The Canford Heath Group Practice Report 2012/2013
This practice is taking part in the Patient Participation DES for the second year running. We have used the 2011/12 action plan to create this year’s questionnaire to provide feedback on patient satisfaction plus additional questions directly connected to our branch surgery at the Neighbourhood Centre. This was destroyed by arsonists in June 2012.
The purpose of the Patient Participation Directed Enhanced Service (DES) is to ensure that patients are involved in decisions about the range and quality of services provided and, over time, commissioned by their practice. It aims to encourage and reward practices for routinely asking for and acting on the views of their patients. The DES aims to promote the proactive engagement of patients through the use of effective Patients Reference Groups (PRGs) and to seek views from practice patients through the use of a local practice survey. The outcomes of the engagement and the views of patients are to be published on the practice website.
There are a number of key steps (mainly annual) to this two-year DES:
1. Develop a structure that gains the views of patients and enables the practice to obtain feedback from the practice population, e.g. a Patient Reference Group (PRG)
2. Agree areas of priority with the PRG
3. Collate patient views through the use of survey
4. Provide PRG with opportunity to discuss survey findings and reach agreement with the PRG on changes to services
5. Agree action plan with the PRG and seek PRG agreement to implementing changes
6. Publicise actions taken and subsequent achievement
We are an urban practice in the middle of Canford Heath. Due to an arson attack in June 2012 we have had our branch surgery closed and after careful thought and consideration we have now come to the conclusion that we would be unable to re open. To come to this final and difficult decision, we made a huge effort to consult with all the patients of the branch surgery, PCT directors, local councillors and leading members of the community. We held 3 meetings inviting the branch surgery patients to attend to hear our views and for us to hear theirs. All communications sent had a named person, a phone number and an email address to reply to with comments/views. In addition, minutes were taken at all 3 meetings and fed back to the patients via a newsletter and placed on our website.
After 2 further meetings with the Social Care and Scrutiny Committee the decision was made not to re open the branch surgery. This was due to several factors but the main one is that we believe we can provide improved continuity of care and encompassing service to all our patients
Our patient profile:
Our list size remains fairly static and is currently around 11844. It is broken down into the following ages/sex categories:
| Under 16 2205 | 16 -24 1313 |
| 25 – 54 4867 | 55 – 64 1478 |
| 65 – 74 1135 | 75+ 846 |
Total 11844
Ethnicity : 4068 entries of 11844 registered patients – 34.34% of list
Carers : 170 on our register
Working status : Not known
Marginalised /Vulnerable Groups :
· Mental health 110 on register
· Learning disability 45 on register
· Dementia 46 on register
Drug users : 11 read coded
Nursing home residents : N/A although we have 14 patients registered at Mitchell House (Dementia Unit)
University Students : N/K
The information was extracted from our Vision computer system.
Increasing membership of the Patient Representative Group (PRG)
When we formed our Patient Reference Group (PRG) last year it was our intention at the outset to obtain as near as we could a representation of the practice population. However we found it difficult to engage patients.
This year a lot of hard work has been put into getting patients to sign up for communication by email, this has helped us immensely by including a tick box for people to join our PRG. This and other methods described below have proved successful as our membership has increased by 50% with125 patients signed up.
The following promotion tools have been used as follows:
The Patient Check-In Screen
Situated in the surgery waiting room, the practice advises patients to check-in using this automated screen. Running along the bottom of this screen is an “info bar” which says “Join our Patient Participation Group – Ask at Reception for Details”
Communication Slips
We are trying to update our patient details by asking for mobile phone numbers and email addresses. Slips are available on the reception desk and there is a tick box at the bottom of them which says “would you like to have your say about the services provided at the practice. Every now and again we will email you to ask you a question or two” and patients then tick yes or no. Their email addresses are then forwarded to the Practice Manager to add to the group.
Community Event
On the evening of 30th October 2012 the Practice Manager, Reception Manager, Nurse Manager and Senior Partner attended a community event which was held in the Canford Heath Library. The practice had a display and table with different information on it and included was information about the Patient Participation Group. The practice was able to discuss the group and enabled patients to sign up from this event.
Reception
On one of the reception windows there is a sign that says “Have your say! Join our on-line patient participation group. Please ask at reception for details.” Patients who ask for details are given an information sheet by the receptionist.
Website
On our website ( www.chgp.co.uk ) there is a link that says “Join our Patient Participation Group” and patients can join up on-line. Their details are then forwarded to the Practice Manager
The questionnaire this year was produced by the Practice Manager in conjunction with Louise Bate Poole LINK development officer from the local authority.
We divided the questions into 6 categories:
· About you – this year we included ethnic origin
· About the practice – we had the addition of an in-house pharmacy opening in December 2012 (something we had in our original building plans of 1998 and which has now come into fruition). In addition we also referred to comments regarding the automated check in system
· About the service provided – we asked specific questions to our branch surgery patients regarding accessibility to the Mitchell Road surgery plus ordering prescriptions via the telephone
· Arranging an appointment – again we asked patients if they knew about our extended hours, having the branch surgery closed we now have 8 Drs working from the one site offering a more seamless and improved service with better continuity.
· Communication – We asked about patient knowledge of the Practice website
· In addition, this year we also asked if patients were ‘Carers’ and included information on how to register as one.
A space was also left for any other comments patients would like to make.
The questionnaires were created and handed out to patients attending surgery seeing both Nurses and Drs, placed on our website and also sent to patients via email. We only received 5 completed surveys which were returned by email.
Approximately 300 were handed out with a return of 212 completed resulting in a response rate of 71%- slightly lower than last year.
The anonymised replies were analysed by our Business Manager with the help of her ‘A’ level student daughter and the results were presented in a graphical format.
A meeting was set up with a representative group from our PRG in order to present the results of our survey. A copy of the survey and results was also sent to all email contacts in the PRG asking for any comments or suggestions towards the action plan.
A display of the survey results was placed on the waiting room notice boards.
Analysing the Results :
Replies that were received covered the following issues:
· Signage for the automated check in
· Better advertising of our website especially highlighting the prescription ordering facility and requesting appointments
· Untidiness of waiting room and clutter around automatic check in area
· Reception issues – more cover at busy times plus phone answering
· Volunteer car service for the Neighbourhood Centre patients with difficulty accessing Mitchell Road plus look at non disabled parking on double yellow lines and how to police it.
· Reverting the phone system back to a local number
A meeting was held to discuss the action plan with some members of the Group.
The action plan decided upon is as follows:
| Survey finding /proposal | Recommendation |
| Lack of knowledge of our website. (This came up on last years feedback)also the ordering of prescriptions and requesting appointments | Display information of website in practice leaflet, Jayex board, local magazine and newsletter also large notice above check in screen |
| Alternative direct dial telephone number avoiding 0844 prefix Advertise 01202 number more prominently | Look at the possibility of reverting back to local dial system. |
| Inadequate parking for disabled people as patients park on double yellow lines outside of door who are not disabled even though free car park available a couple of minutes walk away! | Council has stated that disabled persons can park on double yellow lines so no need for additional bays marked out – however we need to police this to prevent unauthorised parking – contact council for advice how to do this. Highlight free car park on scripts in Link magazine and practice newsletter |
| Neighbourhood Centre patients having difficulty in travelling to Mitchell Road surgery | Set up a volunteer car scheme in conjunction with RSVP Retired and senior volunteer programme |
| Lots of changes of Dr over the last 2 years without notifying patients | Write to all Dr Gadd’s patients informing of her retirement and replacement Dr |
| Untidiness and worn-out look of waiting room. Toys dangerous in area where the BMI machine and automatic check in screen are situated | Refurbishment has begun. Awaiting re covering of seating and renewal of flooring in the next month Toys to be removed altogether for safety |
A further meeting will be held with a representative group of the PRG to discuss the action plan implementation; this will also be emailed to the entire group. Any comments or feedback will be considered.
Practice Opening Times
Monday 8.00am - 8pm (phone access is from 8am to 6.30pm)
Tuesday 7.30am - 6.30pm (phone access from 8am to 6.30pm)
Wednesday 7.30am - 7.00pm (phone access from 8am to 6.30pm)
Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm (phone access from 8am to 6.30pm)
Friday 8.00am - 6.30pm (phone access from 8am to 6.30pm)
Patients can access the main surgery at Mitchell Road during its core opening hours (from 8.00am to 6.30pm) via reception, telephone, or by accessing the website at all other times.
Extended Hours appointments are offered as follows:
Dr Atkinson Monday evenings from 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Dr Gadd Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 7.30 – 8.00am
Dr Muir Monday evenings from 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Dr Richardson Monday evening from 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Dr Primavesi Monday evenings from 6.30 pm to 8.00pm
Dr Aizpitarte Tuesday mornings from 7.30 to 8.00am surgery
Dr Bidad Wednesday & Thursday evenings from 6.30pm – 7.00pm
This report will be displayed on our Practice website and hard copies will be available to view at surgery