Patient Participatin Reprt In 2011, Westngrve Partnership decided t establish a PPG (Patient Participatin Grup) that wuld allw us t engage with ur patients, receive feedback frm them and ensure that they are invlved in decisins abut the services that are prvided r changes that may be prpsed. This reprt aims t explain Hw the PPG was established Hw areas f pririty were agreed with the PPG fr the lcal patient survey Hw the survey was cnducted Hw the results f the survey were published and any cmments r feedback were cllated Which actins were agreed with the PPG fllwing the survey resulting in an actin plan Hw the PPG was established Westngrve became members f N.A.P.P (Natinal Assciatin fr Patient Participatin). This allwed us t access supprtive materials and guidance n hw t set up a prductive PPG. We wanted t ensure that as far as pssible ur grup was representative f ur patient ppulatin, s btained demgraphic infrmatin abut all three sites frm Bucks Cunty Cuncil. We prmted the PPG in many ways, aiming t reach as many ptential members as pssible Psters and leaflets were displayed within each practice Infrmatin was put nt ur website www.westngrve.cm Special PPG ntice bards were created in each practice The Friends f Bedgrve Surgery and Friends f Wendver Health Centre were kept up t date and invited t jin the PPG Infrmatin was published in the lcal parish newsletters Lcal schls featured the PPG in their newsletters and distributed sign up frms Lcal pharmacies prmted the PPG Patients were able t sign up fr the PPG via ur website r by cmpleting a paper frm The PPG was prmted during baby clinics and childhd immunisatin clinics We asked members if they wuld be happy t attend meetings r be part f a virtual PPG. This meant that they culd give us their views and thughts but wuld nt have t cmmit t attending a meeting. Having received the PPG sign up frms, it was decided t run the PPGs as virtual grups initially, alngside the existing Friends grups, whse main aim was t fundraise fr the practices Each patient wh jined the PPG was given a cde. This enabled us t see the mix f age, sex and ethnicity. 134 patients are signed up t be part f the PPG, but the grup cntinues t grw.
Hw areas f pririty were agreed with the PPG fr the lcal patient survey The areas we decided t ask the PPG t priritise were: Cmmunicatin between the practice and the patients website, leaflets, custmer service, letters, Infrmatin available t patients website, hw t leaflets Hw t help patients and their carers develp self care Patient relatinships with the practice team Telephne answering and access Each PPG member was cntacted and asked t rder the ptins frm 1 mst imprtant t 5 least imprtant. 126 emails were sent ut t the virtual PPG. We asked t respnd within 10 days. We received 47 respnses ( 37%) Once the respnses were received they were analysed in rder t identify the pririty area. The table belw shws hw many patients rated each subject as 1 the mst imprtant in their view. Site A B C D E ACS 4 0 5 0 1 BGS 3 1 5 0 5 WHC 10 2 9 2 5 Ttal 17 3 19 2 11 A Cmmunicatin between the practice and patients B Infrmatin available t patients and carers C Telephne answering and access D Managing and develping self care fr patients and their carers E Patient relatinships with the practice team
Telephne answering and Access was vted as the mst imprtant pririty, and a patient survey was created based arund this area. The results frm the initial cntact with the PPG were published n the website. Hw the survey was cnducted We created a survey based arund telephne access and answering, which ran fr tw weeks frm Mnday 13th February until Friday 24th February 2012. The bjective was t understand patient preferences regarding hw they cntacted us and when, hw they perceived the speed f answering calls and hw ften they received an engaged tne, alng with their preferences fr certain features f mdern telephne systems. We als asked fr sme infrmatin abut the patients that wuld enable us t have a sex / age / ethnicity / and wrking status breakdwn. It was available in hardcpy at all three sites and als via ur website shuld patients wish t cmplete it electrnically, and it was advertised n the website and in the practices. It was prmted by the whle PHCT during the tw week perid. Hw the results f the survey were published and any cmments r feedback were cllated There were 283 respnses t the patient survey, which were a mix f hard cpy and electrnic respnses. The PPG were ntified f the results, and they were als published n the website and als in pster frm within the practices. Ntice bards were created t let patients view the results
The results were shwn in pie chart frm, making it very easy t see hw patients had answered the questin. The PPG were cntacted and asked t make any cmments f give feedback n the results, but nne were received. Which actins were agreed with the PPG fllwing the survey resulting in an actin plan It was clear frm the survey results that a large prprtin f the patients wh respnded used the telephne as the main way f cntacting us (74% t make an appintment and 66% fr ther issues). Mst calls were made first thing in the mrning (64%) and that 63% f the patients wuld like t knw where they were in the queue t be answered. The current telephne system at the practice is ver 10 years ld and has very limited functinality. The GP Partners felt that it wuld be a gd idea t ask the PPG if they agreed that the actin plan fllwing the survey wuld be t investigate what ther telephne systems were available, with a view t upgrading the current ne, making it easier fr patients t cntact us, and allwing flexibility in handling the calls. The PPG were cntacted nce again, and were asked their views n the prpsed plan. Of the 31 respnses, every ne agreed t the plan.
Additinal cmments made at this pint were: A mdern practice needs a mdern telephne system Please d nt lse sight that sme lder patients may get cnfused with t many ptins yu must always have the ptin t speak t a persn Any new system must be easily understd by thse f mature years Wuld yu visit sites t see hw the systems wrk in practice? We need t find an efficient system that allws fr the persnal tuch Please try and avid having an 0844 number It was als suggested that we shuld cntinue t prmte the internet bking system and als investigate using ther means t cntact patients such as emails. It was therefre agreed that the actin plan wuld be t investigate ptential telephne systems. Fllwing the investigatin, we will nce again invlve the PPG in the next step. Cnclusin Establishing the PPG has been a great way f creating a cre grup f patients wh we can quickly and effectively canvas fr their thughts and views. Having a virtual grup means that patients can cntribute at a time, and frm a place that is cnvenient fr them, instead f having t attend meetings at the practice, which culd make it mre difficult fr sme f ur members. Hwever, we are aware that nt everyne has internet access and will be lking t expand n the virtual grup ver the next 12 mnths. We will cntinue t prmte the PPG and hpe that mre patients will cmmit t participating, having perhaps read ur reprt r heard frm thers that it des nt take up huge amunts f their time. It wuld be nice t get sme yunger members, and als a wider range f chrnic disease patients and carers. We will be lking at ways f prmting the PPG t these grups f patients. Over the next few mnths we will carry ut the actin plan f investigating varius telephny ptins, and will reprt back t the PPG ur findings, befre taking any further actin. Thank yu t everyne wh is already a member f ur PPG. Yur invlvement has been vital t the prject. Please d tell yur friends and family wh are patients at Westngrve abut the grup it wuld be super if we culd get sme mre members.