Are you happy with our service?

Below are the results of the most recent patient questionnaire.

This survey was conducted at the beginning of the year. Surveys were sent out to patients who had consulted within the last month. Replies were anonymous. Stamped addressed envelopes were included to encourage response.

Overall the results are very much the same as last year. With regard to opening hours , we had a slight increase in people expressing their wish for the practice to be open in the evenings, this increased from 14% to almost 17% this year. The number of people expressing their wish to have the surgery open at the weekends remained the same as last year, around 37%. As a result of this we are intending to offer extended surgeries one evening a week and also to hold a two hour surgery on Saturday mornings.

Patient satisfaction has increased around access to a doctor of their choice. We are pleased to see that almost 44% of patients see a doctor of their choice on the same day, as compared with 38% last year. We feel this is probably due to more stability within the team, now that Dr Davoren has been with us for a couple of years and Dr Huddy for a year. We have increased the number of sessions Dr Murdoch works from four to five a week, which patients have been very pleased about.

With regard to telephone access to the surgery we were pleased to see an improvement. Almost 34% of patients, compared with 28% last year, rated ‘fair’ telephone access. This is an area we constantly work on and over the years have implemented many improvements, including a new telephone system, increased staffing at peak times and purchase of patient check in software for the reception area. Last year we employed extra staff hours in order to load temporary patient details directly onto the computer system, and to assist at reception with bookings during the busy summer months. In January this year we conducted a capacity and demand audit to monitor the calls and requests on the appointments line. The doctors also audited their consultations by recording the number of new problems and review consultations. We are considering whether to implement some longer appointment times to deal with more complex medical needs and we are also considering whether to make a larger percentage of appointments pre-bookable. The current rate is less than 20%. Currently the appointments system is under review due to the implementation of extended hours from 1st April 2008.

The GPs all use the annual questionnaire within their appraisals. We find the section where patients write comments to be quite revealing, and also very touching to see the warmth and gratitude from many people. This is a useful tool for feeding back information to the entire team, from receptionists through to doctors and nurses. It ensures we constantly pay attention to systems, behaviour and attitudes.

This report will be shared with the entire team and will also be displayed in the waiting area for patients to read and comment on.

Remember that when considering these results, the framing of the questions often dictates the answers that you get. So with that health warning in mind, here they are:

ANALYSIS OF PATIENT QUESTIONNAIRE COMPLETED MARCH 2008

All Doctors (QOF PE3 and PE4)
Combined percentages for clinical team, as shown below:

How do you rate the way you are treated by receptionists at your practice?
0% Very Poor 0% Poor 5.59% Fair 20.97% Good 37.76% Very good 35.66% Excellent

How do you rate the hours that your practice is open for appointments? 
0% Very poor 2.15% Poor 17.98% Fair 34.53% Good 33.81% Very good 12.23% Excellent

What additional hours would you like the practice to be open? 
2.09% Early morning 7.69% Lunchtimes 16.78% Evenings 37.06% Weekends 36.36% None, I am satisfied.

Thinking of times when you want to see a particular doctor, how quickly do you usually get to see that doctor? 
43.57% Same day 14.28% Next working day 1.5% Within 2 working days 7.85% Within 3 working days 2.85%Within 4 working days 5% 5 or more working days 12.14% Does not apply

How do you rate this? 
2.20% Very poor 5.14% Poor 16.91% Fair 24.26% Good 19.85% Very good 22.05% Excellent 9.55% Does not apply

Thinking of times when you are willing to see any doctor, how quickly do you usually get seen?
77.03% Same day 10.37% Next working day 2.22% Within 2 working days 0.74% Within 3 working days 1.48 Within 4 working days 0% 5 or more working days 8.14% Does not apply .

How do you rate this?
0.77% Very poor 0% Poor 6.20% Fair 22.48% Good 34.10% Very good 28.68% Excellent 8.52% Does not apply

If you need to see a GP urgently, can you normally get seen on the same day?
73.28% Yes 3.81% No 22.90% Don’t know/never needed to

How long do you usually have to wait at the practice for your consultation to begin?
2.94% 5 minutes or less 40.44% 6-10 minutes 46.32% 11-20 minutes 8.08 21-30 minutes 2.20% More than 30 minutes

How do you rate this?
0% Very poor 7.46% Poor 2.98% Fair 35.82% Good 20.14% Very good 5.22% Excellent

Thinking of times you have phoned the practice, how do you rate the following:

Ability to get through on the phone?
6.42% Very poor 17.14% Poor 33.57% Fair 20% Good 14.28% Very good 3.57% Excellent 5% Don’t know/never tried

Ability to speak to a doctor on the phone when you have a question or need medical advice?
0.75%Very poor 2.27% Poor 13.63% Fair 18.93% Good 12.87% Very good 9.09% Excellent 42.42% Don’t know/never tried

This question is about your usual doctor. If you don’t have a usual doctor, answer about the one doctor at your practice who you know best. If you don’t know any of the doctors go straight to next question.

In general how often do you see your usual doctor?
14.70% Always 40.44% Almost always 18.38% A lot of the time 22.05% Some of the time 2.94% Almost never 0% Never 

How do you rate this?
0% Very poor 5.10% Poor 13.74% Fair 29.77% Good 32.06% Very good 17.55% Excellent

Thinking about your consultation with the doctor today, how do you rate the following:

How thoroughly the doctor asked about your symptoms and how you are feeling?
0% Very poor 0% Poor 5.18% Fair 23.70% Good 30.37%Very good 40.74% Excellent 0% Does not apply

How well the doctor listened to what you had to say?
0% Very poor 0% Poor 4.37% Fair 18.97% Good 32.11% Very good 44.52% Excellent 0% Does not apply

How well the doctor put you at ease during your physical examination?
0% Very poor 0% Poor 3.81% Fair 12.97% Good 31.29% Very good 47.32% Excellent 4.58% Does not apply

How much the doctor involved you in decisions about your care?
0% Very poor 0% Poor 4.44% Fair 20% Good 34.07% Very good 39.25% Excellent 2.22% Does not apply

How well the doctor explained your problems or any treatment that you need?
0% Very poor 0.74% Poor 2.96% Fair 22.22% Good 29.62% Very good 44.44% Excellent 0% Does not apply

The amount of time your doctor spent with you today?
0% Very poor 0% Poor 8.33% Fair 21.21% Good 31.06% Very good 39.39% Excellent 0% Does not apply

The doctors patience with your questions or worries?
0% Very poor 0.77Poor 3.87% Fair 15.50% Good 31.78% Very good 45.73Excellent 2.32% Does not apply