Enter and view: Kirkby Road Surgery

Healthwatch Central Bedfordshire carried out an Enter and View visit to Kirby Road Surgery in Dunstable on 22 June 2017 to assess how patients were treated, identify examples of good practice and observe interactions between patients and staff. The surgery served approximately 9,178 patients and provided a range of services including asthma, diabetes, COPD, sexual health and immunisation clinics. 

Overall, the report found that Kirby Road Surgery was delivering a good service and that patients and staff were generally positive about their experiences. Staff were observed to be courteous, professional and friendly, and interactions between patients and both clinical and non-clinical staff were consistently respectful. Staff reported feeling supported by management and generally enjoyed working at the practice, although they noted increasing workloads and pressures on services. 

The surgery building was found to be easy to locate, well signposted and accessible for patients using wheelchairs, mobility scooters or pushchairs. The practice also had facilities such as a hearing loop, accessible toilets, an electronic check-in system and a private area for confidential conversations. The waiting area was described as light, comfortable and child-friendly. 

However, several environmental issues were identified. The interior was considered to be in need of redecoration, some patient information leaflets were outdated, noticeboards were overcrowded, and an electronic display screen could not be easily seen from all seating areas. Healthwatch also identified a loose metal strip at the entrance which posed a trip hazard and recommended that it be repaired urgently. In addition, inconsistencies were found in the surgery's published opening hours. 

The surgery offered appointments through telephone, online booking and in person. It provided some early morning, evening and alternate Saturday appointments to improve access. Text reminders were sent to patients, although the practice reported 110 missed appointments (DNAs) in the month before the visit. Healthwatch recommended that the practice regularly publicise the impact of missed appointments to encourage cancellations when patients could not attend. 

Patient feedback was very positive. A pre-visit survey completed by 29 patients found that almost all respondents reported that registration was easy, staff were polite and helpful, and they felt listened to by clinicians. Most patients said they could usually obtain appointments when needed and felt they had enough time during consultations to discuss their health concerns. The majority also stated that they would recommend the surgery to others.

Patients interviewed during the visit similarly praised the surgery. Most reported receiving appointment reminders, being able to choose which clinician they saw, feeling involved in decisions about their care, and having confidence in the advice provided by clinicians. They described the quality of care as either excellent or very good and provided positive comments about both staff and services.

The report highlighted some areas where awareness could be improved. Many survey respondents did not know how to make a complaint, and very few were members of the Patient Participation Group (PPG), despite the practice having recently re-established the group. Healthwatch recommended greater promotion of the PPG and displaying information about members of staff, including photographs, to help patients identify personnel more easily.