RESULTS of this year’s GP Patient Survey are in and reveal Bury’s “best and worst” family doctors. Saiqa Chaudhari reports.
The GP Patient Survey 2019, carried out on behalf of NHS England, asked residents for their views on their doctors surgeries across a range of different areas to find out how they feel about their GP practice.
A total of 2,897 people filled in the questionnaire to give a picture of primary care services in Bury.
Overall 85 per cent of patients described their GP practice as good which is higher than the national average of 82.9 per cent.
All 26 surgeries were ranked on a number of measures including appointments, waiting times, getting through on the phone and how doctors treat patients.
Patients were asked to rate their GP by overall experience.
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(Scroll down to see how your surgery did)
Number one was Mile Lane Health Centre in Bury, which was rated good by 98 per cent of those who completed the survey.
Dr Peter Thomas, GP Partner at Mile Lane Health Centre, said he was delighted with the survey results.
He said :”Having introduced a telephone consultation service in the previous 12 months has resulted in patients accessing their usual GP at a time which is convenient to them.
“It provides patients with continuity and trust when discussing their heath needs. This in turn has reflected in our positive survey results.100 per cent of our patients had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to during their last general practice appointment — NHS Choices patient feedback reflects the above rating us 5*.
“As a practice we have seen a decrease in A&E attendances of 25 per cent and a significant reduction of short stay hospital admissions. This further supports the success of the introduction of the telephone consultation service.”
Morag Smith, practice Manager said: “This is amazing news I am pleased the team at Mile Lane Health Centre have been recognised for a job well done
“Staff were elated when they received the news and this makes everything worth while. Our receptionists are the front of the practice and always strive to deliver a good service— 97 per cent of our patients thought they provide a good and friendly service.
“We are a relatively small surgery which allows us to really get to know our patients and we think this has reflected in our excellent results.
“Receptionists act as care navigators ensuring patients are signposted to the most appropriate clinician, whether it is a GP, Practice Nurse, Assistant Practitioner or Phlebotomist. Co-ordinated team work is key.
“We welcome new patients to the practice.”
Bottom of the table is The Elms Medical Centre where 66 per cent of patients described it is a good.
For meeting patients needs, Blackford House Medical Centre and Garden City Medical had the best results with a perfect score of 100 per cent leaving happy.
Carol Armstrong, practice manager and partner at Blackford House Medical Centre said: “We are delighted with the results of the patient survey.
“The whole team strives hard to serve our patients in the local community and maintain high standards of patient care.”
Making an appointment at Greyland Medical Centre was not a problem for 90 per cent of patients who rated the service as good, placing it number on in that category.
But only 37 per cent of patients who filled in the survey could say the same about The Elms Medical Centre.
And for confidence and trust in healthcare professionals, top of the table were Radcliffe Medical Practice, Minden Family Practices — Dr Saxena, Walmersley Road Medical Practice, Mile Lane Health Centre, Garden City Medical Centre, where 100 per cent of patients said they had trust in the person who treated them. Townside Surgery’s out-of-hours system was rated good by 97 per cent of patients.
GP Practices ranked in order of good overall patient experience.
1:Mile Lane Health Centre -98 per cent
2:Blackford House Medical Centre - 95 per cent
3:Walmsley Road Medical Practice - 94 per cent
=Radcliffe Medical - 94 per cent
4: Garden City Medical - 92 per cent
5: Monarch Medical Centre - 90 per cent
=Knowsley Medical Centre -90 per cent
=Greyland Medical Centre - 90 per cent
6: Tower Family Healthcare - 89 per cent
7:Whittaker Lane Med - 88 per cent
=Minden Family Practices - Dr Saxena - 88 per cent
=Fairfax Group Practice - 88 per cent
8:Rock Healthcare Limited - 85 per cent
9:Woodbank Surgery - 84 per cent
=Ribblesdale Medical - 84 per cent
=Peel GPs - 84 per cent
=Huntley Mount Medical - 84 per cent
10: Townside Surgery - 82 per cent
= St Gabriel’s Medical - 82 per cent
= Red Bank Group Practice - 82 per cent
11: Unsworth Medical - 81 per cent
= Longfield Medical - 81 per cent
12: The Uplands Medical -79 per cent
13: The Birches Medical - 75 per cent
14: Ramsbottom Medical - 68 per cent
15: The Elms Medical Centre - 66 per cent
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