More than 9 in every 10 patients recommends JHP

That’s the headline figure from the most recent batch of patient feedback.

The NHS Friends and Family Test is used throughout the health service, and it asks patients how likely they would be to recommend our services to people close to them.

We are pleased to say that in August and September, 92% of patients who took the test would be likely or extremely likely to recommend us to their family and friends.

The graphic below shows how you have scored us so far this year.

The average recommendation rate for 2023 is 93.51%. Dating back to Spring 2020 – the start of the pandemic and just before our switch to askMyGP – our overall score stands at 94.1%

What you said

Alongside giving your score, the NHS Friends and Family Test asks patients why you gave that score and if there is anything we could have done better.

Here are a selection of your quotes:

Why Feedback is Important

We value all feedback we get from patients.

Of course, it is nice for our staff to hear positive responses from patients, especially against the relatively small but increasing number of abusive behaviour the team have experienced recently.

But patient feedback also helps us identify issues that can be improved, anything that can be better communicated, or problems we need to be aware of.

An excellent example is the update we shared in early August, where Friends and Family feedback had picked up several issues around prescription requests. As a result, we have been promoting the NHS App as an excellent way for prescription requests to be received quickly and accurately.

It’s also important we don’t just share the positive experiences, as often other comments allow us to explain a policy or approach or to make changes when needed.

Our ‘Digital First’ Model

A handful of recent comments were about our ‘digital first’ model and access to appointments. These are worth expanding on.

We introduced askMyGP in 2020, partly to deal with the pandemic but also to tackle a longer-standing issue of appointment availability.

The purpose was always to get people to the right person to help them the first time – whether a referral to another service, a prescription, a phone consultation or a face-to-face appointment.

Our Doctors make clinical decisions about each patient’s best course of action. By digitally resolving the issues that didn’t need an in-person appointment, it is quicker and easier for patients who do need to be seen to get an appointment.

This is convenient for patients with issues that can be resolved by message or over the phone and provides quicker access for patients who need to be seen, often on the same day.

Waiting times for appointments have always been one of the biggest complaints from patients about GP services, and askMyGP has allowed us to tackle that significantly better than before.

Also, it’s important to reiterate that our approach is ‘digital first’, not ‘digital only’.

Patients can still phone the practice and receive the same level of care, as the use of technology shouldn’t discriminate against patients. But offering these digital channels to those who can use them makes it easier for those who can’t.

Other ways to leave feedback

As well as the Friends and Family test, there are other ways to share your thoughts about your experiences with us.