On 27 June 2021 a Members Opinion Survey was issued to all 379 Members of the Pinn Medical Centre Patients’ Association (PMCPA) – 277 by email and 102 by post. There were 62 returns, in 18 of which the respondent remained anonymous.
The questions set out in the survey were:
Why do you think it is important to have a Patients’ Association?
Can you describe what sort of things an effective Patients’ Association would do?
What do we do that is good?
What sort of things could we do?
Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
The following notes summarise the response to each question. For a full set of the responses (with Members’ names removed) please email our Vice Chair on george@pinnpatients.org.
Why do you think it is important to have a Patients’ Association?
Many respondents referred to the need for a two-way link between patients and the Pinn Medical Centre (PMC). The predominant view was that it is important that the Association should provide the patients’ voice. This should include feedback to the PMC of patients’ views/opinions on the service being provided and concerns about any problems
encountered.
Individual responses also included:
- To provide information, especially to the elderly and vulnerable, about the services being provided, thus acting as a liaison between the PMC and patients;
- To provide a “friendly challenge” to the PMC;
- To sort out grievances.
Can you describe what sort of things an effective Patients’ Association would do?
The responses to this question built on the points raised above, focussing particularly on the need to report back to the PMC on problems that are arising. Some suggested public meetings with, or surveys of patients and regular feedback meetings with the PMC. Another common theme was to support the lonely, elderly, carers and other groups.
Individual responses also included:
- Encouraging more patients to join the Association;
- Helping patients in need by organising volunteers;
- Supporting the practice against any diminution of services;
- Organising workshops for patients;
- Having a more significant social media presence and re-introducing the Pinn Piper electronically.
What do we do that is good?
The most common response to this question was to refer to the transport service for patients – for GP appointments, shopping, medication etc. The carers support group also featured in the replies, as did the publication of the Pinn Piper to provide information to patients. The organisation of volunteers for the vaccination centre was referred to, and the campaign to save the walk in centre.
What sort of things could we do?
Many of the responses related to the need to improve or rectify some of the services being provided by the PMC – eg the appointment system and telephone and email access – and these are being passed to the PMC. There were also a number of specific suggestions for the PMCPA which included:
- Organising volunteer support to include home visiting to allow carers to go out;
- Setting up a befriending club;
- More support groups;
- An exercise group;
- Computer technical support;
- Organising open days;
Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
Although some of the responses repeated criticisms of some aspects of the PMC service,
many expressed their appreciation of the PMC, noting that “we have been wonderfully
served by the practice and consider ourselves very lucky.”
George Bardwell
Vice Chair PMCPA
30 July 2021