LETTER: Things have changed since GP survey

On the face of it, the GP practice survey recently publicised in the Derbyshire Times is grim reading for patients of Royal Primary Care, which runs three surgeries in Chesterfield, Inkersall and Staveley. '¨However, if you delve further into the survey results you will find that 76 per cent of its patients describe their overall experience of the practice as '˜good' - far closer to the national average of 85 per cent and potentially a better measure of patient satisfaction.

Perhaps readers should know that the survey was sent at random to a number of patients from each practice: 215 surveys to top ranking Ashover Medical Centre with 2,214 registered patients, 189 surveys to Royal Primary Care with 21,849 registered patients. Also, that these results are from early July last year — a great deal can change in nine months.

Significant improvements are being made at the Grangewood, Inkersall and Rectory Road surgeries. Some have been completed, others are ‘work in progress’ but all are intended to improve patient satisfaction and the practice’s Patient Participation Group (PPG) is actively involved in that process.  The PPG is also organising an up to date survey of patients’ views later this year, once the improvements have been made, to determine current satisfaction levels. This survey will be open for all Royal Primary Care patients to give their views. In the meantime, RPC patients are invited to join the PPG to have their say, either by attending its bi-monthly meetings or by participating via its ‘virtual PPG’ which conducts its business by email.

David Pipes

Chairman,

Patient Participation Group

Royal Primary Care