It is important that GP surgeries listen to feedback whether it is provided formally or informally.
There are many ways for patients to provide their feedback to us.
As much as we try to provide all our patients with a safe, caring and effective service there may be times when you have a concern about your care that you want to raise with the practice.
Before making a formal complaint you might want to discuss the matter verbally with the Practice Manager. They wont always be available right away but will usually be able to phone you back within one working day.
In the majority of cases this can lead to your concerns being resolved and sparing you the trouble of having to commit your concerns to writing.
Sometimes a patient will feel so strongly about a matter that they want to want to make a formal complaint.
Learn more about how you can make a complaint.
Whether you raise your matter verbally or in writing we aim to treat all patient concerns with respect and compassion.
The GP Patient Survey is an independent survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England. It is designed to gather feedback from patients across England about their experiences with their GP practice, helping to provide a clearer picture of how well practices are meeting patient needs and expectations.
Each year, the survey is sent to over two million people across the country. This makes it one of the largest and most comprehensive surveys of its kind, providing valuable insights into patient satisfaction, care quality, and the services provided by GP practices. The survey covers various aspects of care, including accessibility, communication with doctors, treatment satisfaction, and the overall patient experience.
The surveys are sent to a randomly selected sample of patients from each GP practice. These patients are chosen based on a random selection process, ensuring that the results are representative of the wider patient population. The survey is typically conducted between January and April each year, allowing ample time for a broad range of patients to provide their feedback.
Once the survey is completed, the results are compiled and analyzed. The findings are usually published in July, giving GP practices and NHS England the opportunity to review and understand the experiences of patients. These results provide crucial information for practices to assess their strengths and identify areas for improvement.
Why is this important?
The GP Patient Survey helps to drive continuous improvement in patient care. By listening to patient feedback, GP practices can make informed decisions on how to enhance the quality of their services, address any areas of concern, and ensure that patients are receiving the best possible care. It also gives patients a platform to voice their opinions, knowing that their responses will contribute to shaping future healthcare services.
As part of our commitment to providing high-quality care, we encourage all patients who receive the survey to take part. Your feedback helps us understand what we are doing well and where we can improve, allowing us to ensure that we are consistently meeting your needs and expectations.
The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) is an essential tool designed to capture patients' feedback regarding the quality of the care and services they receive. Launched in 2013, the FFT has become a vital resource for service providers and commissioners, enabling them to gather valuable insights into patient satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.
The main goal of the FFT is to provide NHS services with real-time feedback about the experiences of patients. This feedback helps healthcare providers understand whether their services are meeting patient expectations, and where improvements or changes may be needed. It allows patients to have a voice in shaping their care, making it a patient-centered approach to service improvement.
The FFT is simple, quick, and anonymous, ensuring that patients can share their honest opinions without concern. It allows them to reflect on the care or treatment they have received, giving valuable insights into the patient experience.
The FFT is typically collected after a patient has had an appointment or received treatment at an NHS service. Here's how it works in practice:
Text Message Feedback: After attending an appointment at the surgery, patients receive a text message asking them to provide feedback on their recent experience. The message contains a prompt with a simple question, typically:
"How likely are you to recommend our service to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?"
Patients are invited to rate their experience on a scale (usually from very likely to very unlikely) and have the option to add comments. This text message feedback is fast and convenient, making it easy for patients to participate.
Paper Version: For patients who may not be as comfortable using technology or prefer a physical option, a paper version of the FFT survey is available at reception. Patients can complete this form and drop it into a feedback box, where their responses will be anonymously recorded and analyzed.
Confidentiality and Anonymity: The FFT is completely anonymous. Patients are not asked to provide their personal details or identify themselves when providing feedback. This ensures privacy and allows patients to give candid feedback without concerns about their responses.
Improving Service Quality: By gathering direct feedback from patients, the FFT allows healthcare providers to identify what is working well and where improvements are needed. Whether it's in the clinical care provided, the efficiency of the appointment process, or the friendliness of staff, the feedback can help highlight areas for enhancement.
Patient-Centered Approach: The FFT empowers patients by giving them a voice in shaping the services they receive. Their input can influence decision-making and lead to more tailored and effective care.
Real-Time Feedback: The text message system allows healthcare providers to receive feedback quickly, giving them the ability to respond to any concerns or issues raised in a timely manner. This means any problems can be addressed immediately, improving patient satisfaction and care delivery.
Transparency and Accountability: The FFT feedback is not just for internal purposes—providers can publicly share their results, allowing patients to see how their feedback contributes to ongoing improvements in service quality. This fosters transparency and accountability in the NHS.
The feedback collected through the FFT is analyzed to identify trends and patterns. Providers can look at:
Overall satisfaction levels: How likely are patients to recommend the service to others? This can be an indicator of overall care quality.
Specific areas for improvement: If patients consistently mention concerns or dissatisfaction with particular aspects of care (such as waiting times, communication, or specific treatments), providers can focus on addressing these issues.
Patient Comments: The optional free-text section of the survey allows patients to express specific thoughts or concerns, providing valuable, qualitative insights into their experiences.
Providers use this feedback to make informed decisions about how to improve their services. For example, if many patients mention that they experienced long waiting times, the practice may consider improving scheduling or streamlining processes to reduce delays.
In addition to the core question about recommending the service, the FFT may include other optional questions to gather more detailed feedback, such as:
What was good about the care or service you received?
What could we do to improve your experience?
Were there any particular aspects of care that you found helpful or unhelpful?
These questions allow for a more nuanced understanding of patient satisfaction and can highlight specific strengths or areas for improvement.
For our practice, the FFT is an invaluable tool to understand how our patients feel about the care they receive. It gives us direct insight into:
The quality of care provided during appointments.
The level of patient satisfaction with staff interactions.
Areas where patients may feel there is room for improvement in services or facilities.
By consistently collecting and reviewing this feedback, we are committed to making improvements that enhance the overall patient experience. It helps us make data-driven decisions that align with our goal of providing high-quality, patient-centered care.
The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) is an effective and efficient way for patients to provide feedback on their care and treatment. Whether through text message or a paper version, it ensures that every patient’s opinion is heard, helping healthcare providers understand patient satisfaction and identify areas for service improvement. By participating in the FFT, you play an important role in helping us improve the care we offer and ensuring that we continue to meet your needs.
We Value Your Feedback
At our practice, we are always eager to hear from our patients. Your feedback—whether positive or constructive—helps us understand how you feel about the care and service we provide, and it guides us in continually improving your experience.
How to Share Your Feedback
You can share your thoughts with us in any written form—whether by email, letter, or through our online contact forms. We welcome all comments and take them seriously.
If You Have Concerns
If your feedback highlights an issue or a less-than-satisfactory experience, we kindly ask that you give us the opportunity to address it directly before posting on public forums or social media. Many concerns can be resolved quickly and easily once we’re aware of them, and your input helps us make the necessary improvements to better serve you and others.
If You Have Praise
On the other hand, if you’ve had a positive experience with our surgery or any member of our dedicated clinical team, we would be delighted to hear about it. Your kind words motivate our staff and help others feel confident in choosing our practice.
Thank you for taking the time to help us provide the best possible care. We look forward to hearing from you!
Patient Participation Group (PPG)
Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) is an important part of our practice community. It offers patients the opportunity to actively contribute their views and ideas about the services we provide, helping us to improve the care and support we deliver.
What is a PPG?
A PPG is a group of patients who work collaboratively with the practice team. Members meet regularly to discuss patient concerns, provide feedback, and support the practice in shaping future services. This partnership allows us to better understand the needs and preferences of our patients.
Why Join the PPG?
By joining the PPG, you can:
Share your experiences and suggest improvements.
Help the practice plan new services and initiatives.
Get involved in health promotion and education activities.
Be part of a friendly community committed to enhancing patient care.
How Does the PPG Work?
The group meets periodically—either in person or virtually—to discuss topics such as appointment availability, patient information, and practice facilities. Feedback gathered from the PPG is shared with the wider patient population and used by the practice to make meaningful changes.
Interested in Joining?
We welcome new members who want to make a difference. Whether you have lots of time to commit or can only occasionally participate, your input is valuable. To learn more or to join the group, please contact us.