Thames Valley Area Team
2014/15 Patient Participation Enhanced Service – Reporting Template
Practice Name: Malthouse Surgery
Practice Code: K84027
Signed on behalf of practice:
David Ridgway Practice Manager
Signed on behalf of PPG: Report sent to all members and
received sign off/endorsement
1.
Date: 26 March 2015
Date: 26 March 2015
Prerequisite of Enhanced Service – Develop/Maintain a Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Does the Practice have a PPG? YES
Method of engagement with PPG: Face to face, Email, Other (please specify) Email
Number of members of PPG: 68
Detail the gender mix of practice population and PPG:
%
Practice
PRG
Male
9450
36
Female
9372
32
Detail of age mix of practice population and PPG:
%
Practice
PRG
<16
3335
0
17-24
1672
25-34
2156
35-44
2454
3
45-54
2676
11
55-64
2359
13
65-74
2127
17
> 75
2043
24
Only 2000+ patients have ethnicity recorded, with the majority of
patients having been with the Malthouse Surgery long before this was a requirement when registering. Public Health
reporting shows Abingdon as a stable town with an ageing population, where the big developments and new population
numbers were 30 years ago. From the last census, Abingdon and the surrounding villages has a low level of ethnic
minorities within the population with over 90% white British. The largest minority group (nearly half) were white
Europeans. The PPG is therefore representative of the majority patient population, although we continue to encourage
members from all population groups to join.
Detail the ethnic background of your practice population and PRG:
Practice
PRG
Practice
PRG
British
Irish
69
-
White
Gypsy or Irish
traveller
-
Indian
Pakistani
-
-
Other
white
-
Asian/Asian British
Bangladeshi
-
White &black
Caribbean
-
Chinese
-
Mixed/ multiple ethnic groups
White &black
White
African
&Asian
-
Other
Asian
-
Other
mixed
-
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British
African
Caribbean
Other
Black
-
Arab
-
Other
Any
other
-
Describe steps taken to ensure that the PPG is representative of the practice population in terms of gender, age and ethnic
background and other members of the practice population:
From the outset the Malthouse Surgery made efforts to invite a cross-section of our patients to provide us with a sound
base for obtaining a general consensus of the best operating methods for our patients. To achieve this we took the
following actions:

Our first selection process was to send an e-mail to all patients that we had an e-mail address for inviting them to
join our Patient Participation Group; we hoped that this would be an even spread of patients to provide us with the
wide cross-section.




Our next step was to make contact with the local Armed Forces, churches, schools and care homes
We placed adverts within the surgery on all noticeboards and added it to our information TV
Finally we added information to our website promoting the potential Patient Participation Group and provided an
application form for patients to join the group
There is a rolling programme of promoting the PPG and encouraging patient membership proven by a regular
turnover of members
Are there any specific characteristics of your practice population which means that other groups should be included in the PPG?
e.g. a large student population, significant number of jobseekers, large numbers of nursing homes, or a LGBT community? NO
If you have answered yes, please outline measures taken to include those specific groups and whether those measures were
successful:
2.
Review of patient feedback
Outline the sources of feedback that were reviewed during the year:
2014 Patient Survey, PPG feedback and agreement to this surveys action plan, ad hoc inputs through the year from PPG
members and other patients, 2x CQC inspections and patient responses and feedback from CQC, patient complaints,
patient compliments, visitor comments
How frequently were these reviewed with the PRG?
PPG members (and other patients) engage on an ad hoc basis frequently throughout the year about issues and these are
reviewed with the surgery. Specifically the PPG was engaged early in the year on agreeing an action plan from the 2014
survey and later in the year reporting progress. Many of the areas are monitored by performance checking against the
national survey data published January and July which are reviewed when published. Review has showed improvement in
all areas, but particularly around dealings with reception staff, nurses and GPs. PPG members (and other patients) have
endorsed this through feedback through the year. In the summer all PPG members were asked to engage with CQC during
an inspection and we sought volunteers to speak directly with the inspection team, PPG members did provide feedback to
inspectors on the service we provide. All performance issues and other matters concerning patient services are addressed
and reviewed regularly through PPG/patient engagement areas such as the website/e mail updates (there is a dedicated
PPG e mail account for members to ask questions/feedback comments) and a newsletter. The PPG was introduced to the
FFT prior to introduction and as we approached the end of the (calendar) year the Malthouse Surgery approached the PPG
about 3 key priority areas to be addressed in this report. The Malthouse Surgery has also made contact with the SWOLF
chair and actively trawled its PPG members to consider representing the Surgery at this forum.
3.
Action plan priority areas and implementation
Priority area 1
Description of priority area:
IMPROVING THE WAITING AREAS AND SPECIFICALLY THE SEATING
What actions were taken to address the priority?
The Malthouse Surgery has had some planning blight because a new build was planned for the centre of Abingdon. In
October (2014) it was finally confirmed this was not now going to happen. The Malthouse Surgery is now looking to work
with the council as to what the future plans are for the building. The PPG (and other patients) have provided feedback
that the waiting area and in particular seating numbers could be improved. A quick fix solution with some reorganisation of the seating, moving of equipment and the purchase of some new chairs has seen the number of patient
seats offered in the Surgery rise by 15 places. In addition parts of the waiting area have been repainted to brighten up the
surroundings. At a Practice meeting in November a longer term solution to improve the waiting area by expanding the
floor space through reconfiguring areas of the ground floor space was agreed and this is being pursued with the building
owners.
Result of actions and impact on patients and carers (including how publicised):
The additional seating has reduced congestion at busy times and smartened up the Surgery waiting area. The reorganisation has also allowed small improvements to be made in certain spots to improve access for wheelchairs and
pushchairs. The improvement is self publicising as patients recognise the change as they visit the Surgery, but it will
also be reported on in the next patient newsletter.
Priority area 2
Description of priority area:
IMPROVING TOILETS
What actions were taken to address the priority?
The Malthouse Surgery has had some planning blight because a new build was planned for the centre of Abingdon. In
October (2014) it was finally confirmed this was not now going to happen. The Malthouse Surgery is looking to work
with the council as to what the future plans are for the building. The PPG (and other patients) has provided feedback
that the toilets could be improved. Ideally the toilets need complete refurbishment and this will be a key part of the
discussion around the future building lease if the council agree the building has a long term future. In the meantime
there has been new toilet seats and some painting of the toilet surroundings (with further planned), improved lighting
and in the disabled toilet a new cistern system. Part of the issue is also heavy usage by non-surgery patients due to the
town centre location, to reduce this a more proactive entry management system is now in place.
Result of actions and impact on patients and carers (including how publicised):
Although not yet as we or the patient would finally like there is a slight improvement and more monitoring of the toilets
to avoid over use by non patients. The need to refurbish further is part of a process of engagement with the building
owners (the council). NHS Properties are currently working with the Malthouse reviewing the lease conditions and
updates will be publicised as this develops.
Priority area 3
Description of priority area:
Patient Confidentiality when visiting the Surgery reception
What actions were taken to address the priority?
Linked to the first action area where space is an issue in the waiting area, space around the reception is tight. Part of the
solution has been a slight re-organisation of the seating and new chairs near the reception that are smaller and have
moved patients slightly further away from the reception desk. A larger board has been placed where patients are invited
to remain until called to the reception desk, while a note asks that other patients confidentiality is respected by leaving
space. Reception staff have attended reception training courses and received refresher training/reminders about their
responsibilities when talking to patients. Rooms are available for confidential discussion and staff are aware, while
telephone calls are kept to a minimum at the front desk with a new phone system better facilitating a call centre facility in
the back office. Introduction of online access for repeat prescriptions and appointments has also aided patient
confidentiality.
Result of actions and impact on patients and carers (including how publicised):
All the above has provide the opportunity to improve confidentiality for all patients when engaging with the Malthouse
reception staff. The need for confidentiality and the support needed from patients has been publicised across the
Surgery and the changes such as the new board and note has raised comment and discussion, with patients
acknowledging the need and supporting by giving space at the reception desk.
Progress on previous years
If you have participated in this scheme for more than one year, outline progress made on issues raised in the previous year(s):
Over the past few years there have been many areas of change as a consequence of patient engagement and annual
surveys, they include:







The Malthouse Surgery moved back to a local telephone number in 2014.
To improve telephone call waiting times a new real time telephone call management system was installed and
telephone calls are now more actively managed reducing waiting times.
Reception staff attend a reception training course which has improved interaction with patients, as demonstrated
in responses to the national GP Survey.
A notice board of GP appointment in surgery waiting times was installed to better inform patients if their GP was
running late.
Noting patients are willing to consider alternatives to their own GP for non routine appointments, there is more
crossover of patients for urgent appointments. Previously for all appointments own GP was the default which
added to waiting times in some instances.
Additional hours are delivered evenings and Saturday am based on patient preferences from survey results.
Feedback in surveys have highlighted the need for clinicians to inform and engage patients during consultations
and there has been an upward trend in satisfaction in this area over the past 3 years in the national GP survey.
4.
PPG Sign Off
Report signed off by PPG: YES
Date of sign off: 26 March 2015
How has the practice engaged with the PPG:
How has the practice made efforts to engage with seldom heard groups in the practice population?
A.Webpage, Notice Boards, newsletter,
Has the practice received patient and carer feedback from a variety of sources?
A. Feedback through ‘e’ mail, comments through the webpage, direct in the Surgery from a variety of patients is
considerable throughout the year
Was the PPG involved in the agreement of priority areas and the resulting action plan? A. Yes
How has the service offered to patients and carers improved as a result of the implementation of the action plan? As described
Do you have any other comments about the PPG or practice in relation to this area of work? A. No