Dr Jha Surgery Patient Engagement Day

The report summarises findings from a Healthwatch Lancashire Patient Engagement Day carried out at Dr Jha Surgery in Preston in November 2016, based on feedback from 19 patients and observations of the practice environment. 

The surgery is a privately run GP practice with around 1,925 registered patients and offers services such as online appointment booking, repeat prescriptions and access to medical records. The building, a converted church shared with other services, was found to be accessible, clean, welcoming and well signposted, with friendly and helpful reception staff. 

The findings show that most patients book appointments by telephone and very few use online booking, mainly because they prefer other methods or are unaware of the service. While most patients receive appointment reminders, many reported difficulties accessing appointments, particularly urgent same-day appointments and, to a lesser extent, routine appointments. Overall, most respondents felt that the appointment booking system could be improved, although opening hours were generally considered convenient. 

In terms of care quality, most patients were satisfied with staff and felt listened to during consultations, and the majority found the information provided helpful. Overall satisfaction with care was high, although a small minority expressed dissatisfaction or concerns about communication and consistency between clinicians. 

The report also highlights low awareness of patient involvement opportunities, as none of the patients surveyed had heard of the surgery’s Patient Participation Group, and most were not interested in joining it. 

In conclusion, while the practice environment and quality of care were generally viewed positively, the main issues identified relate to access to appointments, limited engagement with online services, and poor awareness of patient participation opportunities.