Enter and view: The Groves Medical Centre

Healthwatch Kingston upon Thames carried out an Enter and View visit to The Groves Medical Centre on 16 April 2015. The purpose of the visit was to gather patient feedback, observe the environment, and assess the overall quality of the patient experience. 

Overall, the findings show that patients were generally satisfied with the service provided at the medical centre. Most patients reported short waiting times, feeling they had enough time with doctors or nurses, and being treated with dignity and respect. In addition, many patients felt involved in decisions about their care, and about half were able to book appointments with their preferred clinician. 

However, the report identified several areas for improvement. A minority of patients were dissatisfied with parking, availability of information about community services, and aspects of reception services. Some patients also felt they were not given enough information about local support organisations.

Observations of the environment found that the centre was clean, tidy, and generally welcoming, and staff were friendly and helpful. Nonetheless, issues were noted in the waiting area, including stuffy air, lack of a clock, limited seating suitable for people with mobility needs, and no dedicated play area for children. There were also gaps in facilities such as baby changing areas, a buggy park, and a water dispenser. 

Based on these findings, Healthwatch made several recommendations. These included improving waiting room comfort and ventilation, providing better facilities for parents and children, increasing accessible seating, ensuring more information on community services is available, and enhancing basic amenities such as a clock and water dispenser.