Friends & Family Test Results- June 2024

Posted by: justin.nicholas - Posted on:

The NHS Friends and Family Test (FFT) was created to help understand whether patients are happy with the service provided, or where improvements are needed.

Willow Practice appreciate any feedback and so have begun sending links to any patient who has completed a consultation with a clinician within the previous week to allow them to submit their thoughts. These are sent via email to patients who have a verified email address or via text message if they do not. As any responses are anonymous, we thought it was an idea to update patients here.

Please see recent overall scores and select examples of patient responses from ‘Very Good’ to ‘Very Poor’ with responses from the practice where appropriate and able.

Recent Scores Overall (June 2024):

  • Positive (Very Good or Good) 91%
  • Neutral: 3%
  • Negative (Poor or Very Poor): 6%
  • Based upon 144 responses received

Positive Responses (a selection)

  • “Best GP, best doctors , best nurses, best receptionists. Thank you NHS”
  • “The receptionists are always helpful. I was able to book a face to face appointment. Had to wait a couple of weeks but it wasn’t an urgent matter so that was fine for me.”
  • “Good communication using text messages to remind me about appointments and useful links to share my B/P readings from home. All doctors my husband and I see from time to time have been more than helpful and receptionists always accommodating”
  • “The contact form in S1 was extremely user friendly and provided me with sufficient space to convey why I was contacting the practice. Getting a swift response was a trifle unexpected given everything that has been in the news regarding GP appointments but, of course, very much welcomed. The reply was easy to read and follow, actions were agreed and a contingency has been put in place for a follow up, if needed.”
  • “Reception staff are very helpful . GPs and health care staff are very friendly and knowledgeable”
  • “Has been my doctors surgery for 41 years. I tell my friends how lucky we are that in all these years our doctors have always been there looking after our health and welfare which sadly is not so for some of my friends living elsewhere. You are appreciated and valued. Thank you for being there whenever we need your help.”
  • “Excellent personal and proactive care by my physician. Good reception experience. Effective system for ordering or re-ordering online prescriptions.”
  • “The doctor my aunt saw was very pleasant and professional and addressed the issue very thoroughly. Many thanks for that”
  • “I was helped immediately by customer service and received prompt support from Dr. Mandy. Way to go ‘Willow Practice'”
  • “Because we are very happy with the treatment we receive from all the doctors, nurses etc and so far we don’t have to wait very long for an appointment. Keep it up!”
  • “More than happy with willow practice very caring thankyou”
  • “The doctor dealt with my problem very quickly with text messages. The overall outcome was very efficient by the practice.”
  • “Excellent service”
  • “Always seen quickly and given good advise and help”
  • “Because they personalise it and try and look after your needs, which was great”
  • “appointment easy to make. GP called at appt time, very helpful”
  • “I was seen promptly. My consultation with the physiotherapist Tom was thorough and sympathetic. A follow up X-ray has been arranged promptly. Total satisfaction! Couldn’t be better.”
  • “I was seen on time. During the appointment I did not feel rushed. The Doctor explained my results clearly. Very happy with the appointment”
  • “This practice has always been very good. We have been with them for over 40 years. Ok occasionally there’s a bleep but nothing to worry about.”
  • “I was treated with kindness and professional”
  • “Given an emergency appointment with no fuss.”
  • “An Excellent Doctor very professional knows his job perfectly. Thanks doctor for your help.”
  • “Dr Wong was brilliant, as were the practice staff. I’m very grateful to have the practice there, it has never let me down regarding either physical or mental health worries. Thank you”
  • “My doctor (Dr Baum) is fantastic and I appreciate her and the medical advice she provides me.”
  • “Any problems I have always get resolved in a speedy manner”
  • “The appointment was on time and very good and professional”
  • “I needed a face to face appointment but had made a mistake with my appointment date. Although it was my error the receptionist kindly got me an appointment.”
  • “Always have very good and professional service”
  • “I had an appointment with a new doctor at the practice, Dr Wong. He was punctual to the minute, attentive, listened well and seemed concerned about my queries.
    It was a very positive session and he is following up on my case.”
  • “I received excellent service from the nurse I met.”
  • “Everytime I have any issues for myself or family the response is extremely good. “
  • “I’m very proud of my GP practice . Thank you very much”
  • “Lovely receptionists nurses & doctors”
  • “Team at willow practice understand the patients concern and do their best to support patient”
  • “I am very lucky to be a patient of willow practice”
  • “Always able to contact easily. Get an appointment within a reasonable time frame.”
  • “Dr Wong was excellent with my Dad, who is elderly and has dementia. He respected him and took his time with him. Very patient and personable. And the treatment he recommended solved the problem.”
  • “Always managed to get an appointment and was very quick at registering us when we moved to the area with a newborn.”
  • “Always get an answer on phone and appointments time wait not too bad”
  • As ever, thank you to all of the patients who supplied such positive responses! It really does help the team, as a whole to continue to strive to provide the very best service to our patients.

Neutral Responses (a selection)

  • “When you call surgery up it not good to be grilled by receptionist as to what condition you are in & if you need to see the doctor and when you finally get appointment you are kept waiting over half an hour when no one been called in to see doctor this is unacceptable.“

    Willow Response: Sorry to read your concerns regarding your experience. Regarding our Reception team asking questions as to why patients might require an appointment, the NHS now provides direct access to certain specialist clinicians who may be better placed to be able to help, rather than a GP. For example, why wait for a GP appointment to be then referred to a physiotherapist, when you can be booked directly in with said physio? Also, by advising the Receptionist as to the reason for your request for assistance, they and the GP are able to triage i.e. prioritise calling or seeing a patient who might be experiencing ‘red flag’ symptoms. Please be reassured that all staff, including Receptionists are under the same confidentiality agreement as clinicians and receive training for such.
  • In regards to your comment in relation to clinics running late, we as patients ourselves are aware of the inconvenience which such delays cause and all clinicians do try to run to rota’d time, However, if a patient presents with more complex symptoms or requests, the GP has a duty of care to ensure they receive the correct care which can take longer than anticipated. Also you may not see a doctor calling any patients into the consultation team as they may need to request further, urgent advice from specialist teams in local hospitals which can mean holding on the phone for some time.

Negative Responses (a selection)

  • “I find with the number of new doctors, it’s hard to build a rapport with them, constantly changing.“

    Willow Response: We are aware that there have been some staff changes in relation to GP cover in recent months and apologise that this concerns patients. In a short time a GP Partner left the area and another has gone on to Maternity Leave. We are also a training practice which incurs an inherent amount of GP changes also. We do have a recent history of retaining Registrars when they complete their training, indeed one such is now a GP Partner. GP numbers within the NHS have not risen with demand (they have actually fallen), which can lead to some requirement to engage locum doctors also to provide cover. Whilst a GP Partner is on Maternity Leave, we have managed to secure more salaried GP cover which is allowing more continuity for patients and the practice as a whole.
  • “Reception do not acknowledge you waiting to check in. They tend to ignore you and chat amongst themselves.
    Also, takes forever to get an appointment. Have waited over an hour on the phone to speak to reception.”
  • Willow Response: Thank you for highlighting this to us. The team has been reminded that for the Receptionist on the front desk, any patients who attend in person are the priority. They are still obligated to assist with assist with calls, however. We also have a self check in screen form patients’ convenience. Although there are busier times on the phone lines, our average wait time for patients calling into the practice in June 2024 was 2 minutes & 3 seconds.