Agenda item
GP Access Survey Results
Results of the GP access survey for 2008/09 will be presented to the committee to give members an indication of how satisfied members of the public are with GP access in the borough. GP access is an issue that has been of concern to the Health Select Committee in the past and so members are likely to be interested in these results and how NHS Brent and GPs are responding to improve patient satisfaction.
Minutes:
Mark Easton (Chief Executive NHS Brent) introduced a report which set out the results of the GP Access Survey for 2008-2009. He informed the committee that patient satisfaction with GP access in Brent had decreased compared to the 2007-2008 results. He explained that this decrease in performance was in line with both national and London averages. He informed the committee that there had been a significant decrease in Brent’s response rate, but that this decrease was also in line with the national and London averages.
Mark Easton informed the committee that, as a result of NHS Brent’s overall performance in the survey, an Access Improvement Transformation Programme would be undertaken. He added that the programme would be carried out internally and that a senior GP had been appointed to lead on the programme. He explained that the programme would use a best practice/shared learning methodology. He informed the committee that there were 27 practices in Brent which had scored below the Brent average and that the programme would begin with these practices, starting with the 10 lowest performing surgeries. He noted that the programme would run until the end of March 2010.
In the discussion which followed, it was asked why performance had declined in some areas. It was also asked whether premium based numbers were a national or a local problem. In response to the first enquiry, Mark Easton explained that he did not want to speculate on the reasons why public satisfaction had declined. With regards to the premium based numbers enquiry, Mark Easton explained that it was a national problem. Following an enquiry about the worst performing surgeries, Mark Easton explained that there was a significant amount of variation between surgeries. He stated that a full analysis, which showed those surgeries that performed the worst, was publically available on the internet. A concern was raised by a member of the committee that the results suggested that there were some GPs who did not care about their patients.
Mark Easton noted that there were a number of GPs who would question the methodology used for the survey as there was such a low response rate. Dr Helen Clark (Chair of Brent Local Medical Committee) explained that she was concerned by the significantly low response rate of the survey and the effect that this could have on the results of the survey. She added that she welcomed the fact that the improvement programme was to be run internally rather than by external consultants and she emphasised that steps were already being taken to improve access for patients. Mark Easton commented that the areas which scored the best tended to be those areas which had the most participants in the survey. It was noted by the committee that it was unfortunate that the results did not reflect the success of the extended hours initiative which had helped improve access for patients.
It was asked whether the survey could also capture qualitative as well as quantitative feedback. In response, Mark Easton explained that the analysis of qualitative information would be difficult for a large sample number and that there would be a risk that the bigger picture would get lost. He also informed the committee that this survey would be taking place more regularly, on a quarterly basis from now on.
The committee agreed to look at this issue on an ongoing basis and to monitor the progress of the improvement programme.
RESOLVED:-
that the results of the GP access survey and information on the implementation of the Access Improvement Transformation Programme be noted.
Supporting documents: