Enter and view: Broadway Medical Centre

Healthwatch Walsall gather information on people’s experiences of health and social care services and there are times when it is appropriate for Healthwatch Walsall to see and hear for themselves how services are being delivered: these visits are called ‘Enter and View’, they are not inspections.

Healthwatch Walsall visited Broadway Medical Centre on 25/09/2018.

The summary of findings highlighted areas in relation to patient feedback, staff feedback and observation. These findings informed the feedback for the Practice was mostly positive. Patients Healthwatch Walsall spoke to on the day of our visit, said they would recommend the practice to other people. The infrastructure and facilities as provided are very good. However, not surprisingly issues exist for patients mainly around access and information. There was also some disparity in the responses to getting appointments with 56% rating it as good or very good; however, by contrast most of the same respondents had consultation appointments granted within 24 hours. A greater uptake and implementation of online/text technology would no doubt help improve communication between the Practice and patients accordingly. Choice of GP remains an important factor for patients and providing the information regarding their dedicated accountable GP would no doubt help to smooth this issue. In addition, the Practice needs to determine how it more easily disseminates information on both complaints and Patient Participation channels. From the feedback derived on the day of our visit, there are clearly gaps in patient knowledge concerning their right to both complain and raise concerns and how to engage effectively in the determination of how services are shaped / provided to them.

The recommendations within the report state to review the provision of information regarding patient access to scheduling online appointments. Consider utilising the services of NAPP, (National Association of Patient Participation Groups), to help in developing a viable PPG for the practice. Review the provision of information for patients for out of hours Services. Review the provision of text information for patients. Review providing all patients information on their dedicated accountable GP. Ensure non-medical training information for staff is available for review.