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A survey of our Patient Reference Group identified a gap between how important patients feel it is to be able to make appointments at a convenient time with an appropriately qualified clinician and their experience of arranging an appointment. As a result of this we decided to survey our patients about the days and times that would best suit them for different types of appointments.
The survey is totally anonymous. By completing this questionnaire you will help us to review how we support our patients and how we might improve their experience.
This survey is split into several sections, not all sections will be appropriate for you to answer so please ignore sections that do not relate to you. The questionnaire should take no more than 10 minutes to complete amd there is a section at the end for your comments.
Your background
Your age:
Male or Female
Are you currently in a job?
Are you a carer?
Are you disabled?
Should our branch surgery remain open?
In the last 6 months how many times have you attended the surgery?
Section 1 - Routine GP Appointments - For You
Are you generally satisfied with the appointment system and the speed at which you can arrange a routine appointment to see a GP?
For an appointment to see a GP for a new non-urgent problem how many days do you feel it is acceptable to wait to see the doctor of your choice?
In your experience, how long do you wait to make an appointment with the GP of your choice?
To make a routine follow-up appointment to see the doctor, how far in advance would you like to be able to book this?
For a routine appointment to see a GP what day(s) of the week suit you best? You can select as many day as you like.
What time of the day suit you best?. You can select as many time periods as you like.
If your GP held a Saturday morning surgery for pre-booked routine doctor appointments once a month, would you use it in preference to appointments at a convenient time during the week?
Do you generally manage to see the GP of your choice?
Which GP do you prefer to see?
Section 2 - PARENTS: Routine GP Appointments - For Your Children (under 16 years)
Are you generally satisfied with our appointment system and the speed at which you can see a doctor for a routine appointment for your child/children?
For an appointment for your child to see a GP for a new non-urgent problem how many days do you feel it is acceptable to wait to see the doctor of your choice?
In your experience, how long do you wait to make an appointment with the GP of your choice?
To make a routine follow-up appointment to see the doctor, how far in advance would you like to be able to book this?
For a routine appointment for your child to see a GP which day(s) of the week suit you best? You can select as many day as you like.
What time of the day suits you best. You can select as many time periods as you like.
If your GP held a Saturday morning surgery for pre-booked routine doctor appointments once a month, would you use it in preference to appointments as a convenient time during the week?
Section 3 - CARERS: Routine GP Appointments - For Someone You Care For
For an appointment to bring someone you care for to see a GP for a new non-urgent problem how many days do you feel it is acceptable to wait to see the doctor of your choice?
To make a routine follow-up appointment to see the doctor, how far in advance would you like to be able to book this?
For a routine appointment to bring someone you care for to see a GP which day(s) of the week suit you best? You can select as many days as you like.
What time of the day suits you best. You can select as many time periods as you like.
If your GP held a Saturday morning surgery for pre-booked routine doctor appointments once a month, would you use it in preference to appointments at a convenient time during the week?
Section 4 - Continuity
How important is it for you to see the same doctor or nurse on each visit?
Section 5 - Urgent Appointments
Are you aware that our urgent appointments are managed by the nurse team, lead by Nurse Practitioners supported by an on-call doctor who is always available to see a patient if there is a clinical need?
What is your understanding of the level to which nurse practitioners are trained?
When a patient asks for an urgent appointments the trained admin staff ask 4 questions so that the clinical staff know what the problem is and also to help identify patients with very urgent problems where an ambulance or fast response may be more appropriate:
- Can you tell me what the problem is/the symptoms are?
- How long have you had this?
- Have you taken anthing for it?
- Have you seen anyone about this condition before?
Confidentiality is assured and patients can decline to answer these questions.
Do you think it is acceptable to be asked these questions?
Have you ever been seen by a nurse practitioner?
If you have seen a nurse practitioner, please think about the last time you saw one, how satisfied were you with their advice/treatment?
Did you feel the need to check what you had been told by making a doctors' appointment on another day?
Section 6 - Minor Illness
There is an increasing demand upon us from patients suffering with a self-limiting minor illness that does not require medical treatment and will generally respond to medicines abd advice available from a pharmacist. Sometimes these illnesses may be unpleasant (Flu) but respond better to TLC (tender loving care) than antibiotics. This demand reduces our ability to respond to patients who will benefit from see a clinician.
Do you think it is reasonable for the practice to encourage patients with a minor illness to medicate themselves or seek advice from a pharmacist before asking to be seen by a doctor or nurse?
How quickly do you expect to be seen for a minor illness?
Section 7 - Routine nurse-led health care
This includes womens' health (smears, contraception etc); health screening; adult/travel vaccinations and planned dressings.
For a routine appointments to see a nurse how many days do you feel it is acceptable to wait to see an appropriately trained nurse?
To make a routine follow-up appointment to see a nurse, how far in advance would you like to be able to book an appointment?
For a routine appointment to see a nurse, which day(s) of the week suits you best? You can select as many day as you like.
What time of the day suits you best. You can select as many time periods as you like.
Section 8 - For patients with Long Term Conditions
Long term conditions include conditions such as asthma, diabetes, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), Chronic Kidney Disease; Hypertension, Heart Disease, Epilepsy
Do you suffer from:any of the following?
Clinics for long term conditions are generally run by nurses with specialist training supported by a lead GP.
Do you know that we use your month of birth as the anniversary date to review your condition(s) and that we ask patients to contact us to make an appointment during their month of birth rather than the practice inviting patients in?
How far in advance would you like to be able to book an appointment in the clinic?
If you would like to, please feel free to give us any positive or negative feedback on how well we meet your needs.