Enter and view: Sina Health 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 Sina Health Centre on 24/03/2018.

The summary of findings highlighted areas in relation to patient feedback, staff feedback and observation. These findings informed the infrastructure and facilities as provided are clean and in very good condition. Patient ability of seeing a GP of their choice appears to be low. Unless a longer future appointment time is booked. Whilst the Extra GP Appointments poster/ information was displayed at the first entrance to the surgery patients were not aware of the availability and how to book. Some patients were not aware of Online appointment booking. After checking the surgery website evening appointments are noted in the information section separate from the stated surgery hours. Which may restrict patients finding the information and therefore restrict them booking those appointments.

The recommendations to Identify and protect disabled parking bays and lowered pavement ramps by painting bays in a suitable location nearest access to the surgery on car park. Consider utilising the PPG group, members, to promote the ‘Out of hours GP services’ to waiting patients in the surgery. As well as PPG member(s) recruitment amongst waiting patients. Investigate opportunity to use text reminder for patient appointments with CCG (if funding available). Holding PPG meetings in the daytime may restrict people such as workers, parents etc. to attend. It would be worth considering holding meetings late afternoon or early evening to enable more readily access to a wide group of patients. Suggest incorporating surgery complaint contact details and process in surgery information so that patients may get lower level complaints resolved locally rather than escalation unless patients request escalation. Suggest a more visible complaints process displayed to patients possibly on TV screen or poster. Locate and identify evening opening/ appointments on surgery website so that patients can easily see them. Continue to promote Online Appointments as many patients were not aware of availability.