Agenda item

To receive the Healthwatch GP Survey Report followed by the Access Recovery Progress Update.

S Fogel, Healthwatch Telford & Wrekin, presented the Primary Care Access: Healthwatch GP Survey Report and Access Recovery Progress Update.

The background to the report was from an independent survey which identified frustration and negative comments around getting a GP appointment.  The annual GP survey which had been published at the same time told a different picture to here locally in Telford & Wrekin.  Healthwatch Telford & Wrekin wanted to explore patient satisfaction at a GP practice level in order to gain more detail and to share how they would move forward to ensure access to GP appointments.

The survey was taken in and around communities and within GP practices where they spoke to patients and staff and supported then promoted the survey through communication channels with some 9,000 responding to the 21 questions. 

The results showed that there was no correlation to areas of high depravation and there was no particular theme for those areas that had high dissatisfaction rates with some GP surgeries being good. 

An overview of the findings detailed that half of the respondents had given a fairly poor or very poor rating with the main concern being barriers to access a GP appointment via the booking system via call centres or reception staff.  It was important to stress that once patients had been seen by a health professional, they had received a reasonable service.   Other concerns raised where appointments could be miles from their home location and the continuity of care from the traditional doctor surgery.

Areas identified as negatively impacting people’s experiences such as interactions with non-clinical staff who were not appropriately medically trained, inflexibility in the systems due to full time working and confidence care professionals.  Other concerns raised were service capacity, level of patient care, difficulties with the telephone systems, being told to contact 111 or A&E and the perception of unwillingness to see patients and the perceived lack of change.  Improvements had taken place with telephone systems and booking appointments for long-term conditions and work undertaken with reception staff in relation to general interactions and building trust. 

Going forward a piece of work would be undertaken to publish a report based on surgery findings for each GP practice and to look for suitable solutions.  It was hoped to work with patient participation groups and once complete to help to embed the changes.

C Parker, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin ICB, confirmed that during the last year that there had been an increase in demand for appointments with a reduction in the GP workforce.  The NHS had been working on increasing the other roles in GP practices and promoting that a doctor may not be the right contact for a person to see and a more appropriate appointment might be with a physio, health practitioner or a via a mental health provision.  It was important to communicate and give an understanding of the different roles and the care navigator would point them to the right care are the right time.  There were some known challenges as some practices followed different models and there was variation between GP surgeries.  It was a TWIPP priority that support would be given to general practice and a deep dive would be undertaken to see how access to GP appointments could be managed and communicated to the public and a report would be brought back to HWBB.

During the debate, Members thanked Healthwatch for their comprehensive summary and for highlighting the ongoing ussies.  The report looked to the future and identifying best practice and learning from successes.  It was felt necessary that appointments were kept back for working people in order they can access a GP appointment.  There was huge potential to make use of the NHS app, online systems and live channels.

RESOLVED – that:

a)    the report and the 15 recommendations made by Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin to improve people’s access to GP services be approved;

b)   Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board, Telford and Wrekin Council and Healthwatch Telford and Wrekin to continue to work together to improve peoples access to GP services within Telford and Wrekin be continued; and

c)    updates to be presented at six monthly intervals with details of progress to improve access be required.