Since the formation of the Whitefield Patient Forum, the group members have worked on various projects to improve patient services at the practice. The following is a briefing of how the patient forum have been involved to make a difference:-
October 2009
The forum helped the practice with the Annual Charity Event at the health centre. Group members helped with food preparation; being in charge of various stalls etc. A total of £1106 was raised for Breast Cancer.
May 2010
After receiving numerous verbal comments about the practice telephone system, this was taken to the patient forum in May 2010. The forum undertook an analysis of the telephone system and realised that action needed to be taken to make the service better and more efficeint for patients. They came up with the idea of having an automated telephone system wherby patients would be given the option to 'press' the relevant button for the service they require, therefore not getting an engaged tone all the time. The practice automated telephone system was launched in August 2010. The forum designed a patient information leaflet to inform patients of the change.
Patient Survey 2011/12
In a patient forum meeting in December 2011, certain members raised concern over the telephone triage service available to patients. Numerous patients had made comments to reception staff and patient forum members about the triage service not being available on Fridays for routine calls and also the triage service not being available on all days. The patient forum decided to undertake an in-house patient survey - a total of 100 questionnaires were handed out to patients by reception staff week commencing 5-16 December 2011. A total of 95 questionnaires were returned. The results of the survey were discussed by the members at a follow-up patient forum meeting held in January 2012. It was obvious from the results that action needed to be taken. After discussion the patient forum made the following recommendations for implementation of change:
- to change the nurse triage service to be available on all days and for a longer period of time:- Monday; Tuesday;Thursday between the hours of 9am until 11:30am and Wednesdays between the hours of 11am until 1pm.
- to change the nurse triage service on Fridays from emergency triage to routine triage from 9am until 11:30am.
The recommendations were put to the Business Manager at the meeting. The Business Manager agreed with the recommendations and gave the 'go ahead' to the Patient Forum for the implementation of change. The Patient Forum devised a patient leaflet, informing the patients of the changes to the triage service.
The changes were implemented on 5 March 2012.
The results of the patient survey can be seen at Nurse Triage Survey Results
The survey report can be seen at Patient Survey Report
Patient Survey 2012/2013
At a Patient Forum meeting on 12 December 2012 the group were informed that the surgery had to provide an annual patient satisfaction survey. After a lengthy and robust discussion the PPG decided to obtain an overall view from patients of the services the surgery provides.
An in-house survey was undertaken week commencing 14.1.2013 - 18.1.2013. Two members of the PPG volunteered to assist in this. A total of 55 questionnaires were handed out to patients. A total of 55 questionnaires were returned. The results of the survey were discussed by the PPG members at the follow-up meeting on 30.1.2013. Overall the patients were satisfied with the services the practice provides but it was commented that a majority of patients were not aware of the range of services the practice provided ie: female GP and MSK specialist service. Additional positive comments were also made through the survey as follows:
- SMS messaging for reminder of appointments; late night opening; Blood pressure monitoring in waiting area; in-house minor ops clinic.
The PPG made recommendations that as the patients were unaware of the range of services the practice provides, a patient information leaflet should be devised. The Business Manager agreed with the recommendations and an action plan was formulated.
The results of the patient survey can be seen at Patient Satisfaction Survey Results
The survey report can be seen at Patient Satisfaction Survey Report and Actions