Enter and View: The Hawthorns Medical Centre

Healthwatch Sandwell undertook an Enter and View visit to the Hawthorns Medical Centre in September and October 2019.  They spoke to 31 patients and the practice manager.

Findings

• The waiting room was clean, tidy and well maintained and had a variety of promotional and advertising material on noticeboards.
• Patients were having to wait for attention to be checked in or to drop off and pick up repeat prescriptions
• Most of the patients spoken to had been registered at the practice for over 20 years
• 55% said it was easy or very easy to get an appointment and 42% said they could get appointments when needed.
• 71% said that the phone was the only way to make an appointment
• 32% said that they would go to the walk-in centre if they couldn’t get an appointment and 23% said that they would phone the next day
• 58% said they were happy with the service they received from the surgery. 
• 80% of patients were able to get a medication review when required
• 71% said that they wanted to see improvements in the practice, including better access to appointments, waiting time for appointments and improved attitude of staff to patients
• Only 3% knew that there was a Patient Participation Group at the surgery
• 58% said they didn’t know how to complain
• 39% said they would recommend the surgery to family or friends

Recommendations

• The online booking system be better promoted and how to book online be fully explained to patients in a simple and effective way, taking into consideration the diversity of languages. Also make sure patients are made aware of all the ways they can make an appointment.
• A bell or device that can be put in place to help patients gain the attention of reception when they are working in the back of reception.
• Patients are made aware of ‘controlled access’ to surgery and as they may think the surgery is closed.
•  Further promotion of Patient Participation Group with the full meaning of group notice board, instead of PPG.
• Advertising, information and publicity posters and leaflets to be reviewed and to ensure the information is current.
• The surgery to continue to encourage patient feedback, whether positive or negative and to share with staff at the surgery. Actions taken in relation to feedback are also communicated back to patients.

There is a response from the provider in the report.