BROSELEY MEDICAL PRACTICE

PATIENT SURVEY REPORT AND ACTION PLAN 2012/13 	
Introduction:
Since 2011, the practice has encouraged patients to join our Patients Reference Group (PRG). Our aim is to work closely with patients and enter into discussion about changes that can be implemented in order to improve the services and facilities that the Practice provides.
 The Patient Group’s annual patient surveys now provide an important tool to help us realise this aim. 	
1/   Description of the profile of the members of the PRG. 
1 in age group 16 - 24
0 in age group 25 - 49
3 in age group 50 – 64
2 in age group 65 – 74
3 in age group 75 - 84	
2/  The steps taken by the practice to ensure that the PRG is representative of its registered patients and where a category of patients is not represented, the steps the practice has taken in attempt to engage the category.  
Both the practice and the current group members are conscious that the membership reflects the time different groups are able to give to voluntary work rather than the population registered with the practice. Nor does it include all ethnic groups within the practice population, though, on a percentage basis it is probably still representative. We continue to encourage other patients to join us so that we can be more representative. Posters have been displayed at various locations in the town. It is also advertised in the waiting room on a large poster and on the electronic information board. There are Patient Group information leaflets in the waiting room. The group would like to hear more from young people and ethnic minorities, however, we appreciate it is not always possible with such busy lives to attend meetings. 
	
3/ Details of the steps taken to determine and reach agreement on the issues which had priority and were included in the local practice survey.
The survey was produced by a Patient Group Working Party and agreed by the full Group. Practice staff confirmed that they were happy with the suggested format. Once again we set ourselves the target of limiting our questions to a single sheet of paper to maximise the response rate. We looked first at the Ipsos MORI “GP Patient Survey 2011/12” to see if there were areas that compared unfavourably with other practices nationally or in our locality and we pleased to see how well Broseley compared generally. 

Having looked at, the following priority topics for the survey in 2012:
•	How helpful they found the Reception staff.
•	If patients can be seen urgently on the same day.
•	How patients prefer to book appointments.
•	Satisfaction with the length of time waiting in the practice before consulting with the doctor or nurse.
•	Satisfaction with the “Nurse triage” system.
•	Satisfaction with the service in general.

In 2013 the group decided to:
•	survey how patients felt about the waiting area following the refurbishment undertaken as part of the 2012 Action Plan

•	address the NHS priority of equality of access by asking if people with disabilities felt their needs were adequately taken in account by the Practice
•	look again at satisfaction with making appointments but with a differently worded question
•	explore repeat prescriptions, how patients liked to order them and their satisfaction levels
•	look at three aspects of patient – doctor/nurse contacts: how well patients were helped to understand their problem(s), how well they were helped to cope with them and the wider issue of how well they felt the practice supported them with advice and help on keeping healthy.

4/   The manner in which the practice sought to obtain views of its registered patients.
The survey was distributed by several members of the PPG to all patients calling into the Practice over four days, both morning and afternoon, in order to reach a representative spread of practice users and to encourage a high response rate.

5/  Details of the steps taken by the practice to provide an opportunity for the PRG to discuss the contents of the action plan.
 The survey was analysed by the patient group and the results discussed at a patient group meeting. A report was done by a patient group member outlining the actions for this coming year. This was sent to the Practice Manager, Mrs Christine Smith.  The results were also discussed at a Practice Management meeting.  
 
6/  Details of the action plan setting out how the finding or proposals arising out of the local practice survey can be implemented and, if appropriate, reasons why any such findings or proposals should not be implemented
From the results and also additional patient comments, the following actions have been discussed:

1. Further improvements to the waiting area particularly in relation to privacy and facilities for small children
 
2. Measures to raise awareness of on-line services 
.
3.   Enhancement of the Practice’s Preventative Health work through improvements in the way leaflets and posters are made available and through a jointly arranged day of workshops in September.

7/ A summary of the evidence including any statistical evidence relating to the findings or basis of proposals arising out of the local practice survey.
The Partners and the PPG thought that the results were again very encouraging.  They showed that the patients were generally very happy with the Practice arrangements and the service they received from the Nurses and the Doctors. Over 83% now rated the waiting area as comfortable and convenient, however, there were several comments made as to how cold the waiting room was. Less than 1% of those identifying themselves as having a disability felt their needs were inadequately taken in account by the Practice. Unfortunately no further details were given by these patients. The survey supported the weighted GP Patient Survey Results for 2011-12 for the Practice that showed higher than average results for patients getting appointments within a day or two. Over 88% of those surveyed said they always or mostly got convenient appointments that reflected the urgency of their problem. Questions on the ordering of repeat prescriptions showed a surprising number of patients were unable to do this on-line because they lacked computer/internet facilities. We feel this has implications for Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group plans to extend telemedicine/telecare and hope to make representations accordingly. On consultations with Practice doctors and nurses only 3.5% of patients felt they were not helped to understand or to cope with their problems. 75% of patients felt the doctors and nurses advised and helped them with keeping healthy ‘very well’.

8/  Details of the action which the practice,
i) and, if relevant, the PCT intend to take as a consequence of discussions with the PRG in respect of the results, findings and proposals arising out of the local practice survey
ii) where it has participated in the Scheme for the year, or any part thereof, ending 31st March 2013, has taken on issues and priorities as set out in the local Patients Participation report.
In response to the 2012 survey:
1. We improved the way we handle “urgent, book on the day” appointments.
 
2 & 3. The waiting room and adjoining areas were fully refurbished with new flooring, new seating, with chairs of various heights to help patients with mobility problems and new décor. 

In response to the 2013 survey:

1.	We plan to work with the Group on exploring options to improve patient privacy in the waiting area and provisions and safety for small children.
2.	We plan to work with the Group on improving the way we use Preventative Health posters and leaflets;
3.	We will support the Group in organising a health awareness day for the town in September 2013.
4.	We plan to improve the heating in the waiting room.

9/ The opening hours of the practice premises and the method of obtaining access throughout core hours.
Mon -  8am to 1pm    2pm to 6.00pm 
Tues - 8am to 1pm    2pm to 6.00pm
Wed -  8am to 1pm    2pm to 6.00pm
Thurs - 8am to 1pm    2pm to 6.00pm
Friday - 8am to 1pm    2pm to 6.00pm

Reception and telephone lines remain open throughout the core hours 

10/ Where the practice has entered into arrangements under an extended hours access scheme, the times at which individual healthcare professionals are accessible to registered patients.

Monday – 6:30 to 8:45pm    One of the Doctors will be available for booked appointments only.

Fully and partially completed surveys were handed in by 296 patients (6.2%). A copy of the survey can be seen below.

Thank you to all those patients who participated in the survey