Improving Patient Experience re Booking Appointments
The email from Sarah (Business Manager) outlining the surgery’s proposals for improving the patient
experience in booking appointments was discussed.
Joanne S Feels there should be the facility for patients to walk in to make appointments as not everyone is online
Laurie M Agrees that a 7.30 start for online appointments would be fine but he would also like a greater understanding of the triage service
Members attending the meeting raised the following issues:
- What is classed as urgent
- Will opening earlier allow patients to get through any quicker Will the line close early if all appointments are taken
- Is it first come first served
- All depends on the receptionist
Suggestions
- Dedicated appointment line similar to cancelled appointment line. Only open for appointments and not general enquiries from 8-10
- Receptionists’ availability for early morning walk ins
- Same day appointments must be available for Walk ins, Telephone and Online
- One member informed the group that Elmham practice, offers the facility on the telephone line, that the person in the queue at say 10 can agree to hang up with the surgery calling them back once their number in the queue is reached.
- A member shared 2 positive experiences of using the online appointments, the first medication dispensed within 2 hours, secondly appointment arranged for the next day
- The group agreed that more understanding from the surgery on how the system would work in practice required clarification so is to be placed on the agenda for the next meeting with the surgery
Understanding the Patient Experience. PPG visibility in Surgery
A member who infrequently attends the surgery shared her experience of observing the queue at the reception desk and feels that the PPG should consider spending some time at the surgery to try to engage with patients and possibly recruit new members to the PPG
A discussion ensued with the following observations:
- A more prominent display of the PPG around the noticeboards in the surgery should be encouraged
- A planned approach to patients would be required. No need to complete a questionnaire just design an appropriate approach from the PPG members
- Suggestion that PPG members spend 1 day per week for 4 weeks in the surgery
- Day to be split 1 member in the morning, I in the afternoon
- Do receptionists have the facility to call for support when queue exceeds a certain number
The overall view is that members believe they could support this initiative but new members recruited to the PPG would help facilitate this. It was agreed to continue with this discussion at our next PPG meeting
AOB
Jean W informed the group that she had requested missed appointment stats. The surgery suggested that the PPG had informed the surgery that these stats were no longer required. The group agreed that these stats should be provided to the Chair each month from now on in.
Jean W also informed the group that the last minutes published on the surgery website was
11 May 2023 as the surgery is reticent to publish the minutes without a summary. It would suggest to patients that we are not really functioning.
It was agreed the Chair will discuss future publishing of the minutes both on the surgery website and on the PPG Facebook page.