Enter and view: Quarter Medical Practice

This Healthwatch Warwickshire Enter and View report summarises a visit to Market Quarter Medical Practice in Rugby on 2 December 2015. The practice served approximately 7,300 patients and offered a broad range of services, including chronic disease clinics, minor surgery, family planning, smoking cessation support, travel vaccinations and a dementia café. The practice also functioned as a training centre for medical students and junior doctors. 

Overall, the report found that patients were very satisfied with the quality of care and service provided. Eighteen patients completed questionnaires, and feedback on GPs, nurses, reception staff, cleanliness, involvement in care decisions and overall service quality was overwhelmingly positive.

The surgery environment was observed to be modern, clean, accessible and well equipped. The purpose-built health centre had electronic check-in facilities, hearing loop provision, child-friendly waiting areas, disabled access, baby-changing facilities, hand sanitiser stations and an on-site pharmacy. Privacy for sensitive conversations could be provided through a private room on request.

Patients rated the GPs and nurses very highly, frequently describing them as helpful, informative and attentive. Several respondents praised individual doctors for listening carefully, explaining treatments clearly and involving patients in decisions about their care. 

Reception staff also received positive feedback. Patients described them as approachable, friendly, polite and helpful, although some acknowledged that staff were often under pressure and occasional concerns about attitudes had been raised. 

The main issues reported by patients related to appointment access and telephone systems. While many patients said they could obtain same-day appointments if they contacted the surgery early, others reported long telephone waits, difficulty getting through in the mornings and challenges securing appointments with their preferred doctor. Several patients suggested that telephone access could be improved. 

Parking was another significant concern. Many respondents felt that the car park was too small and regularly struggled to find spaces, although disabled parking provision was viewed more positively. Public transport access received mixed feedback.

Feedback on appointment punctuality was generally positive but more mixed than other aspects of the service. Some patients reported being informed about delays and felt clinicians gave them adequate consultation time, while others said waiting times were not always communicated consistently. 

The practice had an active Patient Participation Group (PPG) with around 12 members, which met monthly, raised funds for surgery improvements and collected patient feedback. The PPG had successfully funded items such as a wheelchair for the surgery and supported community events. 

Healthwatch concluded that the surgery provided a high standard of care but identified opportunities for improvement. Recommendations included reviewing the appointment booking system, promoting online booking to reduce pressure on telephone lines, ensuring patients are consistently informed about appointment delays, introducing an anonymous comments and complaints box, and displaying Patient Participation Group meeting minutes more prominently. 

The report noted that no formal response was received from the surgery following publication of the findings.