THE THREE SWANS SURGERY
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
ANNUAL REPORT
MARCH 2015
Our Patient Participation/Reference Groups support the surgery by helping to improve our quality of
care and shaping our services for all of our patients.
At our meeting in November 2013 the future of our PPG was in question as our existing Chair,
Margaret Roper, had retired from the role, meetings were not very well attended and even though
Margaret spent a lot of time in the surgery trying to raise awareness and encourage new members to
join the group this was not proving to be successful, in patients attending meetings or putting
themselves forward to be Chair. It was agreed that the group would continue and we would work hard
to find a new Chair. In January 2015 a willing and enthusiastic volunteer has agreed to act as Chair
for our PPG and at our recent AGM he was introduced to the group, where it was unanimously
agreed for him to take on this role. A further meeting will be held to discuss the committee and future
events and projects.
Our annual Patient Satisfaction Survey 2013/2014 was reported on by Dr Hugh Bond in March 2014.
Afon House kindly came and gave an excellent talk and demonstration on ‘Looking after your back’
we are hoping they can come back this year for another talk on ‘Gardening safely’
The Surgery population:
Age Range
0 - 16
17 - 24
25 - 34
35 - 44
45 - 54
55 - 64
65 - 74
75 - 84
85 - 94
95 - 100
101 - 110
Total
Male
781
372
530
534
632
541
382
229
94
3
1
4099
Female
751
366
570
612
634
533
519
354
194
21
1
4555
Total
1532
738
1100
1146
1266
1074
901
583
288
24
2
8654
In the main our patients live in the city and suburbs of our market town.
Figures indicate the 85.41% of our patients are white and the vast majority of ethnic minorities are
white Irish and Polish. We also have a small percentage of patients from China, India and the
Philippines.
We now have 263 carers listed, which is 3% of our patient population. We won a gold + award in
2014 for our work with Carers and continue to work hard to help this group.
Patient Participation and Reference Group Recruitment:
We continue to try to attract new members, of all ethnic origins, disabilities, age and gender by







Advertising on our website
Advertising on our waiting room screens
Putting up posters in the waiting rooms
Putting a joining form with all of our new patient registration packs.
We also put articles in our regular newsletters and recruit during flu clinics, while large
numbers of patients are coming in to the surgery where we try to attract members from the
minority groups, such as disabled patients.
The doctors, nurses and receptionists also invite patients to join when appropriate.
At our Carers Clinics patients are encouraged to join.
Profile of the Patient Participation and Reference Group:
We have managed to increase members to both the PPG and PRG groups this year. The Patient
Participation Group has increased from 61 to 88 members an increase of 27 since last year, and the
Reference Group from 422 to 528 members and increase of 106.
The Reference Group demographics are made up of 37.52% female and 33.53% are male. We have
2.8% aged 17-24, 6.81% aged 25-34, 8.71% aged 35-44, 9.84% aged 45-54, 13.04% aged 5564,19.50% aged 65-74, 6.81% aged 74-84 and 1.32% aged over 84 and over.
The Reference group is made up of 95.64% White British, 0.38% White Irish, 1.32% Indian 0.19%
Chinese and 2.7% of other ethnic origin.
Under Represented groups:
We are aware that although we have increased our membership in both groups we need to continue
to encourage all areas of the community to join, especially our ethnic minority and disabled patients.
We will carry on recruiting by advertising on our website, using our waiting room screens, giving all
new patients information, organising events and encouraging patients to join when we have our
annual flu clinics.
Priority Areas:
At our meeting in March 2014 priority areas were highlighted for the surgery to look at which were:
AIM
New Chairperson
Advising all patients that
Electronic Prescribing will be
commencing in the practice.
ACTION
Advertising on website, in
waiting room and at reception.
As well as GPs would identify
any patients who may be
interested.
Add information to our website,
waiting room screens, notice
boards and in our newsletter.
Vulnerable patients seeing a
An alert to be added the
doctor who they are familiar with patient’s electronic record.
RESULT
An acting Chair came forward
January 2015
Smooth transition to Electronic
prescriptions.
Receptionist able to identify
patients and signpost them to
their usual GP
We also applied for an improvement Grant for the installation of a lift to give patients with poor
mobility access to the first floor consulting rooms which will increase space in the surgery. This has
been successful and work is now underway.
We are looking at our telephone system as we received negative feedback as patients were
sometime unable to get through.
Patient Survey
We have used the new ‘Friends and Family Test’
As from January 2015 a new monthly patient survey was introduced to replace the regular annual
patient participation survey called ‘The Friends and Family Test’
Patients are being encouraged to complete the forms, whilst in the surgery and also from our website.
We have advertised this ongoing survey on our website, on our waiting room screens and on posters
in the waiting rooms, as we really appreciate feedback to help improve our services for our patients.
The results and any comments from the on-going survey will be discussed at regular staff meetings
and any actions will be put on to the website, on our waiting room screens, as well as fed back to the
PPG.
We asked our patients:How likely are you to recommend our GP practice to friends and family if they needed similar care or
treatment?
Results
MONTH
Extremely
Likely
Likely
January
February
March
Total
10
22
38
70
2
2
2
6
Neither
likely or
unlikely
Unlikely
Extremely
Unlikely
Don’t
know
Total
responses
1
13
25
41
79
1
1
1
1
0
1
Additional information
Our practice is open to new patients who can register in person or by downloading an electronic
registration form from our website www.3swanssurgery.nhs.uk
Our opening hours are:Monday
08.00 a.m. – 7.30 p.m.
Tuesday
08.00 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.
Wednesday
08.00 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.
Thursday
08.00 a.m. – 6.30 p.m.
Friday
07.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m
Saturday (alternate) 08.30 a.m. – 10.30am
Extended Opening Hours – additional appointments available with a doctor
Monday
6.30 p.m. – 7.30 p.m.
Friday
7.30 a.m. – 8.00 a.m.
Alternate Saturdays
8.30 a.m. – 10.30 a.m.
All doctors participate in the extended hours rota.
Patients may book appointments with doctors or nurses by ringing the surgery appointment line on
01722 333161 or 01722 333548 or by calling in to the reception desk. We offer face to face
appointments and telephone appointments. If you require a same day appointment, you will be put in
for a telephone triage call by the duty doctor, who will assess your symptoms and help decide what
the best course of action is. This may consist of telephone advice, arranging an assessment in our
urgent clinic by one of the doctors or nurses, arranging an appointment to be seen at another time or
arranging other tests or referrals.
‘On Line’ Appointments and Repeat Prescription Service access to medical records
Patients are now able to book their appointments, order their repeat prescription and view their
summary care record ‘On Line’ using our system provider through our website
www.threeswanssurgery@nhs.uk
Named Doctor
We encourage our patients to always, where possible, to see a named doctor, please ask the
receptionist if you would like to see a named doctor or nurse.