Sangam Surgery

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We carried out an announced assessment of one quality statement, equity of access, under the key question Responsive and found: Patients’ positive response to the 2023 national GP survey regarding access to the surgery were mostly in line or above the national average. The provider had responded to patient feedback. The surgery identified and allocated resources as required to improve inequalities and support equity of access. The leaders understood the challenges and monitored patient access and responded to patient needs. No breaches of regulation were identified.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Person-centred Care during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Care provision, Integration and continuity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Providing Information during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Listening to and involving people during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

Staff told us how the surgery provided opportunities and support for different groups of the patient population to overcome health inequalities, including adjustments to the registration and how patients could communicate with the surgery. The leaders explained about the ways the surgery was working with other local stakeholders to improve access to primary care. The leaders explained they regularly monitored patients’ feedback, access to appointments and the telephone usage, and had responded to demands. In September 2023 they had carried out their own survey and implemented an action plan. This had resulted in increasing the GP sessions and from July 2023 the surgery had employed a duty doctor to increase face to face appointments and a practice nurse to offer evening sessions. In addition, they had commenced a phlebotomy service, spirometry, and minor surgery The leaders explained access to primary care network (PCN) appointments had also improved patients’ access to specific clinicians; for example a clinical pharmacist, a first contact physiotherapist, and a social prescriber. Patients who had a request for an emergency appointment were seen the same day.

The surgery actively encouraged patients to submit medical or administration requests online via the surgery website, where they were unable to do so patients could also telephone the Surgery or walk in. Patient appointments were available either online, face to face, by telephone, or as a home visit. The surgery provided a five-day sample of appointments, which demonstrated 71% of appointments had been face to face appointments. Patients could book routine appointments in advance and same-day appointments were available each morning. At the time of the assessment the next available routine appointment was for the next day. The surgery used a triage system where reception staff would ask the patient for enough information to decide regarding which clinician was appropriate for the patient to see. The reception staff were supported by the duty doctor. Staff had commenced completing care navigation and Learning Disability and Autism (Oliver McGowen) training. The surgery was open from 8am to 6:30pm weekdays. GP and nurse appointments were available from 8am to 6:30pm weekdays. The surgery also offered appointments from a variety of clinical staff: for example, physiotherapist, clinical pharmacist, phlebotomist, social prescriber, diabetic specialist nurse , a physician and nurse associate. Patients had access to services provided by the GP federation. For example, a GP enhanced service where patients had access to doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other healthcare professional based on the nature of the issue. Patients could book appointment via the GP or telephone lines were open 7 days a week from 10am to 8pm 365 days a year. The surgery had a cloud-based telephone system that enabled them to monitor telephone calls and waiting times. The surgery submitted data which demonstrated the average call waiting time was 3 minutes and 45 seconds. In addition, the leaders monitored patient demand and capacity regarding the appointment system to ensure patients’ needs were met.

survey which is taken annually between 1 January and 31 March. This showed the results were mostly in line with the national average for positive feedback, when asked how easy it was to get through to someone at their GP practice on the phone, how satisfied they were with their GP practice appointment times, and their overall experience of making an appointment since 2021. However, the percentage of respondents to the GP patient survey who were satisfied with the appointment (or appointments) they were offered had remained below the national average from 2022. The provider submitted the surgeries friends and family patient feedback from 1 April 2023 to February 2024. This asked patients how likely they were to recommend the surgery, out of 745, 645 patients stated they would be extremely likely or likely to recommend the surgery and 76 stated they were unlikely or extremely unlikely to recommend the surgery. In response to the 2023 GP survey, staff had carried out their own patient survey about access to the surgery in July 2023, 50 patients responded to the survey. The patients were asked about telephone access to the surgery: 44 stated it was good or excellent and 6 stated it was fair. They were also asked their experience of making an appointment: 42 stated it was good or excellent and others had stated it was fair. The surgery had reviewed and responded to patient feedback and had taken action to improve. Feedback from staff demonstrated people in vulnerable circumstances were able to register with the surgery, including those with no fixed abode such as homeless people and Travellers. Patients had access to an interpretation service for patients for whom English language was not their first language and for patients whose hearing was impaired. The surgery website enabled patients to choose their preferred language.

We did not look at Equity in experiences and outcomes during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Planning for the future during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.