Patient Participation Group

MAYLANDS PATIENT GROUP 

MAYLANDS HEALTHCARE – FORMATION OF A PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

INTRODUCTION

This leaflet is to inform you that as from March 2011 Maylands has established a Patient Participation Group (PPG) to be a forum to discuss topics that benefit the practice and patients and take issues forward to more practical applications.

WHAT IS A PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP?

The idea is to work with the Medical, Nursing and other support staff within the practice to provide practical support and to help patients to take more responsibility for their own health.

The PPG will seek to improve communications through its own newsletters and through the practice website along with the use of notice boards and direct communications within the Surgery.

MORE ABOUT WHAT A PPG CAN TRY TO DO

• Communicate to patients how recent changes to NHS will affect services provided.
• Letting the practice staff know more about the level and standard of service they provide from a patient perspective.
• Helping the practice decide on overall service priorities.
• Helping patients understand more about their medical condition/problems including talks on individual topics, eg Diabetes and Heart Disease.
• Information on help available and support groups and networks.
• Improving the experience of attending the Surgery.
• Understanding from you the patient, your suggestions for improving the service you get.

WHO WILL BE ON THE PPG?

Initially there is representation from the GP’s, Practice Manager and reception staff plus 5 or more patients drawn from across the practice.

This is flexible and can be adapted as the group gets more established and needs emerge.

WHAT THE PPG IS NOT ABOUT

We will not deal with individual patient complaints, there is already a well established procedure to deal with these.

We will not tell the professionals how to run their clinical services.

HOW DO PATIENTS COMMUNICATE WITH THE PPG?

You can write to our Chairman care of the practice address.

You can talk to us when any of the members of the PPG are in the surgery whilst you are there.

HOW WILL I GET THE NEWSLETTER?

• Copies will be available at the surgery.
• Copies will be attached to repeat prescription.
• Available on the practice website.

SO IT’S BACK TO YOU

• The PPG will only work well if patients communicate with us.
• We already have ideas but we need your input.

1.  Validate that the Patient Group is Representative

Practice Population Profile:  Show how the practice demonstrates that the PRG is representative by providing information on the practice profile: *Some patients prefer not to answer the ethnicity question
Age Under 16  14.46% 17-24  13.87% 25-34  12.26% 35-44  11.80% 45-54  16.55% 55-64  13.28% 65-84  15.66% Over 84    2.17%	Sex 7232 male 7453 female	Ethnicity* White British – 83.15% White Irish – 1.55% White and Black  Caribbean – 0.32% White and Black African – 0.79% White and Asian – 0.03% Indian – 2.08% Pakistani – 0.35% Bangladeshi – 0.72% Caribbean – 0.56% African – 0.89% Chinese – 0.32%
Other		Any other     0.89%
PRG profile:  Show how the practice demonstrates that the PRG being is representative by providing information on the PRG profile
Age Under 16 17-24 25-34  0.11% 35-44  0.23% 45-54  0.28% 55-64  0.25% 65-84  0.26% Over 84  0.62%	Sex 12 male 14 female	Ethnicity* White British   0.13% White Irish   0.44% White and Black Caribbean White and Black African – 0.006% White and Asian  Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Caribbean    African Chinese
Other		Any other     0.76%
Describe variations between the practice profile and the PRG group and the efforts the practice has made to reach any groups not represented.  Message posted on practice website (see attached). Posters displayed and leaflets are available in the surgery so that all patients attending the surgery are given the opportunity to become a member of the PRG.
Process used to recruit to the PRG group 1. Put up posters in practice (copy attached). 2. Leaflets offered to all patients attending the practice (see attached). 3. Information posted on the practice website (see attached).

2. Validate the survey and action plan through the local patient participation report

Survey

Describe how the priorities were set: An email was sent to the PRG to ask for suggestions for questions for the Survey (copy attached).

Describe how the questions were drawn up: The PRG responded and the questions with the highest priority were selected. These questions were subsequently emailed to the PRG prior to the survey.

How was the survey conducted? Via survey monkey and paper surveys were given to all patients who attended the surgery during February 2012.

What were the survey results?  Patient Survey  This is the first survey of this kind we have conducted and we would like to thank the patients who participated.  The survey indicates that the majority of patients are happy with the services we provide and also the reception staff.  We will strive to see that this is maintained. We are encouraged that the survey has shown that the majority of those surveyed (90%) are happy with the service we offer.  We were pleased to find that 92% found the reception staff to be courteous, friendly and efficient.  The survey indicates that a high percentage of patients would like to see more services available via the internet and mobile phone. We do appreciate, however, that not all patients have access to a computer or mobile phone. Any internet and mobile services we provide will always be in addition to, and not instead of, the services we already provide.  The survey shows that 55% of patients would like a practice newsletter to be available on the website. The surgery is looking at the possibility of publishing a newsletter periodically, which will be available in the surgery, as well as on the website.  76% of patients surveyed would like to be sent appointment reminders via text message. We have been collecting patient consent as this is a service we hope to introduce.  64% of patients surveyed would like to be able to book an appointment online. This is something that we are considering and would enhance the telephone automated service we currently provide. MAYLANDS HEALTHCARE  PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEY 2012  We surveyed 552 of our practice population. 42 patients via email to our Patient Reference Group and 510 to all patients attending the surgery during February 2012.   21 people responded via email and 468 surveys were received at the surgery.  The results are shown in the attached graph. The following is an overview. Q1 I would like to see a practice newsletter available on the website  Of survey results received 55% agreed 7% disagreed 38% had no opinion  Q2 The reception staff are courteous, friendly and efficient  Of survey results received 92% agreed 3% disagreed 5% had no opinion  Q3 I think a text reminder would help patients keep or cancel appointments  Of survey results received 76% agreed 8% disagreed 16% had no opinion  Q4 I am satisfied with the service offered by my surgery Of survey results received 90% agreed   6% disagreed   4% had no opinion  Q5 I would like to be able to book an appointment on line  Of survey results received 64% agreed 10% disagreed 26% had no opinion  Ninety two per cent of patients surveyed feel that the surgery staff are courteous, friendly and efficient.  Ninety per cent of patients surveyed are satisfied with the service offered by the surgery.  Fifty per cent of patients surveyed would like to see an online newsletter.  Seventy six per cent of patients feel that a text reminder would help patients keep or cancel appointments.  Sixty four per cent of patients would like to be able to book an appointment online.

Action plan  2012 Patient Survey Action Plan  1  On-line practice newsletter  Volunteer staff members to be selected to be a contact for the patient newsletter and to liaise with the PRG. To be completed by 01 June 2012.  Doctors and staff to give thought to the content of the newsletter. The PRG to also have input with a view to publishing in September 2012 (to allow for annual leave, etc).  2  Text reminders  The practice to proactively ask for permission to use text messaging to remind patients about their appointments. The practice to undertake a risk analysis regarding this and to present to the PRG by the end of July 2012. Decision to be made at that time whether it is possible.  3  Booking online appointments  The practice to consult with the clinical systems supplier to look at costs involved and the potential risks of setting up an online booking system. To be completed by 01 June 2012. To go back to the PRG at the earliest possible time after 01 June for a decision to be made by the partners on achievability (viability). To be completed by the end of August 2012 (due to financial implications with a view to implementing in October 2012).  The doctors and Staff will continue to strive to maintain and improve the services offered to our patients.

How was the action plan agreed with the PRG?  In order to develop an action plan, the practice met on 14 March 2012. An email has been sent to the PRG for their comments on the action plan.

Any areas of disagreement  We do not envisage any areas of disagreement. However, we will make any changes necessary on receipt of feedback from the  PRG.

Are there any contractual considerations to the agreed actions? No

Where was the report published?  Practice website/ Myhealth-London (via a link to the practice website)/practice notice boards.

Describe how the results of your survey were advertised and circulated.  On the practice website and in the surgery.

Include a copy of your full practice report  Local patient participation report:  Maylands Healthcare has both a PPG and PRG. The PPG has ten members, a Chairman and secretary. The PPG members are also members of the PRG.  A  There are 14685 registered patients. There were 26 members in the PRG at the time of the survey and we are still actively recruiting.    Practice population – 7232 male and 7453 female    Ethnicity*  Under 16  14.46% White British   83.15% 17-24  13.87% White Irish     1.55% 25-34  12.26% White and Black Caribbean   0.32% 35-44  11.80% White and Black African   0.79% 45-54  16.55% White and Asian    0.03% 55-64  13.28% Indian   2.08% 65-84  15.66% Pakistani   0.35% Over 84    2.17% Bangladeshi   0.72%  Caribbean    0.56%  African    0.89%  Chinese   0.32%  Any other   0.89%    PRG profile – 12 male and 14 female Ethnicity* Under 16  – White British   0.13% 17-24 White Irish 0.44% 25-34  0.11% White and Black Caribbean 35-44  0.23% White and Black African 0.006% 45-54  0.28% White and Asian 55-64  0.25% Indian 65-84  0.26% Pakistani Over 84  0.62% Bangladeshi Caribbean  African Chinese Any other   0.76%  * Some patients prefer not to answer the ethnicity question.  B – To ensure that the PRG is representative, we made leaflets available in the surgery for all patients visiting the surgery and patients could also register via our website.  C – We emailed the PRG group to ask them to put forward suggestions for questions for the survey.  The PRG group responded and the questions with the highest priority were selected. These questions were subsequently agreed by the group.   D – We surveyed 552 of our registered patient population. 42 patients were emailed via survey monkey and 510 patients who attended the surgery during February 2012 were surveyed.  E – We emailed the PRG with the results of the survey and asked for any comments they may have.  F – The results of the survey indicated that although some of our practice population do not have access to a mobile phone or the internet, most would like more services to be available via these routes. The results also indicate that most of the patients surveyed are satisfied with the services offered by the practice.  G – Of patients surveyed: 55% would like to see a practice newsletter available on the website 38% had no opinion 7% disagreed 92% agreed that reception staff are courteous, friendly and efficient 5% had no opinion 3% disagreed 76% agreed that a text reminder would help patients keep or cancel appointments 16% had no opinion 8% disagreed   90% are satisfied with the service offered by the surgery 4% had no opinion 6% disagreed   64% would like to be able to book an appointment on line 26% had no opinion 10% disagreed  H Implementing the above results is something that we aim to achieve in conjunction with our PRG.

Opening times:  As a result of the survey we have not changed our opening times. The surgery reception is open 08.30 – 12.00 and 13.30 – 18.00 Monday to Friday  Surgery times are as follows 08.30 – 11.00 and 13.30 – 18.00 Monday to Friday  We are open at evenings and weekends 18.00 – 20.00 Monday and Wednesday and one Saturday per month 08.00 – 09.30

Patients can call the surgery on 01708 460180 between 08.00 – 18.30 Monday to Friday Access to doctors and nurses is via our reception staff who will be pleased to deal with requests.   Outside of these times patients call 0845 075 0496. There is a phone message to advise patients when they ring the surgery number.