Merseyside Area Team
Patient Participation DES Report
Report by: Practice Manager (Mere Lane
Group Practice).
Date Report Produced: 14.03.2014
Patient Participation DES Report Page 1 of 6
MERE LANE GROUP PRACTICE PROFILE
Welcome to Mere Lane Group Practice website and our Patient Participation
Group (PPG) survey report 2013-14. If you are a new patient or just browsing
please feel free to take a closer look to discover more about our practice.
CLINICIANS:
Dr. J Godfrey (Senior GP Partner)
Dr. M Dar (Senior GP Partner)
Dr. T Elkin (GP Partner)
Dr. S Khan (GP Partner)
Dr. J Hughes (GP)
Dr. N Bunni (GP)
Edith Semaha (Practice Nurse)
Nicky Johnson (Practice Nurse)
PRACTICE MANAGERS:
Mrs C Godfrey (Finance)
Miss K Foley (Service)
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF:
1 x Business and Administrative Support Officer
1 x Medical Secretary
9 x Receptionists
OTHER AVAILABLE STAFF:
1 x Health Trainer
1 x Community Midwife
SURGERY OPENING HOURS, ACCESS AND CONTACT DETAILS:
We are open between 8am-6.30pm Monday - Friday
Phone: 0151 295 9620
Fax: 0151 295 9621
You can contact an out of hours GP when surgery is closed (between
6.30pm-8am and on Saturdays and Sundays) by telephoning our normal
surgery contact number (0151 295 9620). You will automatically be
transferred to our out of hours service.
Home Visits: Please call the surgery, if possible before 10.30am, unless the
condition has arisen or significantly worsened during the day.
IN A SERIOUS EMERGENCY DIAL 999 FOR AN AMBULANCE
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Step 1: Develop a structure that gains the views of patients and enables
the practice to obtain feedback from the practice population, e.g. a PRG
Do you have an active patient reference group?
Yes
What is the make up of the Practice Population?
Approximately 6000 patients, mainly White British with increasing population
of Sri Lankan and Polish patients.
See report below for male / female and age breakdown.
How did you ask patients to join the patient reference group?
Poster displayed on notice board in patient waiting area, information included
in quarterly newsletter, information available on NHS choices website,
information in practice leaflet, information on right hand side of repeat
prescriptions and opportunistic invite letters sent out to patients who have
expressed interest in PPG.
Did you ask for any support to ensure that your group was
representative of the practice population? If so how did you do this?
No support requested. In-house report shows make up of practice population
(see above) and all patients are welcome to join PPG.
How does the practice gain the views of those patients who expressed
an interest in joining?
Phone call with a follow up invite letter sent to all patients who expressed
interest in joining PPG. Invite letter includes date and venue of next PPG
meeting.
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Step 2: Agree areas of priority with the PRG
What are the key priorities for the PRG?
Key priorities for PRG are to;
- Improve telephone access for patients.
- Reduce DNA rate for GP appointments.
- Ensure effective communication between patients and Mere Lane Group
Practice.
- Local Phlebotomy service to be available within both neighbourhood health
centres in Anfield.
Any planned practice changes?
- Telephone system to be upgraded by Informatics Merseyside to enable callcentre technology (e.g. a message to inform patients that calls are in a queue
and to hold line instead of continuous engaged tone).
- Phlebotomy service split between Mere Lane neighbourhood health centre
and nearby health centre (Townsend Lane) as per request from
neighbourhood PRP.
What were the themes from complaints?
Main themes from complaints (taken from annual complaints review meeting);
- Three complaints regarding appointment system (length of wait for routine
appointment, availability of emergency appointment and wrong appointment
information given by receptionist).
- Three complaints regarding attitude of clinician.
Step 3: Collate patient views through the use of survey
When was your survey undertaken?
January 2013 – October 2013.
What survey did you use?
In-house devised survey using guidance from GP patient survey.
How did you consult with your patients e.g. electronic or hard copies of
surveys?
Both electronic and hard copies of survey available for patients (electronic link
via NHS choices website and hard copies available for patients on reception
desk).
How many patients did you consult?
We have had 24 patients complete patient survey so far.
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How did the questions relate to the priorities of the patients outlined in
Step 2?
Patient survey for 2013 relates to priorities outlined in step 2;
Patients were asked about satisfaction of knowledge and service of GP’s /
Practice Nurses / Practice Manager and Receptionists at Mere Lane Group
Practice. Patients were also asked about their feelings towards availability of
appointments and length of time they waited for an appointment after booking.
Patients were also asked to rate satisfaction of current phone system.
Please attach a copy of your practice survey results
Mere Lane Group
Practice Patient Survey Results.doc
Step 4: Provide PRG with opportunity to discuss survey findings and
reach agreement with the PRG on changes to services
Did the practice hold a 1 off meeting to discuss the results?
Yes – Neighbourhood PRG in December 2013 however zero attendees from
Mere Lane PRG and therefore patient survey results sent to PRG members
via post with covering letter asking patients for feedback.
If so what was the make up on the representatives who attended?
NA – see above.
If no explain how you allowed patients to respond to the survey
findings?
Copy of survey results sent out to PRG members with invite to contact
Practice Manager to respond. Survey results published on NHS choices
website and hard copy of patient survey results available on reception desk
from October 2013 – present date.
Step 5: Agree action plan with the PRG and seek PRG agreement to
implementing changes
Area Identified
for Improvement
/ Change
Lead
Responsible for
Implementation
Timescales for
Implementatio
n-n
Sharing of
phlebotomy
service
between two
neighbourhood
sites (Mere
Practice
Six months
Manager from
Townsend Lane
Medical Centre
with support
from Anfield
Implementa
tion
Completed
If contractual
change
please
discuss with
NHS England
and note NHS
England
response
November
2013.
NA
Patient Participation DES Report Page 5 of 6
Lane and
Townsend
Lane Health
Centre).
Improved
telephone
access
Reduction of
DNA’s for GP
appointments
Neighbourhood
Manager.
Practice
Manager
12 months
(Dec 2014).
On going
Practice
Manager (Mere
Lane Group
Practice).
12 months
(Dec 2014).
On going
Step 6: Publicise actions taken and subsequent achievement
Please provide link to Practice website so that NHS England can see results,
please note NHS Choices does not count as a Practice specific website.
Practices must publish a Local Patient Reference Group Report on their
website.

PRG report available on www.liverpooldoctors.co.uk
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