Dr. Heather Lings 					Shotfield Medical Practice
Dr. Bernard Lewis						6a Stanley Park Road
Dr. Joanna Munden					Wallington
Dr. Ruba Sukumar					Surrey SM6 0EU
Dr. Hani Mahfooth					Tel. No:  020 8544 2355
								Fax No:  020 8773 1801

REPORT & ACTION PLAN FROM THE PRACTICE ESTABLISHED PATIENT REPRESENTATIVE GROUP & PATIENT SURVEY 
CONDUCTED JANUARY-MARCH ‘12

The Patient Representative Group

The practice has established a group during 2011/12.  It was decided to make this a ‘virtual’ group in the first instance and to review the format of the group again in 2012/13.  The practice advertised membership of this group via:

•	The practice website
•	Posters in the entrance, waiting room and reception areas
•	The digital display/calling board in the waiting room
•	Word of mouth from individual clinicians

All these methods together enabled the practice to attract membership from a fairly good cross section of the patient population.  As recruitment progressed, if more patients were needed from a specific group, i.e. age range, clinicians were able to approach patients in this group directly as they were seen.  In total the group initially consisted of 11 members, 8 females and 3 males.  Four members were in the age range 75-84 years, 3 were 65-74 years, 2 were 55-64 years, 1 was 45-54 years and 1 was 35-44 years.  It was felt this was a reasonable selection of age ranges for an initial group to be formed with.  

Please see below the current practice demography:

	0-4	5-16	17-24	25-34	35-44	45-54	55-64	65-74	75-84	85-89	90+	Totals	
Male	321	734	452	621	658	803	536	327	192	44	25	4713	
Female	299	687	490	701	734	879	560	405	307	106	66	5234	
Totals	620	1421	942	1322	1392	1682	1096	732	499	150	91	9947	

This shows the practice has considerably more female than male patients in 9 out of the 11 age groups, therefore, it is felt the membership of the patient group was also representative of that fact.  

The patient group was also evaluated in terms of ethnicity and is as detailed below:

White/British	Asian/Indian	
10	1	

Although the group was found to be predominantly white (almost 91%), in our locality of Sutton as a whole it is reported that 83.2% of residents are white, 2.8% mixed, 6.4% asian, 5% black and 2.6% Chinese.  Therefore it was felt to be in line with local ethnicity that the group was predominantly white in ethnicity.

The practice was unable to encourage membership from any broader range of age groups or ethnicity despite its best efforts to do.  

The practice used the PCC toolkit which provided useful resources and information around how to form and utilise a patient group, obtain priorities from the group, establish a survey using those priorities and analyse the results.  

The practice asked all new members of the group to complete a contact form within which they were asked to give their priorities to those areas they felt most important to include in the next practice survey.  The practice then compiled the survey and this was undertaken from 31st January to 12th March 2012, so covering a full 6 week period.  

Contact was normally made with group members by email but for those without email (one member) post or telephone contact was used.  It was important that those wishing to participate would not feel excluded if they did not have email or internet access and this was highlighted in the original advertising to patients.  

The practice is continuing to advertise for new members of the group.

The Survey 

The survey was made available online, via a direct link from the practice website and in hard copy from reception.  Posters were displayed to alert patients to the survey and reception staff also tried to routinely ask patients if they could spare time to complete the survey while they were on site.  A message about the survey was also displayed on the digital display/calling board.

A total of 112 surveys were completed which represents just over 1% of the total practice population.  Of these, just over 29% were males and just over 66% females (4.5% preferred not to say).  A good cross section of the practice population took part with surveys completed by those from all age groups and employment statuses listed.

Survey Results

General observations from the results were that the practice scored positively in many areas including:

•	80% of patients were either very or fairly happy with practice opening times
•	87% of patients felt that reception staff were either very or fairly helpful
•	67% of patient felt that they waited very little time to see a clinician on the day of their appointment
•	77% of patients said they were very confident with the doctor or nurse they had seen

Action Plan

The survey results were shared with the Practice Patient Representative Group and the following action plan was agreed: 

1.	Highlighting the availability of the practice booklet.  The practice booklet is routinely offered to all new patients registering and is also available from the practice website.  It is also usually available at reception to be picked up by patients attending but the practice felt that from the survey results, where 53% said they were unaware of the booklet, we should try and make it more available to existing patients.  The practice proposes to do this by:

•	putting a message on the digital display/calling board 
•	introducing a message on repeat prescriptions
•	ensuring the booklet is prominently positioned at reception for patients to see when they attend
•	highlight the practice booklet on our website

2.	 Promoting the use of our online facility to book routine appointments with the doctor or to request repeat medication (that is unchanged from the previous issue).  The survey results showed that 20% of patients use this service currently but that nearly 43% would like to use it in future.  We will do this by:

•	putting a message on the digital display/calling board
•	introducing a message on repeat prescriptions 
•	ensure all newly registering patients are offered the form to sign up for the online service when they first come in
•	highlight this service on our website and in our practice booklet

3.	Advertising practice opening times more clearly.  From the survey results a number of patients did not seem to know that we have extended opening hours including appointments before 8.30am and after 6.00pm  We will do this by:

•	Putting posters in the entrance lobby, lift and at reception specifically detailing our opening times.
•	Putting a message on the digital display/calling board about extended hours appointments
•	Highlighting the opening times on our website and in our practice booklet

All actions identified are within the remit of the practice to address so there is no need to obtain PCT permission.

Timescale for Actions

As the practice will be moving to the new Local Care Centre in the near future it was felt important that these actions be made swiftly and to coincide with new information provided for that move.  Therefore, all actions will be addressed by the practice within the next 3 months and will be completed by the end of June 2012 at the very latest.

The practice also aims to undertake another survey late Summer, early autums, after the move to new premises is complete.

Confirmation of Practice Opening Times

Monday to Friday	08:00 to 19:00 

We have a wide selection of appointments with both GPs and nurses throughout our opening times.  We also offer some extended hours appointments* with a doctor and/or nurse as follows:

Monday		18:30 to 19:30
Tuesday		07:30 to 08:00
Wednesday		18:30 to 19:30
Thursday		07:30 to 08:00

* patients attending extended hours appointments with the doctor or nurse before or after normal opening hours for the building will be buzzed in by intercom at the front door by relevant reception staff, this is to maintain security to the building as a whole for all providers outside normal working hours

SK – 23.03.12