Enter and view: Portishead Medical Group

This Healthwatch North Somerset Enter and View report summarises a visit to Portishead Medical Group on 9 January 2018 to assess patients' experiences and observe the practice environment. The practice serves approximately 18,290 patients and offers a wide range of primary care and specialist services. 

Overall, the visit found that patients were very positive about the practice, its staff and the services provided. Patients described staff as approachable, knowledgeable and caring, and most reported feeling respected, listened to and treated as individuals. Feedback indicated that urgent appointments were generally easy to obtain, while routine appointments were considered reasonably accessible. 

The practice demonstrated several examples of good practice. These included regular patient information evenings for the wider community, weekly drop-in blood pressure clinics, an active Patient Participation Group (PPG), extensive use of online services, multidisciplinary team meetings, monthly weekend appointments and a dedicated visiting GP for housebound patients. The practice was also recognised as a particularly high user of online appointment booking and prescription services. 

The report found that the premises were generally clean, modern and accessible. Parking, disabled access and signage were all considered good. The reception team was observed to be friendly and efficient, and patients could use electronic self-check-in facilities. However, conversations at reception could potentially be overheard and no hearing loop signage was visible. 

The waiting room was found to be spacious and accessible, with health information displayed on a television screen. However, some seating appeared worn and parents commented that the children's play area was smaller and less well equipped than previously. Water was not readily available in the waiting room, although it could be provided on request. 

The practice showed evidence of acting on patient feedback. Examples included changes to the ear syringing process to reduce delays, retaining a drop-in blood pressure clinic after consultation with patients, and purchasing raised chairs to improve accessibility for people with mobility difficulties. The practice also regularly reviewed complaints, compliments and patient feedback through management and clinical meetings. 

Healthwatch identified some challenges affecting access to services. Practice leaders said that the current building limited future expansion and that recruiting GPs was difficult, with an unfilled vacancy attracting no applicants. To help manage demand, the practice had recently begun trialling a revised appointment system with more same-day appointments available. 

The practice website was judged to be comprehensive, readable and translatable, with useful information about complaints and out-of-hours services. However, some information was difficult to find, the patient registration map was hard to use, and details about complaints were not always consistent between the website and downloadable leaflets. 

Healthwatch's main recommendations were to improve privacy at reception, make drinking water more readily available, replace worn waiting room seating, review the children's play area, ensure complaints information is consistent across all materials, and provide more visible Patient Participation Group and "You Said, We Did" information for patients. 

The report notes that no formal response was received from the practice following publication of the findings.