Wales GP Access Survey 2011 - the CHC member experience

As they had done in 2010, CHCs across Wales once again provided Quality Assurance to the 2011 GP access survey which was undertaken by IPSOS MORI on behalf of the Welsh Government. This time, all CHCs in Wales participated as the survey took place during a far more settled time period for CHCs than 2010. The Welsh Government found the narrative aspect of CHC invovlement particularly beneficial and were keen to maintain involvement of the statutory represenatives of patients in NHS Wales.

Summary of WAG Findings 2011

The Welsh Government published the findings in June 2011, and are available on the following link:
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/health2011/110616/;jsessionid=VtpnN6NJGwcBJhntQKJXR2WTm47WslQJSJ6QQmHvHBLpXLZG1ppy!1917460886?lang=en

• Just over 99,000 completed questionnaires were received from 483 GP surgeries across Wales.
• Overall, 93 per cent of patients reported that they had tried to see or speak to a GP or healthcare professional on the same day or the next day the GP surgery or health centre was open. Of those who had tried to see or speak to a GP or healthcare professional fairly quickly, a large majority (84 per cent) reported that they were able to do so.
• A total of 90 per cent of patients said that they had tried to book ahead (more than two full days in advance) for an appointment with a GP or healthcare professional. Of these, 74 per cent said they were able to book in advance the last time they tried to do so.
• In total, 80 per cent of patients reported that they found it either ‘very easy’ or ‘fairly easy’ to get through to their doctor’s surgery on the phone.
• Overall, 92 per cent of patients reported that they were either ‘very satisfied’ or ‘fairly satisfied’ with the care they had received at their surgery, including 66 per cent who were very satisfied. Three per cent of patients expressed dissatisfaction.

• 209 individual GP Surgeries were visited across Wales.  This was an increase of 18 on the 2009/10 figure and represented 43.2% of GP practices in Wales.
• 62% (130) visits were made to large practices with over 3000 registered patients and 34% (72) visits to smaller practices with less than 3000 registered patients. (Total of 202 – seven responses failed to record an answer that identified size of practice).
• 91% of practices visited (193) considered the instructions received from the Welsh Assembly Government regarding the distribution of the survey were clear.  This is an increase from a 78% response for the previous year.
• 89% of practices visited (188) received information & forms in time for the survey.  This is a 4% improvement from the previous year.
• 76% of responses from patients spoken to by CHC members (160) understood why they were being asked to complete the survey.  This is a 2% reduction on 2010.
• 72% of responses from patients spoken to by CHC members (152) considered the IPSOS Mori questionnaire easy to complete.  This is a reduction of 4% on 2010
• 78% of patients spoken to (164) said they were happy to complete the survey.  A reduction of 3% on 2010.

The full report is available below.