primary care in south tyneside south tyneside leb, 24 september 2015 helen ruffell, operations...
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Primary Care In South Tyneside
South Tyneside LEB, 24 September 2015
Helen Ruffell, Operations Manager, South Tyneside CCG
Overview of Primary Care in South Tyneside • 154,000 patients (approx)• 27 GP practices – ranging in size• 39 Community Pharmacies• Think Pharmacy First – delivered by all 39
pharmacies• Urgent Care Hub at ST hospital (Oct)• In general access to primary care services
is good
GP access in South Tyneside
• GP’s are Independent Contractors;– Have the freedom to operate their own
appointment system.– Must have appropriate arrangements in place
to meet the needs of their patients.– Patients should be able to access services
during core hours in the case of an emergency.
General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS)• The GPPS is the Nationally accepted benchmark for access.• Latest South Tyneside results July 14 – March 2015.
Local Survey Work (via Healthwatch)
• 725 responses and focused on satisfaction levels around the following key areas:
Communication (telephone, online and with frontline staff in practices) Surgery provision (including opening times, privacy, healthware equipment and
customer service) Appointment availability, waiting times and convenience Referrals to and from the surgery for urgent care Out of hours services Involvement in decisions about services and healthcare
How likely patients would be to recommend their GP practice
Key Facts from the Healthwatch survey work (interviews conducted Nov & Dec ‘14)
Ease of contacting GP practice by telephone
82% of respondents were fairly or very satisfied
Receptionist service at GP practice
85% of respondents were fairly or very satisfied
Ease of contacting GP practice by telephone
82% of respondents were fairly or very satisfied
How often patients can get an appointment or speak to their GP of choice
38% sometimes or almost never
How far appointments can be booked ahead
2 – 4 weeks 49%, don’t know 51%
Length of wait for an urgent GP appointment
less than 48 hours 72%
Length of wait for a non urgent GP appointment
less than one week 60%, 2-4 weeks 29%
Length of wait once at the practice to be seen
less than 15 minutes 73%
If the patient was unable to be seen at the practice, where did the practice direct them to go instead
- Community Pharmacy 24%- Walk in Centre 74%- Other clinic, eg family planning 3%- A&E 11%
Satisfaction with out of hours GP services
35% satisfied, 10% not satisfied (remainder have not used)
Satisfaction with support to manage long term conditions
45% satisfied, 52% dissatisfied
What this tells us about access:• Access to GP services is in general good, timely
and responsive. Better than the national and north east average
• We need to carefully consider how to deliver wider access to primary care services
• We need to focus on supporting patients with long term conditions
• Patients value non bookable style appointments
• Delivery of minor ailments consultations from all 39 community pharmacies
• Wide range of conditions and drugs available• If you don’t pay for prescriptions, you may be
able to get free over the counter medicines• Aim to provide better access and save the need
for GP appointments
Posters and leaflets
Scheme impact
• Since April 1st 2015, over 3000 minor ailment consultations have taken place
• Top reasons for using so far:-• Fever• Teething• Head Lice• Chickenpox• Cough• Skin Reaction
Views from you – 7 day access• There are not enough GPs or nurses for every
GP practice to open up 7 days a week. • More practical and affordable solutions will need
to be considered such as one practice/location offering evening and weekend services on behalf of a group of local practices
• Do patients feel more evening and weekend GP services are important and how can they be delivered within the scope of the resources we have?
Communication• How do GP practices communicate with
patients – about their long term condition – in general about services at the practice (how
to book appointments on line, or new services starting etc)
– About any care you may have had in the hospital?
• What works well and not so well? Any ideas to make communication better?
When you need to see someone urgently• New ‘Urgent Care Hub’ at South Tyneside
hospital opening on 1st October – ‘one front door’ principle
• All GP practices offer urgent appointments• All community pharmacies offer consultations
and advice on a walk in basis• Is there anything your GP practice could do
better to meet your urgent healthcare needs?
Questions
1. Do patients feel more evening and weekend GP services are important and how can they be delivered within the scope of the resources we have?
2. What works well and not so well in the way your GP practice communicates with you? Any ideas to make communication better?
3. Is there anything your GP practice could do better to meet your urgent healthcare needs?