I think as a practice we could do with more feedback from our users (patients).
We don't have, and have never had, a suggestions box.
We did have a patient participation group, which is currently inactive.
We get complaints, as all practices do. This is a form of feedback.
We get some plaudits, but being modest tend to shrug them off as nothing.
We can get feedback via the comments section on this blog.
We can see comments submitted via the NHS Choices practice page.
Another website people use is patient opinion.
We do look at any feedback we get and see if it needs any changes to be made.
Of course we aren't always in a position to make changes, and if changes do seem appropriate what amount of discontent would we need to see before changing anything? ie I don't think we should always change something on the back of one bit of feedback; but we might do.
It is a difficult time at the Surgery to get good feedback. Clearly the current accommodation isn't what we would like. We have few available appointments due to a combination of leave and Easter (and the Royal Wedding). We have a locum until Dr Thake can start properly in August. etc.
I thought that we might initially invite comment or feedback in the main area that taxes us most of the time - the management of urgent cases.
This might cover the process of phoning in- to access your own GP or the duty doctor to call you back. How your case is then dealt with- eg with advice or a prescription or an appointment to see you. Maybe a house call. Is that appointment suitable for you?
and so on..
We shall be looking at reconvening a patient participation group. If this sort of thing fires you up perhaps you might want to get involved. We could do with a few people who are patients who have some sort of background in management or business who are used to systems and change? on the other hand any people who have a clear idea about how they would like things to be would be welcome.
Perhaps if we just get that sort of input we'll get a "predictable result"- if you are a bit of a wildcard perhaps you might be able to have a useful if alternative input.
If you do think you have something to add in this way then why not email in on leatside.surgery@nhs.net for the attention of Andrew Moore. As the practice manager he will be the convener of the group.
If you would like to comment on the area of urgent or same-day appointments then please email in on the same address with the content line "Feedback".
The third option is of course to use the comments section below the blog. Each comment is emailed to mine and Andrew Moore's inbox before it is published....
2 comments:
I think that this is a difficult task to decipher, as everyone ringing you waiting for that 'last available appointment is clearly thinking that their problem is way more important and urgent than everyone else's. I have been one of those people who have sat on the phone with '4 callers in front of you, 3 callers' ........ to get to 1 caller, you sit in anticipation, as you have done for 20 minutes, just to get cut off ! I think the frustration and raised blood pressure caused by this activity alone usually far exceeds the problem your ringing for in the first place. You then ring back for a call-back from the duty doctor, who has just been called out on an emergency, who then has patients to see and will ring you back at some point though the day. If I could change anything, it would be the ability to contact, by phone, the doctor of my choice for a little longer than is currently allocated each morning, as this time for a lot of us is right when we are trying to get the kids to school, but nevertheless important enough for us to be asking advice about something that's 'not quite right'. I think the sympathetic and reassuring words from a doctor can be more beneficial to most and more so than the bottle of pills that he prescribes. Doctors are held in such a high president that it is easy to forget that they too are human and only have the same amount of hours in a day as we have. I think this is something that we are all guilty of at some point, especially when faced with the frustration of not being able to get through on the phone or not bein able to be 'seen' until 3 weeks next Tuesday.
Rats desert a sinking ship.
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