THE FARMHOUSE SURGERY
Local patient participation report
This report summarises development and outcomes of The Farmhouse Surgery patient reference group (PRG)
in 2011/12.
It contains:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Profile of practice population and PRG
Process used to recruit to our PRG
Priorities for the survey and how they were agreed
Method and results of patient survey
Resulting action plan and how it was agreed
Progress made with the action plan
Confirmation of our opening times.
1 Profile of practice population and PRG
Practice population summary
A document showing the practice profile and the patient participation group profile showing the age make up
and ethnicity of the practice population is posted on the website.
Regularly visit the practice
75.9% of respondents have visited the practice in the last three months.
2 Process used to recruit to our PRG
To recruit to our PRG we:
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Put up posters in practice (available to view on the Practice website)
Offered leaflets to all patients attending practice (available to view on the Practice website)
Emailed patients (attached)
Put information on the practice website (available to view on the Practice website)
Messages were attached to repeat prescription slips showing the website address, asking
people to log on and complete the patient survey.
3 Priorities for the survey and how they were agreed
To determine the priorities for the survey we:
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Asked PRG for contact details
Asked patients attending practice
Emailed patients
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4 Method and results of patient survey
Once we had established the priorities we developed the questions using:
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PCC survey tool
We carried out the survey using:
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PCC survey tool
Paper forms
Email forms
We carried out the survey between January and March 2012
Survey results
Can be viewed on the practice website, www.thefarmhousesurgery.co.uk and click on the heading
‘patient participation group’ to find the results of the survey.
5 Resulting action plan and how it was agreed
To develop the action plan, the practice discussed it on 28th March 2012
To get comments from the PRG on the draft action plan we:
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Emailed the group
The action plan is attached. The main actions were:
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Review how to ensure that phone calls to the practice are answered in a timely fashion
Receptionists to answer the phone to check that the call is not of an urgent nature, if not, then to
explain that they are dealing with a patient at the front desk and to ask the patient to hold the line.
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To look at ways of patients being able to speak to a GP on the phone
Each GP now has four telephone appointments for patients, at the end of each morning surgery
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To be able to see a GP on the same day/to be able to book an appointment more than two days in
advance
To continue to impress on patients that there are emergency appointments each working day.
Although it may not be possible to see the GP of choice, the GP will have access to the patient records
and if necessary be able to follow through on treatment.
Appointments with a GP may be booked up to five weeks in advance. Appointments with a nurse may
be booked up to nine weeks in advance.
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To address the length of time spent waiting to see the GP.
GPs have extended the length of each appointment during their routine morning surgery from 10
minutes to 15 minutes in an endeavour to reduce the waiting times for consultations.
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To build the relationship between receptionist and patient
With a high proportion of the reception team having retired during the last 12 months, the new
receptionists are still building up relationships with the patients.
Areas where we could not achieve what the PRG wanted were:
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To investigate the possibility of booking appointments on line
This has been discussed with the GP partners and the website provider, and the possibility of opening
up a number of appointments on a daily basis reviewed. Although this may technically be possible
there is concern that patients without access to the internet will be at a disadvantage when wanting
to book an appointment.
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6 Progress made with the action plan
A summary of the progress as of 31 March 2012 is:
40% of responders stated that it was
not easy to get through on the
phone.
This has been discussed with the
receptionists. Whilst it is not easy
to deal with face to face queries
and answer the phone, we
appreciate the call may be an
emergency.
Receptionists will answer the call and check
that the reason is not urgent. If not, you may
be asked to hold the line for a short time.
13% stated that it was not easy to
speak to a doctor on the phone
We listened to what you said and
appreciate that a phone call may
be more appropriate in some
instances.
Each doctor now has a designated session of
4 phone slots at the end of each morning
surgery. These appointments can be booked
in the usual way.
17.8% felt that they were unable to
see a doctor the same day or within 2
days in the case of an emergency.
5 were told that there were no
appointments available.
An audit of all on the day
emergency appointments has been
carried out. It may not be possible
to see your GP of choice.
There are a limited number of emergency
appointments at the end of morning surgery
as well as emergency surgery every
afternoon.
55.4% of respondents stated that
they would like to book
appointments on-line
We are looking at practices that
already run this facility to check on
suitability for our patients.
Whilst we are aware that this will not benefit
all patients we will consider the possibility.
14.8% of respondents felt that they
could not book an appointment more
than two weekdays in advance.
Appointments can be booked up to
five weeks in advance.
If you are having problems booking an
appointment in advance please ask to speak
to our practice administrator.
11 patients had to wait more than 30
minutes for their appointment
A survey on waiting time has been
carried out.
The doctors have increased their
appointment times from the required 10
minute slots to 12 minutes. This will be
monitored to measure success rate.
12% of respondents thought that
receptionists were not very helpful
and didn’t introduce themselves.
We discussed this with the practice
administrator.
There are many new faces in the team.
Patient approach is stressed as a key part of
learning their new role.
38% OF RESPONDENTS STATED THAT
THE WAY WE TREAT PATIENTS HAS
IMPROVED OVER THE LAST YEAR.
THANK YOU!
WE WILL ENDEAVOUR TO CONTINUE TO
TREAT OUR PATIENTS WITH RESPECT
Please note that these surgeries are not for
routine appointments.
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Watch this space!
7 Confirmation of our opening times
As a result of the survey we have not changed out opening times. They are:
You can call the surgery Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 6.30 pm, 01202 488486 (appointments) or 01202
488487 for all other queries.
The surgery reception is open 8.30 am to 6.30 pm
Surgery times are from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm. Each Clinician has both routine and emergency on the day
surgeries each of their working days.
Extended hours surgeries run on a Monday evening. To request an appointment after 6.30pm on a Monday
please speak to a receptionist.
Outside of these times please call Dorset Emergency Care Service on 0845 600 10 13
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MESSAGE POSTED ON WEBSITE:
HAVE YOU COMPLETED THE PRACTICE ON-LINE SURVEY?
If you have, then thank you.
If not please log on now to our practice website, www.thefarmhousesurgery.co.uk and click on patient
survey. This should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete.
The site closes in one week (27th March 2012) to allow for responses to be collated and a report on the
findings to be written. This report will be published on our website and on NHS choices.
We value all comments made by our patients.
Sheila Leete
Practice Manager
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