York Bridge Surgery Patient Engagement Day
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Healthwatch Lancashire summarises feedback gathered from 36 patients during two Patient Engagement Day visits to York Bridge Surgery in Morecambe in September 2016. The purpose of the visits was to understand patients’ experiences of accessing GP services, the quality of care provided, and awareness of patient involvement opportunities.
Overall, the surgery was observed to be clean, well-maintained, and welcoming, with friendly staff and adequate seating for patients. It was considered accessible, although parking was limited. Patients generally found the location convenient and reported few issues with physically accessing the building.
Most patients booked appointments by telephone, but many reported significant difficulties getting through due to busy phone lines. As a result, some preferred to visit the surgery in person to make appointments. The majority of patients did not use the online booking system, mainly because they did not want to use it or did not use computers.
Access to appointments, particularly urgent or same-day appointments, was a key concern. A large majority of patients said they found it difficult to secure urgent appointments, often due to long waits on the phone and limited availability. Routine appointments were less problematic for some patients, but others reported waiting several weeks. Overall, more than half of respondents felt that the appointment booking system could be improved, with a quarter rating it as poor.
Despite these challenges, most patients were satisfied with the opening hours, although some suggested that extended evening or weekend appointments would be beneficial, especially for those who work during the day.
In terms of care quality, most patients reported being happy with the staff and felt listened to during consultations. The majority also found the information provided during appointments helpful. However, some patients said they felt rushed, experienced inconsistencies depending on which GP they saw, and found it difficult to see their preferred or designated doctor.
Overall satisfaction with care was relatively high, with most patients reporting that they were satisfied or very satisfied. However, a small proportion of patients were dissatisfied, often due to issues with continuity of care and access to appointments.
Finally, awareness of the surgery’s Patient Participation Group was very low, with most patients unaware of its existence and not interested in joining. The report also notes that the practice manager did not provide a response to the findings.