HIGH GLADES MEDICAL CENTRE
(Part of the Sydenham House Medical Group)
9A UPPER CHURCH ROAD, ST LEONARDS ON SEA TN37 7AT
TEL: 01424 754678 FAX: 01424 755371
DESCRIPTION OF PPG MEMBERS
The PPG membership profile consists of 15 members. All are white and ages vary from 30-75. There is both male and female representation on the Group.
Meetings are held not held on a particular day and the day/times of meetings are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure they are suitable for attendees. All the meetings take place at the practice.
We utilise the PPG to look at ways we can improve our service to patients/the local population and also ascertain how users perceive our surgery and staff.
We aim to gather around a hundred patients from as broad a spectrum as possible to get a truly representative sample. We need young people, workers, retirees, people with long term conditions and people from non-British ethnic groups.
The surgery makes every effort to recruit patients to the PPG group. This includes notices on our notice boards, messages on our internal TV system, word of mouth via existing members and advertising of the group on the website.
Anyone who is interested in participating in the PPG should speak to the Practice Manager or alternatively the reception team.
Regular meetings are held at the surgery, which are minuted and actions noted/followed up at following meetings.
The main issue resulting in ongoing discussion is in relation to primary care access, versus demand for appointments. Opening hours are deemed acceptable by the PPG. However, using complaint data, feedback from patients presenting in the practice/ringing in and also discussion/agreement at the PPG, the booking of appointments has been significantly changed within the Group resulting in ‘book on the day’ appointments being kept free for patients who ring in/arrive first thing in the morning at the practice. This is being reviewed on an ongoing basis by the practice in conjunction with the PPG.
An annual survey is carried out to ascertain patient’s views on service provision. The format of the survey was a tick box questionnaire handed out to all patients attending the practice between 3rd February 2014 to 17th March 2014.
The survey results were collated and presented by two members of the PRG group. These findings were presented at the PRG meeting and the action plan devised and agreed by PRG members.
The results of the survey will be fed back to the Hastings and Rother Clinical Commissioning Group. The Survey will be published on the surgery’s website in April 2014.
Action Plan arising from the Practice Survey 2014
The survey was run for six weeks in the surgery. The survey taking place was advertised on our reception TV screens, posters and printed on the right hand side of prescriptions.
It was decided to re-run the survey of 2012 and to give a comparison of the results to see what had or had not improved.
Action Plan 2014
The PRG are concerned about the amount o f patients not attending (DNA) for their appointments.
Currently this runs at 101 – 150 per month. The PRG group would like this figure to be lower, and have suggested up to date posters prominently displayed in the waiting rooms may help.
The PRG have great concerns that the lift has been out of action for nearly a year. It is a priority that it gets repaired and is fully functional as soon as possible. As the building is owned by NHS Property Company, it has been their responsibility to organise repairs and seek tenders. It is understood that a tender has now been accepted, but as of 26/03/14 there is not a firm start date.
The PRG were surprised by the outcome of the survey regarding the Reception Team. However, as the survey revealed that the service had declined from Excellent to Good, this has to be addressed. We aim to have as much training for the Reception staff as time allows.
The survey showed that whilst more patients were aware which services we carry out in the surgery; it was felt that a poster displaying those services would be helpful to those who did not know.
Area | Changes to be made | Timescale | Responsibility | Costs | Outcome |
Do not Attend (DNA) rate – The PRG are concerned about the amount of patients not attending for their appointm ents, and the costs to the surgery financially. | The PRG suggest that WEEKLY searches are run, and these results are placed prominently in the surgery . The total cost of the weekly DNA’s to the surgery should also be displayed to give patients a value to the DNA rate. | Amend search on the computer – by 1/4/14 | Mrs P. Jasinski – Practice Secretary Mrs S. Smith Practice Manager | Inclusive of secretary’s working day. Identification of how much each GP, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Practice Nurse and HCA appointment costs Weekly x 52 weeks of laminating sheets £10.00 | To highlight to patients the cost to the surgery of not keeping appointments. |
Lift - Repairs to be made to the lift. Currently the lift has been out of action for nearly a year. Contracts have been signed to have the lift works commissioned, but a definitive start date has not been agreed. | Ascent Lift Services have been awarded the contract. The parts are being ordered from Europe and once delivered, work can commence. | The lift to be fully functioning by 1/7/14 | Mrs S. Smith Practice Manager Mr K. West Facilities Manager – NHS PropCo | | To have a fully functioning lift, with a service contract in place. |
Reception Staff - The survey had shown that patients thinking that EXCELLENT service shown by the reception staff had dropped by 29% | Reception Staff to continue their training, and to have further customer care training | Continual training | Mrs S. Smith Reception Team | Inclusive of training budget | To have a Reception team and service that would be deemed Excellent in the next Patient Survey |
List of Services The PRG would like there to be a list of all the services provided in the surgery ie Diabetic Care, Warfarin Clinics etc | Laminated signs listing all services offered to be put up in both waiting rooms – to be updated every 3/12 or as necessary | 30/4/14 | Mrs S. Smith Practice Manager | Paper, print and laminating costs £5.00 | To be able to provide a list of services to patients that may be relevant or of interest to them or their family |