2015 PPG survey results

We received 214 completed questionnaires 75 Male responses and 139 Female responses.

Existing Services

Q1. Are you aware of the Telephone Triage System operated by the Practice?
Yes: 86% No: 14%

Q2. Have you used our Telephone Triage System?
Yes: 29% (of those who knew about the Triage System)

Q3. Thinking about when you used the Triage System were you satisfied with the outcome of your call with the GP?
Yes: 70% No: 30%

Q4. Why were you not satisfied with your call?
Comments made:-
Impersonal, Not being listened to, Wrong treatment/diagnosis, Still had to visit practice, Doctor’s attitude, Waited too long for call and then there were no appointments as I had to come to the surgery, Doctor didn’t know me, Just going round in circles.

Q5. Do you think the Telephone Triage System is a useful way of accessing GP’s services?
Yes: 85.5% No: 14.5%

Q6. Please briefly specify the reasons for your answer to Q5.
Yes Comments:
Sometimes you only need advice or comfort, Good if you can’t get appt. on the day. Saves travelling, if you don’t feel well, and sitting in the waiting room. Better use of doctor’s and patient’s time.
No Comments:
Does not replace face to face. I know when I want to see a doctor. Not always easy to get triage call at time needed. Have had wrong diagnosis as symptoms were misunderstood. You can’t do physical checks over the telephone. Don’t like receptionists questioning me about needing a doctor.

Q7. Are you aware that you can book appointments and order repeat prescriptions on line via a secure website?
Yes: 78% No: 22%

Q8. Are you aware that the Practice is able to provide appointments with a GP or Nurse Practitioner from 8am until 8pm, 7 days a week?
Yes: 35.5% No: 64.5%

Q9. Have you ever been seen by a GP at the Royal Victoria Hospital specifically using our 8am – 8pm service?
Yes: 74% (of those who knew about Q8 above)

Q10. Did you feel the consultation met your needs?
Yes: 94.5% No: 5.5%

Q11. Please briefly explain the reasons for your answer to Q10
Yes - answers all very positive with excellent results and service received
No – comments made: Just gave me pain killers, misdiagnosed my son’s eye condition, caused upset and worry, really late to see me and did not understand my needs

Q12. Thinking about your own/your family’s needs, which additional services, if any, would you like to see the practice offer?
54% of patients did not need extra services and thought current services were excellent or good

Q13. In general are the reception staff courteous and helpful?
Always: 75%; Often: 20%; Sometimes: 5%

Q14. In general are the nursing staff courteous and helpful?
Always: 92%; Often: 8%

Q15. In general are the GP’s courteous and helpful?
Always: 77%; Often: 17%; Sometimes: 6%

Q16. Generally speaking, do the GP’s give you enough time to fully explain your concerns and symptoms?
Always: 56.5% Often: 29% Sometimes: 12% Rarely: 2.5%

Q17. Generally speaking, do the Nurse Practitioners give you enough time to fully explain your concerns and symptoms?
Always: 85%; Often: 12.5%; Sometimes: 2.5%

Q18. Are you male or female – answers collated at the beginning of the results

Q19. Please write your age in years – answers collated at the beginning of the results

Q20. Do you have any of the following long-standing health conditions?
Yes: 27% No: 73%
Of the 27% with long – standing conditions, the following breakdowns:
Asthma: 53% COPD: 19% Hypertension: 65%
Epilepsy: 7% Cancer: 37% Diabetes: 37%

Q21. Do you believe you receive adequate checks and information in order to stay as healthy as possible?
Yes: 74% No: 26%

Response from the Practice

The survey results have been considered and discussed in the practice and we are very pleased with the positive feedback from patients.

We were interested to find out if patients were aware of the services we provide and with the collaboration of the PPG the questions in the survey were central to this objective.

One area of interest was the Telephone Triage since this was introduced fairly recently as a way of providing more access to the GP services. We are pleased that 70% were satisfied with the outcome of the call and 85% felt it was a useful way of accessing GP services, agreeing that this was a good way of accessing a GP, it saved travelling and was a better use of GP time for things like continuation of sick notes or discussing medication.

There were some negative comments around the Telephone Triage system mainly around not replacing face to face consultations. It is evident that more education is needed around the process of telephone triage since patients are not appreciating, or maybe not aware, that once a GP has spoken to a patient to assess the problem, if the GP feels a face to face consultation is needed they will book that patient into an appointment slot.

There were a high proportion of patients who were aware of the online services of ordering medication and booking appointments online and this service is due to be expanded in March to include access to medical records.

There were a high percentage of patients who were unaware of the 8-8 7 day a week working but this was due to the soft launch imposed when the service started, although, of those who were aware, over 90% felt the consultation met their needs.. The funding does come to an end at the end of March and practices in Shepway, including Hythe and Romney Marsh are working with the CCG to try to continue this funding.

It was encouraging to see that over half of those surveyed felt that the services we provided were excellent or good and did not need extra services.

It is hoped that the practice can work with the PPG to keep patients informed of the services we provide and help us to develop our services further where possible.

There were some comments made which, sadly, were personal to the GPs which we hope is part of the settling in process for the new GPs and for patients to build relationships with the new staff. Interestingly, despite the negative comments about the GPs, 94% said that the GPs are courteous and helpful, and 85% said that they always or often had enough time to fully explain their concerns and symptoms to a GP.

We would like to thank the PPG for organising and undertaking this Patient Survey for us, the results of which have been very useful to the practice. It is anticipated that the PPG will undertake a further survey which will reflect the views of a wider group of our patients and we are considering, with our PPG, how to reach those patients who are infrequent visitors to the practice.