Aim of the questionnaire

We felt that it was an important part of the service we provide to collect your views and ideas and to see if they could realistically be implemented within the practice. Your views are important to us and this was a great opportunity to find out your views about how we could adapt the services and provision within your health centre.

There follows a selection of your comments and our response to them:

 ‘prescription phone-in times extended’

We agreed to re-advertise the options for prescription requests. We currently provide a one hour service at 10.30am , and then again at 2.00pm, Monday-Friday. You can also send requests via our practice web-site but please avoid Saturday/Sunday, when the system is temperamental!

You may find it helpful to know that our computer operators report that they are inundated with phone requests at certain times of the day, particularly on Mondays and at the start of the phone-in times, rather than the service being used evenly throughout the designated hours in the morning and afternoon.

‘ghastly telephone music and system’

We are aware that the current push button system is difficult and not as ‘user friendly’ as having ‘ a friendly voice at the end of the line’ Rather than use the push button system, you can contact the service you need by using the direct dial numbers listed below, and we encourage you to use these whenever possible.

‘provide seating in the ladies toilets and lift’

We are happy to provide a chair in both toilets and will source this as soon as possible. The lift is due to undergo major maintenance work and we hope a fold-down chair will be installed during this work.

 ‘complementary therapies such as massage and holistic medicines’

We currently have no resources or space to offer complementary therapies etc within the Health Centre, although a number of services are provided on a private basis in our area.

Appointments outwith Opening Hours’

We are open from 8.30am until 6pm, and we currently have no plans to open longer than this. If you require medical attention during the out-of-hours period, please contact: NHS24 on 08454 24 24 24.

‘Appointment Waiting Times”

Appointments slots are for 10mins per patient. Unfortunately it is not always possible to take a patient exactly on time and there can be a variety of reasons for this, including patients requiring more prolonged consultations, doctors being called away unexpectedly to emergencies and patients arriving late, thereby causing a knock-on effect so that the surgery runs late.

The doctors and nurses always try to take patients at their appointed time, and if you have been waiting for more that 10 minutes please liaise with the reception staff who will keep you updated if a doctor/nurse is running late.

All the doctors have undertaken to review their appointment availability and to discuss the possibility of increasing telephone consultations.

‘Some Positive Comments’

• Taken seriously by thoughtful doctor
• If the people are good everything else is just dressing
• Cloning of staff (not serious)
• Overall I am pleased with all aspects of
the doctors and surgery
• I think we are very lucky to have such
excellent care
• Compared with other practices the
quality of service here is excellent
• Keep up the good work, thank you
• Good central position of practice
• Keep on improving and Stockbridge will lead the nations health stats.
• Excellent web site
• One satisfied patient!
• Good service from the practice with a caring attitude from all staff including receptionists
• Water available in the surgery
• web site – good idea

‘ Some Less Positive Comments’

• It is unfortunate that the doctors are bogged down with sore throats, common colds, leaving less time to analyse more complex cases
• I dislike having to answer this type of questionnaire