Enter and view: Little London Surgery

Healthatch Walsall conducted an Enter and View in November 2018 of a local GP surgery, Little London Surgery. Twelve patients gave their feedback using questionnaires and two staff members were interviewed.

The Enter and View representatives made the following observations: home visits were available but triaged by the doctor and online GP services were on offer. There is also a Patient Participation Group (PPG) which meet quarterly and utilisation of interpreters. The environment is clean and in good condition.

Patients reported that there is not enough parking for the surgery. There was mixed feedback about getting an appointment. The majority of patients gave negative feedback about how long they had to wait for an appointment and also regarding the phone service. All patients reported that they had not used the online booking system to get an appointment. The doctors, nurses and receptionists all received positive feedback from patients. The patients were not aware of the PPG nor about the complaints procedure.

Recommendations were suggested by the Enter and View representatives. These included: Consider holding PPG meetings in an evening to allow access/ attendance by workforce patients and parents; Consider PPG members doing in house PPG promotion of PPG to waiting patients in surgery. Or promote the Online services that patients can access including appointments; Promote PPG and other information such as how to access ‘online appointments’ via TV display in surgery to be viewed by waiting patients; Include PPG information and how to join PPG in practice leaflet; Clearly display to patients, available (if still available) surgery extended hours; Tuesdays 18.30 – 20.00 as stated in practice leaflet; and Display a surgery complaints process to patients in the surgery and identify clearly the ‘complaints co-ordinator.'

The service provider responded to the report and implied changes to the surgery based on the recommendations.