Frenchwood Surgery Patient Engagement Day

Healthwatch Lancashire undertook a Patient Engagement Day held at Frenchwood Surgery in Preston in October 2016, where 22 patients were interviewed about their experiences of accessing and using the practice. 

Overall, the findings show that most patients had positive experiences of the surgery, although some areas required improvement. Patients generally booked appointments by telephone, with none using the online booking system, often because they did not want to use it or were unaware of it. 

Access to appointments was mostly satisfactory. Most patients reported that they did not find it difficult to obtain urgent or routine appointments, especially if they called early in the morning, although some still experienced difficulties such as busy phone lines. 

Experiences of booking appointments were largely rated as excellent, but a minority of patients reported poor experiences, including concerns about reception staff attitudes, lack of privacy, and communication issues. 

Patients were generally satisfied with opening hours, though some suggested that extended evening or weekend hours would be beneficial. 

The quality of care was viewed positively overall. Most patients said they were happy with staff, felt listened to during appointments, and found the information provided helpful. A majority reported being very satisfied or satisfied with the care they received, although a small number expressed concerns such as rushed appointments or inconsistent staff attitudes. 

Awareness and involvement in the Patient Participation Group were low, with most patients unaware of it and little interest in joining, although a few expressed willingness to participate if meetings were convenient.

Observations during the visits found the surgery to be accessible and clean but somewhat poorly maintained, with dated décor and limited display of important information such as the Care Quality Commission rating. 

In response, the provider acknowledged issues raised, explained staffing arrangements, and stated that improvements were planned, including refurbishment and ongoing efforts to address patient concerns and enhance service quality.