Stokewood Surgery Action Plan 2015
(Local Patient Participation Report 2014/2015)
Following on from the launch of our virtual group in January 2012, we have
continued to invite patients to join up and express their views. We advertise our
virtual group on our website, in our newsletters and posters displayed in the Surgery.
Full details of all services, including our appointment systems, can be found on our
website www.stokewood.co.uk or in our patient leaflet.
We are pleased to note the numbers joining this group are still rising, we now have
73 members. In order to assess how representative the group is of our patient
population, we ask everyone who joins to tell us how often they attend the surgery,
their gender, which age group they are in and ethnicity. The distribution of the group
is as below:
PPG & Survey Results Report 2014/15
Patient Reference Group
The patient group comprises 73 members
Distribution Details
Attendance
Gender
Ethnicity
Age
Achievements in 2014/15
Refurbishment programme - this was completed in October 2014. We now have
automatic doors at our patient entrance, a brand new reception desk with a suitable
lowered area for our wheelchair users. The whole ground floor has benefitted from
redecoration and new washable window blinds. The main treatment room has been
completed upgraded with new flooring and units throughout. We have a newly
installed ulcer bath. The patient and staff toilets were in desperate need of an
upgrade and these have now been finished to a high standard with a baby change
facility and the toilet for our disabled patients is now fully DDA compliant. We also
added a confidential room off the reception desk which patients can use to discuss
private matters out of earshot of other patients.
Communication – the telephone system – we did trial having a dedicated
switchboard operator but it quickly became apparent that there were bigger problems
with the phone system than we had first anticipated. These are addressed in our
new Action Plan for 2015.
Website – Statistics gathered show that our website is now being viewed up to 7,000
times per month. We will continue to improve this site, adding patient information
leaflets and more links to self-help advice. We received over 460 repeat prescription
requests via our website last month and have 545 subscribers to our newsletters.
Prescribing and Medication – We are delighted to see that not only do our patients
appreciate the advice and help they are receiving from our Medicines Adviser but the
CQC inspectors who visited us in November 2014 rated this aspect of our care as
‘outstanding’.
Sit and Wait clinic – Although the sit and wait clinic is well received on the whole,
and praised by the CQC inspectors, we are aware of lengthening wait times so we
are once again carrying out a review and audit of this clinic. We are also employing
a nurse practitioner four days a week from April 2015 who will be able to see and
advise patients with urgent medical problems.
Staff – We employed three new receptionists in November 2014 and one of our
experienced receptionists was promoted to the role of Reception Supervisor in
February 2015 and has already made significant inroads into improving this
important area.
2014/2015
Patient Survey 2014
Below are the results of the survey which was run in December 2014. The survey
questions were based on priorities agreed by our Patient Group and from
comments/feedback received on CQC cards, suggestion box and Friends and
Family Test cards. In a change from previous years, we did not send out the survey
with our invitations to attend for a flu vaccination. Despite having the survey on our
website, alerting all our Patient Group to its presence and having paper copies in the
waiting room, we had just 9 completed surveys.
Q1. Test Results - Have you had a test carried out in the last 12 months? If so, were you
informed as to how to obtain the test results? Please pick all that apply
The GP or Nurse requesting the test told me how and when 22%
The healthcare assistant taking my blood told me how and when 11%
When dropping in a sample, the receptionist told me how and when 0%
I wasn't given any guidance but knew from previous experience 33%
No one explained to me how to obtain results 11%
Q2. We have been promoting our website and newsletter - how effective has this been?
(please pick ONE option)
I was not aware of either 33%
I knew about the website but not the newsletter 11%
I knew about both but havent looked at them 0%
I have looked at the website in the last 12 months 22%
No response 34%
Q3. We now have a branch surgery (Old Anchor Surgery at Bishopstoke) and some clinics
from Stokewood have taken place in that location. How has that worked for you? (please pick
ONE option)
I had no difficulty going to Old Anchor for my appointment 0%
I found it difficult to get to Old Anchor Surgery 0%
I haven't been yet but do not foresee any difficulties 55%
I haven't been yet but would find it diffcult 11%
No response 34%
Q4. The Friends and Family Test (FFT) is now available to complete online and in paper at
both Stokewood and Old Anchor Surgery. Please pick all the options that apply.
I am not aware of the FFT 77%
I am aware of the FFT 0%
I will be completing this online via the website 11%
I will be completing this on paper 0%
No response 12%
We have a Medicines Adviser at the Surgery. You can book a telephone appointment for help
with all your medication queries. If she is unable to help you, she will seek advise from your
GP on your behalf.
Q5. Have you ever needed the help of our medicines adviser?
No 33%
No but I didnt know you had one 11%
Yes 44%
Q6. If we held a Patient Participation Group Meeting, would you attend? Pick one option
Yes - in the day time 33%
Yes - in the evening 22%
YES - during school hours 11%
No 22%
No response 12%
We have now finished our refurbishment programme (although we are waiting for the self
check-in screen and calling board to be reconnected) and are interested in your views and
comments on this or any other aspect of our services.
To help us analyse your answers please tell us a few things about yourself:
Are you male or female?
Male 11%
Female 77%
No response 12%
What age are you?
Under 16 0%
17 - 24 0%
25 - 34 0%
35 - 44 0%
45 - 54 55%
55 - 64 0%
65 - 74 11%
75 - 84 22%
Over 84 11%
What is the ethnic background with which you most identify?
White British 100%
White Irish 0%
Mixed White & Black Caribbean 0%
Mixed White & Black African 0%
Mixed White & Black Asian 0%
Indian 0%
Pakistani 0%
Bangladeshi 0%
Black Caribbean 0%
Black African 0%
Chinese 0%
Other 0%
How would you describe how often you come to the practice?
Regularly 33%
Occasionally 44%
Very Rarely 22%
Conclusions
It was clear that patients were not being given a clear message on how to obtain
results of investigations. We will be addressing this issue in our report.
Patients are not concerned about being asked to travel to clinics at Old Anchor or
Stokewood Surgery.
A fair number of our patients still did not know we had a medicines adviser but those
that did seem to rate the service as very good. A view shared by the CQC inspector
who rated this an ‘outstanding service’ to our patients.
Hardly any of our patients were aware of the Friends and Family Test that was being
introduced in December despite this having been up and running in dental surgeries
and hospitals for a considerable time.
Patients did show an interest in attending patient participation meetings.
The very low response rate to the survey made it clear to us that we must take into
consideration the points raised in comments, suggestions and complaints over the
last year to gain a really representative view of our service and our patients’
experiences to draw up our Action Plan for 2015/16. The points raised were:

Long waits for routine appointments

Problems with telephone access

Use of our branch site, Old Anchor Surgery
Action Plan 2015/16
Appointment System
You said: the wait for appointments was unacceptable
We did: Although we are not outside the norm for this area, we agreed that the
problems in replacing GP sessions was having a detrimental effect on wait times.
We are still advertising for GPs but we have also employed a nurse practitioner who
commences work on 30th March.
Outcome: We are hopeful this will improve wait times for routine appointments as
she will be sharing nursing home visits with our GPs and seeing patients in our
urgent sit and wait clinic, freeing up GPs to have routine booked clinics.
We will be reassessing demand and access for appointments regularly throughout
the year.
Telephone System
You said: It is extremely difficult to get through on the telephone and patients report
being cut off after being on hold for some time.
We did: We had our telephone system supplier carry out a full review of our system
and we found that despite having more staff to answer the phones, we did not have
enough lines coming in and as a result, calls were being cut off when the system
was overloaded.
Outcome: We have now ordered two more lines in which should improve the
capacity of the system. Staff will now be using an alternative line when making
outgoing calls which will free up more incoming lines. We will be advertising to
patients (in a recorded message and on our website and in our newsletters) that it
would be better to call after 2pm when making routine enquiries to booking routine
appointments when the lines are not so busy.
Branch Site
You said: You were concerned that the site would not be utilised fully and might
shut.
We did: We will be using Stokewood Surgery for all urgent medical care but GPs
and nurses will regularly see patients for routine appointments at both sites.
Patients will be able to see their usual doctor at either site without the need to reregister. Patients can go to either site to book routine appointments and make
enquiries. Prescription requests and forms can still be taken to and collected from
Old Anchor Surgery.
Outcome: This site will remain open and fully utilised, with patients able to access
a range of services locally in Bishopstoke.
Investigations
You said: You were not clear how and when you could obtain results of your blood
tests and X-rays requested by your GP. This led to patients booking unnecessary
appointments or not receiving their results at all.
We did: We will be running a campaign aimed at informing our patients as to how
results may be obtained. This will include information on websites, in posters in the
waiting room and in our newsletters. We will be giving out information leaflets to
patients dropping in specimens with details of how to obtain the results.
Outcome: We hope to avoid wasted time for patients and GPs with unnecessary
appointments but ensure people needing prescriptions or appointments following
investigations get this information promptly.
Patient Participation Group
You said: It would be nice to have an actual meeting rather than just be a virtual
group.
We did: The practice manager and operations manager will be looking at whether
we could host one meeting and invite everyone in the group at least once a year.
Outcome: We will be working out a date soon and advertising this. Depending on
the response, we will know whether this proves viable or not.
And finally……
Thank you very much for all the patients who took the time to complete our survey
and to those of you who are members of our patient group.
If you are not a group member and would like to be more involved, please register
online at www.stokewood.co.uk. You do not have to have a computer to be part of
our ‘virtual’ group, we are happy to post out information to you. Please enquire via
reception.