Romney House Surgery Patients Survey Results 2014 – PPG AGM Summary Report
During February 2014, volunteers from Romney House Patient Participation Group (PPG) conducted a
survey with 500 patients aged over 18 on behalf of the surgery in order to get feedback from local people
about the health care services offered by the surgery. An online version of the survey can be accessed on
the surgery website along with a full version of the report which will be available shortly.
We were pleased to note that overall patients felt on average that the practice at Romney Health Surgery
meets their health needs and concerns well.
Figure 1: Overall satisfaction, the respondents were asked, “How well do you think the practice at Romney House
surgery meets your health needs and concerns?”
We were pleased to find the average rating (where 1 = very badly and 5 = very well) is 4.31. This is a very
good score – we normally recommend that organisations need to get at least 3.6 average rating.
Satisfaction has increased since last year’s survey and less than 4% of patients were not satisfied compared
to 6% in 2013. Higher satisfaction rates were expressed by patients who have recently visited the surgery
(within a month of the survey) compared to those who had last visited the surgery more than 3 months
ago. This coincides with a number of changes in the surgery since Christmas. Overall older patients are
significantly more satisfied than younger patients and those aged under 50 with children were the least
satisfied group of patients.
Figure 2: Overall satisfaction, patients compared
Satisfaction with different aspects of the surgery
The patients were asked, “Thinking about Romney House Surgery, how satisfied are you with
 Surgery opening hours?
 Being able to see the doctor or nurse of your choice?
 Time and day offered for your appointment?
 Being able to organise a home visit?
 Ease of contacting the surgery by telephone?
 Being able to see a doctor or nurse within 48 hours?
Figure 3: Average ratings with different aspects of the surgery, all respondents
Opening hours, ease of contact with the surgery by telephone and the time and day offered for
appointments are all above (or on in the case of time and day offered) the satisfactory threshold
(illustrated by the red arrow in figure 3). However there are still some areas of concern; the ease of being
able to organise a home visit, being able to see a doctor within 48 hours and seeing the doctor of your
choice were issues of concern especially for younger patients with children (n = 115). These aspects were
all rated on average as being below the satisfactory level.
During their last visit to the surgery 63% of respondents remembered speaking to the reception staff.
These patents felt the length of time waiting was just about satisfactory (satisfaction average of 3.64) and
the manner to which the patients felt they were treated was averaged at 3.9 which is quite satisfactory.
62.1% (284) patients reported their appointments were delayed, of these 37.5% of patients were advised
of a delay and 58.4% were not advised there would be a delay (4.1% could not remember). This is a
significant improvement to 2013 when only 10% of patients were advised of a delay.
Other areas of concern
Blood tests results, as have been highlighted in previous surveys continue to be an area of concern with
19% of patients dissatisfied with the way information about the results of their blood tests are
communicated.
Other concerns raised include the lack of parking. This was a particular issue with older patients and is a
perennial one that is not easily solved. Several disabled patients complained that able bodied patients
were using the designated disabled parking spaces exacerbating the situation for them. Parking was not a
particular issue for younger patients who were more concerned with waiting times and being able to get an
appointment at a time that fitted around their schedule (e.g. outside of working hours).
Appointments
Patients were asked about their first appointment and a subsequent appointment, if they had one. 45%
saw their usual doctor, 32% (saw another doctor, 20% a nurse, and 1.7% (8) saw another health
practitioner – (this is too low a number to report on with any confidence).
Figure 4: The satisfaction average ratings for both doctors and nurses
4.50
4.40
4.30
4.26
4.22
4.20
4.10
4.00
4.19
4.13
4.08
4.21
4.18
4.18
4.07
4.24
4.17
4.08
4.03
4.02
3.98
4.154.13
4.09
4.02
3.97
3.99
3.90
3.80
3.70
3.60
3.50
Overall
satisfaction
Doctor / Nurse
Listen
Amount of time
Nurses
Respect
My usual Doctor
Confidence in
Doctor / Nurse
Opportunity to
express worries &
fears
Doctor / Nurse
explanantion
Another Doctor
The satisfaction ratings for both doctors and nurses was overall good. Patients rated their usual doctor
the highest and another doctor the lowest overall.
Confidence and opportunities to express their fears and worries was rated proportionally lower for the
nurses compared to the doctors – this probably reflects the appropriateness of the situation.
Final comments
Patients were asked for any suggestions on how to improve the surgery – 16% were positive – e.g.
“Romney House Surgery is excellent” and 25% were about the parking situation.
Figure 5: Text analysis of suggestions from 1) older patients and 2) younger patients
Parking and comments about the doctors were main themes from older patients, whereas younger patients were
concerned with waiting times and appointments.
PPG questions
Patients were asked if there was particular help and/or support they would like. 338 patients answered this question
(58% do not require any further help or support) – a number of patients wanted support in more than one area.
Weight related, mental health and arthritis where the most frequently cited issues. Cardiac support was an issue
for some male patients. Mental health support was also requested by younger patients.
Figure 6: Health initiatives and support patients would like, (% patients)
Weight related issues
Mental health
Arthritis
Cardiac
Respiritory
Diabetes
Cancer
Smoking
Being a carer
Dementia
Alcohol
Alcohol, 0.9%
Dementia, 2.7%
Being a carer, 3.0%
Weight related
issues, 18.0%
Smoking, 4.1%
Cancer, 4.4%
Diabetes, 4.4%
Respiritory, 4.4%
Mental health,
11.8%
Cardiac, 5.3%
Arthritis, 9.5%
Figure 6: Health initiatives and support patients would like, by age
30.0%
25.8%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
18.9%
16.5%
15.2%
13.0%
9.4%
10.0%
5.0%
16.1%
9.4%
6.8%7.3%
3.2%
3.2%
4.9%
3.6%
0.0%0.0%
7.8%8.1%
6.5%
3.8%4.5% 3.3%
1.0%
3.8%
2.7%
0.0%
Weight related
Mental health
% aged 18-30
% aged 31-50
Smoking
% aged 51-60
Cancer
% aged 66-80
Arthritis
% aged 81+
Awareness of the PPG
There was good awareness of the PPG - 63.2% of the patients who responded were aware of the PPG and
36.8% were not. 37 (8.7%) were interested in learning about or joining the PPG. These have all be written
to and invited to join.