STONEHILL MEDICAL CENTRE PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP REPORT AND ACTION PLAN 2013/2014

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1 Introduction Stonehill Medical Centre lies in Farnworth and is part of the South East Cluster of Bolton and has 13,800 patients. The practice operates to CQC Standards. We have four GP Partners, Drs B D Silvert (M), H Healey (F), N Robbie (F), and Z Chowdhury (M) together with five Salaried GPs. We also have a Nursing Team with One Advanced Practitioner, One Nurse Practitioner, two Practice Nurses and two Assistant Practitioners who run daily surgeries for minor illness, chronic disease management, phlebotomy, learning disabilities and carers. Our practice list is open and accepts registrations to patients living within the practice boundary. The surgery is open five days per week. Our opening times are as follows: Day Regular Hours Extended Hours Monday 8.30 am 6 pm 6.30 pm 8.15 pm Tuesday 8.30 am 6 pm 6.30 pm 8 pm Wednesday 8.30 am 6 pm (PM 7.00 am 8 00 am emergency service) Thursday 8.30 am 6 pm Friday 8.30 am 6 pm We operate extended hours on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the Direct Enhanced Scheme. Available appointments include: Emergency Routine appointments Phlebotomy Family Planning Childhood Immunisation Clinic Post Natal Clinic Chronic Disease Clinics Minor Surgery To be booked on the day, all appointments triaged by the Duty Doctor Mixtures of appointments bookable 14 days and 48 hours in advance Appointments with nurse in house, bookable in advance Tuesdays, open clinic 4 pm 5 50 pm Mondays 1 30 pm 4 pm Mondays 1 pm 3 pm Daily with the nurses Weekly clinic Appointments may be booked by telephoning the surgery 8 30am 12 noon and 2 pm 6 pm. We have an emergency telephone answering service from 8am 8 30 am, 12 noon to 2 pm and 6pm 6 30 pm). We have made some appointments bookable electronically which is of huge benefit to patients, avoiding the need to contact the surgery by telephone. Patients may request to see a doctor of their choice, male or female. We have a branch surgery in the Highfield area which serves the patients living in that area. 1

2 Specialist Services Our specialist services include Minor Ops (including toenails) Joint injections Family Planning Post Natal Clinic CKD Depression Sexual Health Think Positive When the surgery is closed, patients are advised to contact the Out of Hours service. This information is communicated via the Practice Website; a notice displaying our opening hours is clearly displayed on the door and is also on the Practice Answer Phone Message. Patient Reference Group A patient Reference Group (PRG) was formed in 2011 to ensure that patients are involved in decisions regarding the quality and range of service provided by the practice. The group currently has 8 members of a varied age range, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and ability. The group is consulted on major changes via e mail. The PRG is also advertised on the practice leaflet, practice website and patients may also enrol online. 2012/13 Action Plan overview of progress against last year s action plan. Over the past 12 months we have worked hard to improve telephone access for patients. We have employed an additional member of staff in order to increase the number of calls taken and therefore improve access for patients. Our staff has also received training on customer service and telephone answering in order to deal with calls as efficiently as possible. We have focused on freeing up our telephone lines and there is a dedicated cancellation line, however this is not used as much as we would like. The cancellation line is advertised via SMS message, on the website, display board in surgery, appointment slips and in the Patient Newsletter. We have an increasing number of patients each week, who book appointments and fail to turn up without cancelling. We have introduced online booking of appointments in order to free up lines and enable patients to have quicker access. We have also purchased additional telephone lines for outgoing calls in order to free up our switch board. We will continue to focus on these actions already put in place and monitor telephone access. 2

3 The Patient Survey 2013 In October surveys were handed out to patients and 342 responses received. The results were then analysed by the practice and the report discussed with the PRG via e mail. A report and action plan was produced on the 300 surveys returned. The patient survey was prepared in draft report passed to the PRG for their feedback. Patient Questionnaires were made available during October and November responses were received The Questionnaire included questions on Appointments, Patient Experience, Cleanliness, Communication and Access. Appointments 86% of patients are aware that routine appointments may be booked in advance with a GP or Nurse. 88.9% of patients understand that emergency cases will be seen on the same day but the patient will be asked for brief details of the illness to determine the urgency. 65% of 325 people who answered found that their call to the surgery was answered promptly. Out of Hours 43% of patients (of 52 responses) attended A & E over the past 12 months because the GP surgery was closed. 19% (of 23 responses) attended because of an accident. Patients responded that their reasons for attended A & E included no late evening appointments, felt ill, no available surgery appointments. Over the past 12 months we have contined to work hard to improve telephone access for patients. We employed an additional member of staff in order to increase the number of calls taken and therefore improve access for patients. Staff will continue to receive training on customer services and telephone answering in order to deal with calls as efficiently as possible and spot checks will be carried out to ensure standards are met. We will continue to focus on freeing up our telephone lines by efficient call answering and introducing more on line services. We will continue to promote the use of the 24 hour cancellation line number 3

4 by advertising via SMS message, on the website, display board in surgery, appointment slips and in the Patient Newsletter. We have an increasing number of patients each week, who book appointments and fail to turn up without cancelling. We have introduced online booking of appointments in order to free up lines and enable patients to have quicker access. We have also purchased additional telephone lines for outgoing calls in order to free up our switch board. We will continue to focus on these actions already put in place and monitor telephone access. Patient Experience 71% of patients (of 325 responses) reported that members of staff were polite, 54% thought they were helpful, 21% caring. Comments received included Sometimes impolite and not sympathetic Forced politeness unhelpful Seemed nosey when phoning for emergency appointment 88% of patients (of 301 responses) had confidence and trust in their GP. 76% (of 259 responses) felt they were treated with dignity and respect. As we offer GP triage for all emergency requests, our GPs specify that they require brief details of the problem in order to prioritise the most urgent cases. Regular customer service training sessions take place. Issues above will be addressed. Patient s awareness will be raised via the Newsletter, website and notice board that request for emergency appointments will require a short history. Cleanliness 91% of patients responded that they were satisfied with the cleanliness of the waiting room, 85% satisfied with the cleanliness of the consulting rooms and 70 % (of 232 responses) were satisfied with the cleanliness of the toilets. These are encouraging results. One comment mentioned a urine sample being found in the toilet. We have worked closely with our contract cleaners, caretaker and all the Practice staff on infection control procedures and a full cleaning specification/schedule has been introduced. We will continue to work with this schedule and have systems in place for monitoring the standard of cleanliness. 4

5 The patient toilets are now checked at the end of each session for cleanliness. A notice will be placed in the toilet area to ask patients to let Reception know if the standard is not acceptable. Communication and Access The Primary Care Trust (PCT) came to an end in March 2013 and as such we have been unable to secure funding to our telephone system. However, we have met with the new governing body, Bolton CCG and the CSU and have expressed an interest in changing to an updated system as soon as funding becomes available from their support unit, providing we can be assured that this will enhance the service and improve telephone access for patients. We have also purchased some additional telephone lines and employed another receptionist to improve patient telephone access. We aim to answer our lines promptly. However there are peaks and flows of busy`ness throughout the day. We are hoping that by encouraging patients to use the on-line facilities of booking / cancelling appointments and ordering prescriptions on line that the congestion may start to ease a little and that we will be able to transfer to a more up to date phone system in due course. Confidence and Trust in the GPs It is very reassuring that 88% of all patients had confidence and trust in their GP (10% of patients did not answer this question) and 78% of all patients who answered considered that they were treated with dignity and respect (22% did not answer) Comments and Suggestions Urine sample left in ladies toilet Action -the toilets now checked by our staff at lunchtime each day for cleanliness and unwanted litter. The test result line is never on Action The test result line is turned on each day at 3pm each weekday with the exception of Wednesday. Receptionists are too nosey and can be quite rude sometimes Action The GPs request that the receptionists ask all patients who request emergency (on the day) appointments in order for them to assess the urgency of the request. More efficient answering service Action We have employed an additional receptionist to assist with call handling. We have also purchased more telephone lines and on line services are available to patients. More confidence when dealing with mental health issues 5

6 The online app for booking/cancelling appointments is GREAT! More bookable appointments need to be available for longer periods Action Our appointments are available for 14 days in advance. However statistics have revealed that the greatest number of DNAs (did not attends) are from those patients who book further in advance. More appointments online Action More appointments, including some nurse appointments (eg Smear) will be uploaded. Background music would be good Action We currently have the Life Channel which has health promotion information on it. We are unable to provide background music as we do not hold a Performing Rights License Can t always see the doctor you want to see Action We try to offer GP of choice, however some GPs work less sessions than others. Cannot get through on the phone easily, much easier with on line appointments Been with the surgery 36 years, always been happy Always very helpful, great team Action Thank you for your comments! Stonehill Medical Centre feels that the above report and Action Points represent a true reflection of the results of the Patient Survey. The Patient Participation Group received a copy of the Report and Action Plan and amendments made before publishing. The final report has / will be sent to the CCG and also published on the website, on the Patient Newsletter and paper copies will be available in the surgery. 6