FRIENDS OF FALSGRAVE SURGERY (FOFS)
REPORT FROM YOUR PATIENT GROUP
MARCH 2014
Thank you to all who replied to our short survey regarding appointments/care with a
GP.
We are a group of fellow patients who have agreed to be your voice from whom the
surgery can obtain patient views.
How did we form the group?
The surgery put up posters and flyers in the waiting areas, handed out interest forms
to new patients and added details to the surgery website. There were forms to
complete on the website and in the surgery to register a notice of interest. We
answered and agreed to be involved.
If you wish to become a virtual FOF (this is some one who agrees to receive emails
about changes, areas of concern or surveys to offer some feedback) then please
contact the surgery and ask for a form to complete.
The surveys
The first short survey we organised was in relation to access to the surgery and
doctors. We agreed that it should be short and contain direct questions.
The three areas we identified to look at over were
 Getting into/contacting the surgery (survey completed 2011/12)
 GP patient care (Completed Oct/Nov 2012)
 Nurse-led patient care (to be done by 30/11/13 – delayed as new nurse lead)
 GP patient care 2013/14 (revisit the 2012 survey to compare)
How was the survey done?
 We met to agree the elements of the survey, using past surveys as a guide.
 An 8 week period was selected to run the survey in the surgery, targeting the
patients currently attending.
Survey results GP patient care
A detailed response is attached, but key points were:
 66.1% (2012 61.8%) thought the waiting times to make an appointment to see
their preferred GP were fair.
 85.6% (2012 85%)thought the waiting times to make an appointment to see
any GP were fair
 70.4% (2012 65.4%) thought they can normally get to see a doctor on the
same day. Please note 16.1% (2012 21%) had never needed a same day
appointment and 13.6% (2012 13.6%) believed they were not able to see a GP
on the same day.
 88.1% (2012 92%) were satisfied overall with the surgery.
 70.3% (2012 68.6%) were seen within 20 minutes of their appointment time.
 82.1% (2012 74.7%) were satisfied with the time they had to wait for their
appointment to begin.
 54.9% (2012 59.5%) of patients generally got to see their preferred GP.


84.9% (2012 82.5%) were satisfied with how often they got to see the GP of
choice.
98.6% (2012 98%) were satisfied were the doctors handling, explanation and
understanding of the problem that the patient presented with.
Survey Results – Nurse care
 95.6% were seen within 20 minutes of their appointment time.
 99.8% were at least satisfied with the quality of their nurse consultation.
 72.8% felt that they understood their illness and how to manage their
condition more following this consultation.
 100% were overall satisfied with the surgery.
Additional comments were in general very positive. Criticism continued much in the
same vein as the previous survey. Patients want to always see their own doctor, want
an appointment with their own doctor within a couple of days and don’t want the
appointment times to be so far behind.
We have Dr James Adamson and Dr Susan Adamson retiring 31st March 2014
(individual letters have gone out to all the patients listed with them). Dr Laura Caley
and Dr Alastair Crosswaite will be taking over their lists. We have also now got two
nurse practitioners who will deal with most same day minor illnesses and manage
some of the complex chronic diseases.
What is going to happen?
 “How to make an appointment” leaflet and “How to order medication” leaflet
are now on the website and given to every new patient to hopefully help
patients understand how the appointments system works.
 If the nurse practitioners are handling most of the same day minor illnesses
and complex chronic disease patients this will hopefully enable the doctors to
manage the patient who need to see a doctor with continuity.
What needs to be discussed more?
 GP appointment lengths. GPs have a mixed view, as they only need a couple
of patients who present with several problems and they can soon be put half an
hour behind. GPs could ask patients to come back later with other problems
but they believe that it is inappropriate and possibly clinically unsafe if they
do not listen to all the patients problems.
What’s Next?
 We will meet again by 30th June 2014 to look at complaints and patient
suggestions.
 We will develop a new survey by 31st July 2014. This is to include a patient
satisfaction question “Would you recommend this surgery to your friends or
family?”
What Can You Do?
Join us! Ask at reception, pick up a form from the surgery or look on the website. You
don’t have to attend any long meetings, simply agree for email contact and reply only
if you want to.
Opening Times (the surgery is not open on weekends or bank holidays)
Monday 8.00am to 8.00pm
Tuesday 8.00am to 6.30pm
Wednesday 8.00am to 6.30pm
Thursday 8.00am to 8.00pm
Friday 8.00am to 6.30pm