Enter and View: The White Horse Medical Practice in Faringdon

Healthwatch Oxfordshire visited the White Horse Medical Practice in Faringdon in September 2024. They visited the surgery after hearing from some members of the public about access issues to GPs in the area. 

Healthwatch Oxfordshire spoke to 20 patients and 11 staff members during their visit.

Key findings

• The external signage is clear and informative, but there was no welcome sign at the entrance or the reception.
• The car park was very busy but well organised. There is disabled parking conveniently located near the building and bike racks were available. 
• There was comprehensive information on display and paper feedback forms available in the reception area, along with a box for submitting these forms. 
• The practice was clean and calm environment, supported by friendly staff. 
• There were wheelchairs at the entrance for people to use and the entrance was very bright with nice information on the boards about local community events.
• Most patients expressed their appreciation for the interactions, medical care and support provided by staff. 
• A number of patients reported difficulty in securing appointments with GPs, particularly by using the Engage Consult (eConsult) system. 
• Some patients expressed discomfort with having to wait outside for prescriptions to collect their medication from the dispensary window. 
• Not all patients understood which waiting room to sit in and felt uncertain they were in the right place. 
• Whilst most patients understood the process for comments and complaints, they did not understand the way that their feedback would be managed or responded to. 

Recommendations

• Engage patients to understand the areas of challenge in accessing regular and one-off appointments via eConsult and other routes. 
• Review communication with patients and understand barriers and processes, including with accessing medications, and routes via eConsult, including one-off and repeat prescriptions and considering patient feedback. 
• Add a welcome sign at the entrance to enhance the positive first impression for patients and visitors. 
• Ensure translated materials and information about interpreting are available. 
• Review the process for outdoor waiting for prescriptions pick up.
• Clarify labelling, placement and visibility of signposting and notices for the two waiting areas.
• Clarify process for comments and complaints to ensure that patients receive timely response and clear communication as to what happens next. 

The Operations Manager at the Practice has written to indicate how the practice will respond to the recommendations. Some actions have already been completed, including a new check-in screen to inform patients of their designated waiting room, and the labelling of waiting rooms for clear identification. Benches and a covered waiting area have been provided at the outdoor waiting area for prescription collections, and plans are in progress to reducing waiting times for collections.