Bideford Medical Centre
Patient Participation Report 2013-14
To be published on our website from 31st March 2014
A description of the profile of Patient Participation Group (PPG)
members
Members’ Age
Initial
Range
DO
65-70
Sex
Ethnicity
Profile
F
AF
55-60
F
British
white
British
white
JS
65-70
F
LL
70-75
M
Chair of PPG, Patient, retired
midwife.
Consultant involving with GP
recruitment
for
South
West
Peninsula medical school and
performance panels for registrars in
training; Patient and carer.
Patient, retired volunteer for the
baby clinic in the practice.
Patient, retired chef.
DF
65-70
M
DS
45-50
F
SM
50-55
F
JB
60-65
M
EP
60-65
F
AS
40-45
F
OKB
55-60
F
LW
50-55
F
British
white
Italian
British
white
British
white
British
black
British
white
British
white
British
white
British
Chinese
British
white
Patient, retired GP.
Vice-Chair of PPG, Patient, works in
support housing sector.
Patient, works in voluntary sector.
Patient, retired chef.
Patient, retired.
Executive Partner at BMC, Lead GP
for PPG
Practice Manager at BMC since
1994.
Deputy Practice Manager at BMC
since 2010.
Steps taken to recruit patients and ensure the group is representative
We would like to be all inclusive to include patients with different skills,
professions, sex, ethnicity and age in our PPG.
The
PPG
presentation
on
our
website
http://www.bidefordmc.com/doc/ppg_remit.doc and the digital screens in our
waiting room explains what the PPG does and it also includes a recruitment
advert to invite practice patients to join. The advert does not specify any
criteria to be inclusive and to meet the discrimination regulations.
1
We have, however, members of different professional background, sex,
ethnicity and age which we believe is a good representation of our practice
profile.
Explanations of why it differs from the practice profile
Our ethnic population is as illustrated below.
Practice Population Ethnicity @ 01/03/14
British white
British black
Chinese
Others - white
Others - Asian
Others - mixed
Others - black
Others - other
No entry
Total
Number
12237
12
43
272
74
27
18
27
2335
15045
%
81.34%
0.08%
0.29%
1.81%
0.49%
0.18%
0.12%
0.18%
15.52%
100.00%
Only 3.14% of our patients are non-British white. There are three members
including the practice manager on the PPG representing 25% of ethnic
minority.
We will flag up electronically on the clinical records for those without an
ethnicity entry to remind clinicians to update the records opportunistically
when seeing the patients in the next 12 months.
The age range of the PPG members cover patients with an age of 40 to 75.
We try to recruit a student but without success. We feel the PPG members are
fully aware of the needs of patients at different age range and demonstrate
good representation in terms of age and our practice population ethnicity.
How the practice sought the PPG’s views of priority areas
The Practice had always used the CFEP IPQ patient survey to gather the
feedback from patients on our services as the results had given a comparison
on our performance with that of previous years. The PPG members were
consulted and agreed to adopt a new in-house survey questionnaire which
focuses on the relevant priority areas high-lighted from previous survey
results.
The PPG held a meeting on 11th March 2014 to discuss the result.
We invited patients to attend the public meeting held on 21st March 2014. 2
PPG members attended this public meeting.
Description of the survey and how it was carried out
The Practice conducted a Patient Survey from the last week of December
2013 to mid February 2014 using the new in-house Questionnaires. 450
2
survey forms were handed out and 357 were completed and returned. This
represents 2.37% of the total number of our patients. A summary of the
results and the full results can be found in the web links after this report.
Meetings held to discuss the Patient Survey Results
1. Staff meeting - The Practice team held a meeting on 7th March 2014 to
discuss the results. A total of 22 people including 7 GPs, Practice Manager,
Reception Manager, Senior Receptionist, 9 Receptionists, Lead Practice
Nurse, Minor Illness Clinic Nurse and a Practice Nurses attended.
2. Patient Participation Group (PPG) meeting – The PPG held a meeting
on 11th February 2014 to discuss the results and recommendations from
the staff meeting. A total of 8 members including Dr Stapley, Practice
Manager, Deputy Practice Manager and 5 PPG members attended.
3. Public meeting – The Practice held a public meeting on 21st March 2014
to discuss the results and recommendations from the staff and PPG
meetings. We had 2 patient representatives from the PPG and 1 patient
who also represented the Macular Society, 7 GPs, practice manager,
deputy practice manage, minor illness nurse, practice nurse, health care
assistant, practice administrator and a receptionist attended the meeting.
We invited patients both verbally and in written formats such as e-poster in
our digital screen, laminated invitations by the check-in screen and
reception counter and printed invitations left on the seats in the waiting
area.
Summary of the survey results
This is a new survey questionnaire done in-house based on previous years’
survey results to focus on the priority areas with 14 questions requiring scores
and 1 open question for comment.
 93.14% of all patient ratings about the practice were good, very good
or excellent
 9 questions on the survey we all scored higher than previous years and
the national average.
 We showed consistent service satisfaction in many areas as compared
to the previous 3 surveys.
 4 out of 14 questions (score above 95%)
 6 out of 14 questions (score above 90%)
 9 out of 14 questions (score above 85%)
 11 out of 14 questions (score above 80%)
3
 12 out of 14 questions (score above 70%)
Areas and Suggestions for improvement
1. Car park – insufficient parking spaces
i.
The Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust will introduce parking
charges with the Pay & Display scheme in Bideford Hospital, likely to
be from May or June 2014. This will post a significant threat to our
parking spaces.
ii.
We have to consider a car parking management system on site. It has
been proposed to use the parking charge notice system with regular
patrols and clear signage to advise BMC patients that they have one
hour free parking. Any non-BMC patient or visitor parks in our car parks
without our permission will be issued a parking charge notice. A second
option is a barrier & token system. The barrier & token system is very
labour intensive and the cost is £9,000 per barrier and we need two
barriers. Concern has been raised about the lack of funding but most
importantly our receptionists would not be able to deal with the volume
of work from this proposal. When the Pay & Display system is
introduced in Bideford Hospital we would have no choice but to
introduce the parking charge notice system to protect our parking
spaces for our patients.
iii.
Highlight limited parking on site on leaflets, website, digital screens in
waiting area and repeat prescriptions and advise patients and staff to
park off site, car share, use public transport and attend on foot. This
has been done since April 2011.
iv.
Advertise Torridge Community Transport Association to make their
services available to our patients by promoting their services on our
digital screens, leaflets and a link on our website. This has been done
since April 2011.
v.
Signs to warn non-BMC patients on illegal parking & patrols on site to
enforce parking rules and fines.
vi.
Encourage patients and non care essential staff park off site/car
share/cycle to the medical centre.
vii.
Buy Social Services site to build a larger car park. There is no
government funding and we might have to introduce car parking
charges in the new car park as an alternative choice to existing overcrowded car park. We understand that patients would not want to pay a
car parking fee to attend appointments to see GPs and Nurses but the
new fee charging car park will be a choice if there is no space in our
patient car park. We will get legal and planning advice on this proposal.
This will be a long term project.
viii.
Change a few parking spaces to disabled parking and drop off zone
only. We will cost out the options and consider ways of financing it.
4
2. Telephone Access - difficult to get through
i.
Due to the advance access system patients seem to think they must
ring the practice first thing in the morning to secure an appointment.
The Practice has been offering a very flexible system including 3 weeks
advance booking, same day telephone or face to face consultations,
daily minor illness nurse clinic and a duty team system to ensure all
those who need medical advice or treatment will receive it. We have
been advising patients that there is no need to ring before 9.30am if
they don’t need an appointment on the same day in our leaflets,
website, digital screens, repeat prescriptions etc. It has reduced the
volume of incoming calls in the first hour of the day. However, the
busiest time is still between 8.30am and 9am.
ii.
We have discussed upgrading our telephone system to include more
telephone lines and auto attending messages to sign-post patients to
the right departments. We need approximately £18,000 which we have
to save up first to invest in this.
iii.
We plan to introduce an on-line and automatic telephone booking
system in 2014/15.
iv.
We encourage our receptionists to answer calls within 4 rings (8
seconds).
v.
We are considering reducing the number of same day appointments to
allow more routine appointments to be booked 4 weeks in advance. We
understand it’s difficult to get the balance between ‘urgent’ for today
and booked ahead routine appointments. We believe the patients
would be the best person to decide what appointment they need when
they book.
3.
Reception Privacy
i.
We will install clearer signs both in the waiting area and on our digital
screen to advise patient of the confidential area available at all times.
ii.
We have installed clearer signs to advise patient to wait by the queue
prior to getting to the reception counter.
iii.
We will continue to advise patients to confirm personal details over the
phone instead of receptionists confirming the details.
4.
i.
Facilities
We have put more raised chairs in the waiting area for patients with
mobility problem. We have redecorated the public toilets with new
flooring, sufficient coat hooks and suitable toilet rolls. We have installed
5
a new wall-mounted Baby changing unit in the disabled toilet. All toilets
are cleaned twice daily.
ii.
We have a few comments on drinks, plants, seating, magazines and
more sign-in screens which we will prioritise and address them where
appropriate.
Recommendations for action:
1. Car Parking – It is recognised that there is very little that the practice could
do other than those have already been introduced. We will consider
introducing a car parking management system with clear signs to protect
our parking spaces for our patients when Northern Devon Healthcare NHS
Trust introduces Pay & Display in Bideford Hospital. Increasing parking
spaces on site will involve significant financial investment which is not
available in the current economic climate. Long term plan on Social
Services site might provide more spaces. We will put up clearer signs as
suggested.
2. Telephone Access – Staff aim at answering calls within 4 rings. We plan
to upgrade our telephone system with more lines and auto-attending
messages to sign-post patients to the right department in the next 2 years.
3. Reception Privacy – implement all suggestions as stated above.
4. Facilities – We have implemented the necessary changes.
Description of how the practice consulted with the PPG on the action
plan
The results and some suggested solutions to problem areas were discussed
at the last PPG meeting on 11th March 2014. Two PPG members also
attended the public meeting on 21st March 2014 in order to gather more
opinions and suggestions with a view to finalising the action plan. This PPG
report was sent to all PPG members and they agree and fully support the
action plan as stated above.
Practice opening hours and how patients can access services
throughout core hours
8.30am – 6pm Monday to Friday
Closed 1-2pm Monday to Friday and all day on Bank Holidays
Patients can access services throughout the opening hours by contacting the
practice by telephone or in person.
Where the practice offers extended opening, the times at patients can
see individual health care professionals
6.30pm -7.30pm Alternate Monday and Tuesday
7-8am Alternate Monday and Tuesday, every Wednesday and Thursday
6
Extended hours are published on the front page of our website and practice
leaflet http://www.bidefordmc.com/bmcpatientleaflet.php
Please check
www.bidefordmc.com
7