Pendleside Medical Practice Patient Engagement Day

Healthwatch Lancashire undertook a Patient Engagement Day at Pendleside Medical Practice in August 2016, where feedback was gathered from 53 patients about access, quality of care, and patient involvement. 

Overall, patients reported very positive experiences of the practice. Most patients found the surgery easy to access, with convenient opening times and few difficulties reaching the location. The environment was observed to be clean, well organised, and accessible, and staff were described as friendly and professional. 

In terms of booking appointments, most patients used the telephone rather than online services, with many stating they did not want to use online booking or were unaware of it. Despite this, the majority of patients said they did not have difficulty obtaining same-day or routine appointments, although some reported frustration with telephone access, particularly at busy times. Overall, most patients rated the appointment booking system as excellent.

Patient satisfaction with the quality of care was very high. Most patients felt listened to during appointments and found the information they received helpful. A large majority reported being very satisfied with their care and expressed strong confidence in the staff and services, although a small number mentioned issues such as limited appointment time or difficulty seeing a preferred doctor.

Awareness of patient participation opportunities was low, as most patients had not heard of the Patient Participation Group and were not interested in joining, although a minority expressed some interest. 

The provider’s response acknowledged these findings and noted ongoing efforts to promote online booking, improve appointment reminders, and raise awareness of the Patient Participation Group, while also highlighting challenges such as an older patient population and increasing local demand.