Hackenthorpe Medical Centre

Hackenthorpe Medical Centre Patient Participation Report March 2013

Our Patient Group was formed in June 2012. We had been collating names of patients who may be interested for a while prior to this so started by contacting these patients initially. We arranged our first meeting, where it was agreed that we would use the large flip chart in our foyer to attract the attention of other patients visiting the Medical Centre who may be interested in attending. This recruited a few more patients. We also advertised on our website and in our Patient Information Booklets kept in Reception, where patients can sit and peruse information, prior to their appointments. Posters have been put up on the local Church Notice Boards, Hackenthorpe Housing Association, Lunch Club, and at Hackenthorpe Community Centre. We have approached patients visiting Mother and Baby Clinic and Baby Clinic in an attempt to engage some of our younger population with just a little success.

Profile: Our Patient Group are all British in ethnicity, consisting of both males and females, they come from a back ground of workers, retired (civil servant, public sector, MOD and NHS), long term sick, unemployed. Our patient population consists of a higher than average elderly population with very few patients of non British ethnicity.

Areas of Priority: It was agreed that the Medical Centre was looking a little tired due to little updating to the décor and furniture during the past few years and the Patient Group carried out a survey of the premises suggesting improvements, sourcing of equipment and ideas helping towards infection control. Action Plan attached (works commenced 20.8.12)

Discussions were also held over appointment availability, online prescriptions, calling patients into surgery, query relating to referrals to hospitals, request for a water cooler (now available), positive feedback on clinical staff and receptionists.

Our Practice Survey was carried out week commencing 14th – 19th January 2013 following discussion with our Patient Group on 6.11.13 where we agreed content and target audiences. Content was to specifically include Access to Medical Centre, Patients privacy, cleanliness, appointment waiting times and appointment booking methods. Patients volunteered to meet and greet our patients, offering the Survey for completion, which resulted in an extremely efficient way of gathering the information we needed from our target population.

The Patient Group discussed the Survey findings at our meeting on 19.2.13. Agreement was reached on where improvements could be made and where acceptance was inevitable regarding the minute number of patients who had expressed dissatisfaction with our services, however, who had not commented specifically on the reasons why. Areas of improvement to be taken to Practice Meeting for approval/go ahead. 1. Call Queuing System - 38% of our patients thought this would be a good idea, however 43% did not. We felt that some of those not wanting a queuing system may have thought we were referring to a menu option system. The Patient Group clearly stated they did not want a menu option or music to be played, however due to the volume of patients who wanted to contact the Medical via telephone (75%), it was decided to look into acquiring a call queuing system to reduce frustration of those patients (1.2 %) unhappy with access to the Medical Centre. However, on looking into the cost of this system being installed it was found to be rather expensive and it was decided to monitor the situation and review following next year’s survey.

2. On Line Appointments and the advertising needed to ensure those who could, used this service. With the help of the Patient Group who volunteered to put up posters outside of the Medical Centre, ie. local Church Notice Boards, Hackenthorpe Housing Association, Lunch Club, and at Hackenthorpe Community Centre. 9% of our patients have shown a preference to booking appointments on line, and due to the ever expanding and user friendly technology available ie smart phones, tablets, we do expect a growth in this number over the coming years. It was felt that this service would require 6 months to monitor growth, and that the avenues for advertisements were well used.

3. Notice on Reception Desk regarding private room available to speak to a receptionist - for when patients request privacy. 63% of our patients were not aware they could speak to a Receptionist in a private room. 12% of our patients weren’t happy that they could be overhead by the patients in the waiting room when speaking to a Receptionist at the Reception Desk. Perhaps the 12% could be monitored at next year’s survey and change be implemented if this increased. Concerns were also raised about patients being asked for a reason for the appointment with our nurse in a loud manner. The Patient Group also showed concern regarding Receptionists speaking loudly at the Desk or on the telephone and this was to be discussed in house. The GP Partners happy with putting a notice on reception desk regarding a private room. Concerns about loudness to be approached with Reception.

4. More advertising of late night surgeries for those who work. A few comments were left in our survey regarding additional opening times. 21% requested early morning appointments however, on providing this service previously we experienced high numbers of patients not attending appointments they had booked. 42 % wished to see or speak to someone in the evening however we do offer 2 GP late appointment sessions on Tuesdays. More advertisement of this service was agreed. 48% wished to see or speak to someone on a Saturday and 10% wished to see or speak to someone on Sundays. However a pattern was noticed of patients wishing for these extra hours, who were unemployed or retired and perhaps they needed reassurance/education of the alternative services which are available at evenings and weekends. GPs were happy with advertising late night surgeries more, especially on display in waiting room. Evidence regarding non attendance of patients to historic early am appointments is also to be displayed with survey results. GPs to add tel calls from 6pm to aid access to GPs in their Late Evening Surgeries. With regard to the pattern of patients wishing for Saturday and Sunday services even though they were unemployed or retired, it was felt that an education leaflet – ie ‘choose well’ would be useful for patients to be reassured that there were services they could access during these times. A Leaflet to be added to our Survey Results display in the waiting room, with a supply for the patient to take away if required.

5. Reiterate in publicised Survey Results on our Waiting Room Notice Board and on our website, our usual opening hours for those patients who were not aware (this is listed on our entrance doors). These are 8.30 – 6.00 pm each weekday plus open late night surgery with GPs each Tuesday. Patients are able to contact us by phone, in person, by fax, via email, and via our website.

6. Waiting Times for Appointments. 68% of our patients normally have to wait between 5-15 minutes to be seen for their appointment. It was felt this was not ideal. However, the extension to the Long Term Locum surgery times may help with waiting times and that this may also help with next years results. Electronic messaging boards were discussed however this was quite costly when last estimates were sourced. Our Receptionists are trained to inform patients when doctors are delayed.

Positive Findings from Patient Survey 1. Generally the Patient Group were happy with 85% of patients finding it very easy to get through to the surgery on the telephone. No members of the Group had encountered problems in the past. 2. The Group felt we do an excellent job and feel that we don’t need to worry about addressing the 3% of our patients who thought the service ‘Not Very Good’. The patient who had replied ‘Very Poor’ was 0.3% had not left a comment as to why this was. 3. Of the replies we received 54% were able to speak to the GP of their choice some of the time. 38% of those who replied were able to speak or see the GP of their choice ‘always or almost always’. The Group felt there was no room for improvement considering the size of the patient list. (6630) 4. 97% of patients needing an appointment with a GP were seen by a GP. Similarly 89% of patients needing an appointment with the nurse were seen by a nurse. The Group were quite happy with these results and could see no room for improvement. 5. 93.5% of our patients who replied thought they were treated with care and concern at their last appointment, which the Group were happy with and that there was no room for improvement. 6. 94% of our patients thought that our Medical Centre was very clean. 7. 87% of our patients would recommend someone who had just moved into our local area to register with us. 8. 64% of females completed our survey as opposed to 29% of males, however we do have a greater female population on our patient list. 9. The Group were really pleased that we managed to get replies from a much broader age range than previously. a. Under 18 – 2.7% b. 18 – 24 – 9.3% c. 24 – 34 – 13.2% d. 35 – 44 – 13.5% e. 45 – 54 – 17.5% f. 55 – 64 – 13.2% g. 65 – 74 – 18% h. 75 – 84 – 5% i. 85 or over – 2%

The work commenced with the Patient Group will continue, aiming to meet on a regular basis to discuss and address concerns over the coming year. Hackenthorpe Medical Centre Schedule of Works – Commencing – W/C 20.8.12 Patient Toilet Grab rail in pt toilet. Door hooks for coats and bags. Tile on sink cracked - replace Put up mirror

Disabled Toilet Grab rail Re-fit/ and repaint pipe work Shelf for bag Put up mirror Repair ceiling Outside Door Tatty – in need of freshen up – revarnish Door wedges for summer months Secure front door with new kick panel/lock holder. Entrance Foyer Fit suggestion box. Waiting Room Broken Perspex in crèche –replace Perspex. Paint work – touch up paint Bench Seating – reupholster. Request PPG advice on colour. Vast amount of notices on notice board to be taken down and placed in a Patient Information Booklet for patients to peruse whilst waiting for their appointments. Clock to be sourced for waiting room Conservatory ceiling – repaint Kitchen – repaint Door handle on print room. treatment room 2 Repair Ceiling and decorate Treatment Room one Cupboards in need of new hinges x 2 Wall heavily scoured – to refill and paint Redecorate Outside.Guttering down pipe outside JPB’s room – fix. F2 room Repaint repaired areas. JEP room Walls scoured by chairs – fill and redecorate room Locum Room Back wall has numerous chair marks. Clinical Rooms (generally) Messy and dusty notice boards require gloves, aprons, soap and couch rolls to be in dispensers. Printers to be put on desks to reducing bending (rather than on the floor where they were) Desktops need decluttering. Fans are dusty Remove shelving and replace with closed cupboards. Old Wooden desks to be replaced with new desks. Patient chairs covering in fabric to be replaced with wipeable chairs. Hooks on nurses doors for patient coats and bags.

Counselling Room In need of redecoration. Updating of notice board with relevant literature. Remove items not used.

Phlebotomy Room Carpet tiles poor – to be replaced with lipped vinyl