Parkgate Surgery Patient Engagement Day
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Healthwatch Lancashire visited Parkgate Surgery in Ormskirk on 12 and 14 July 2016 to gather feedback from patients about access to appointments, quality of care, and patient involvement. The findings were based on surveys and discussions with 33 patients.
Overall, patients reported very positive experiences of the surgery. Most patients booked appointments by telephone (91%), while only a small proportion used the online booking system. Many non-users of online booking said they preferred telephoning the surgery or were unaware of the service. Some patients felt that online appointments were not available soon enough or found the website difficult to use.
Access to urgent appointments was generally viewed positively, with two-thirds of patients reporting no difficulties obtaining same-day or urgent appointments. However, a small number of patients expressed concerns about having to telephone promptly at 8am and experiencing long waiting times on the phone, which sometimes made it difficult to secure an appointment.
Most patients who required routine appointments said they could obtain them without difficulty. Although 58% rated the appointment-booking system as excellent, 42% felt that it could be improved, particularly regarding appointment availability, telephone waiting times, and flexibility of appointment times for working patients.
No patients reported difficulties travelling to the surgery, and 94% said the opening hours were convenient.
Feedback about the quality of care was overwhelmingly positive. Three-quarters of patients said they were happy with all staff, while the remaining quarter said they were happy with most staff. Nearly all patients felt listened to during appointments, and most found the information provided by clinicians helpful. Overall, 97% of patients were satisfied or very satisfied with the care they received. Many patients praised the doctors, nurses, and reception staff and valued the continuity of care available at the practice.
The Patient Participation Group (PPG) was less well known. Nearly three-quarters of respondents had not heard of it, and most were not interested in joining, primarily because of a lack of time. Those who expressed an interest preferred online involvement rather than attending meetings.
Healthwatch’s observations of the surgery were also positive. The premises were described as clean, organised, welcoming, and well maintained. Information for patients was widely available through noticeboards, including details about support services, complaints procedures, and patient feedback opportunities. The surgery had also received an “Outstanding” rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which was prominently displayed. Some minor accessibility concerns were noted due to the building’s age, including narrow doorways and limited parking, although patients themselves did not report these as significant issues.
In response to the findings, the practice stated that it would continue promoting online services, reviewing appointment availability, sending appointment reminders by text message, and encouraging participation in the PPG. The practice manager confirmed that the report was factually accurate and welcomed the independent feedback from Healthwatch Lancashire.