Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin GP Access Report 2015

Report - 1 April 2015

The GP Access Project was a collaborative venture between Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin, Healthwatch Staffordshire, Healthwatch Shropshire, and Healthwatch Stoke-on-Trent to develop a greater understanding of Primary Care services.

Summary

It was decided that the best way to gather peoples feedback would be to conduct a large survey at a number of surgeries in each area covered by participating local Healthwatch, and that they should consider four main objectives:

Develop a greater understanding of inequality in access to GP provision in the NHS Local Area
Identify models of best practice in terms of GP appointment systems
Identify where there is avoidable duplication or inefficiencies in primary care provision
Develop a greater understanding of Primary Care services by comparing the experience of consumers in local areas in their local areas

Recommendations

Raise patient awareness of how the appointment booking system works at each surgery
Renewed focus on online appointment booking systems by all surgeries
Ensure that callers are not pressured into discussing their symptoms over the telephone if they are not comfortable doing so
Ensure that patient confidentiality is strictly maintained
When patients request to see their preferred practitioner, consider giving priority to patients with continuing or long-term conditions
Consider using other clinical staff, such as practice nurses and advanced nurse practitioners, to hold appointments with willing patients where appropriate
Make sure that patients are given all the advice and information they need during their appointments in a friendly manner; that patients feel their concerns are being listened to; and that patients fully understand what they are being told
Ensure that accessibility requirements are met as far as possible in all surgeries
Consider the needs of people in employment when offering appointments