Patients Panel ...
 


We are into our 10th year of existence for four years now and our biggest achievement to date has been the new look to the front of the practice. We also now have dedicated Patient Panel Noticeboards in both Waiting Rooms where you can find further information on what we are and what we are doing.

We put together a questionnaire for you to fill in to give us some ideas of the problems you face in the practice. From this questionnaire we found the biggest and most worrying thing that almost everyone was not happy with was the telephone system. Comments ranged from "not being able to get through" to "having to wait a long time to speak to whomever". A long time was spent looking into this problem and after a lot of thought and consideration by the practice a new telephone system has been installed and has proved to be a success.

Most of you were more than happy with our Team (Drs, Nurses, Receptionists, Business Manager, Practice Manager, Phlebotomist and Health Visitor), I hope I haven't forgotten anyone. My personal opinion is that we are extremely lucky with our practice and even if you have a problem, then please ask that is the only way you can get it sorted. If you are shy or worried about something and cannot ask for yourself then ask us the Patients Panel as that is what we are here for.

Below are just a few of the other issues raised by the Patients Panel on behalf of patients within the practice:

      • The practice policy of displaying posters advertising alternative therapies, following subsequent discussions between the Partners all these posters were removed from the noticeboards.
      • A recommendation to avoid the use of jargon and unnecessary abbreviations in all documents produced by the practice to which the general public have access.
      • The format and contents of the practice website
      • The removal of unhygienic soft toys from the waiting rooms
      • The NHS policy regarding childhood immunisations
      • Ways in which to reduce the problem of patients who fail to turn up for their appointments, thus wasting Doctor and Nurse time
      • Background music playing in the waiting rooms, this was decided against, as it would be very difficult to choose music that was suitable to all patients
      • Attendances at Well Man Clinics, and how to improve it. Unfortunately no progress has been made in this area.
      • Fact sheets for patients to take home with them detailing their particular illness, as this would help patients to overcome the difficulty of assimilating sometimes rather complicated information at what can be a stressful time.


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