with- lovely doctors and staff.
I am pleased to be at the surgery. I've had excellent attention from everyone I've
seen. I am grateful to have such a wonderful doctor in Dr Johnston, nothing is too
much trouble for her - she is brilliant.
I did have one issue where I was told by reception that a letter for a private
appointment had been sent to Aspire Hospital, Harpenden. When I had not received
an appointment after 3 weeks I phone Edlesborough and this time was told that the
letter was waiting for me to collect from the surgery so I lost 3 weeks in getting my
appointment. Generally the service is very good - apart from time it takes to get
through on the phone
Comments continued
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No option of emailing GP or Nurse or for making appointments on line. No NHS Choose and
Book option offered, no told of choice of hospitals- Stoke Mandeville is the most difficult one to get
to, esp for those working in Milton Keynes.
After a difficult start at the surgery, things have now settled down and I am now satisfied with the
service received
I have found that my new doctor has been more pro-active with my general health than previous
doctor/s that I used from my previous address.
It's getting better.
Less air freshened/perfume
My first appointment resulted in calling an ambulance. Wonderful treatment and kindness from
doctors and nurse.
Receptionists need to be more efficient, polite and helpful to patients.
Generally very pleased.
Hopefully you will take into account my comments when constructing your next survey. I wanted to
complete this online but could not find it on your new website. New website is an improvement. It
would be good to have another male doctor but the compliment of female doctors is a step
forward. Annual check ups for the over 60s would be an improvement. would be welcome.
Improved external lighting for winter evenings should be taken forward for next year. Clarity for
patients on what to do if you have two issues you need advice on. " which one do you want me to
deal with today?" But when I asked a receptionist if I should make two appointments (back to
back) I was told that is not the policy. It would be useful to know in addition to Dr Patel what the
other doctors' interests/specializes are in order to choose which doctor may be appropriate for a
particular condition.
Where the survey will be discussed
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Patient participation group meeting
Staff
Management team meeting
Emailed out to members of the wider
patient.
Actions as a result of feedback
• Lighting outside has been improved.
• There are plans to change the reception desk at the Edlesborough
site and line the car park spaces.
• We are making plans to improve phone access including asking
patients to phone after 2pm for routine test results.
• Patient participation group and reference group felt that changes in
figures could be due to several factors• Dr Bell being on leave at time of survey
• Last years survey was carried out at a different time of year which
may have had an impact.
• There have been major personnel changes over the last year
particularly Dr Jones retirement.
• It is recognised that expectations generally are increasing and our
challenge is to rise to this challenge.