News
Portable Hearing Loop (26/05/09)
Park Green recently purchased a portable hearing loop. If you require this facility please speak to the receptionists.
Customer Service Excellence (24/07/09)
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE
We are delighted to announce that Park Green Surgery has been awarded the Customer Service Excellence Standard. The Government wants public services that are efficient, effective, excellent and equitable with the citizen always and everywhere at the centre of public service provision. With this in mind Customer Service Excellence was developed as a practical tool for driving customer-focused change within an organisation.
The practice was assessed in June 2009 against 5 criteria; Customer insight, The Culture of the Organisation, Information and Access, Delivery and the Timeliness and Quality of Service. These are detailed below:
CRITERION 1 – Customer Insight This criterion focuses on the importance of developing an in-depth understanding of our customers. This includes consulting customers and using the information we receive to design and provide services. It also covers the importance of monitoring the outcomes of our services and whether customers are satisfied with them.
CRITERION 2 – The Culture of the Organisation The transition to a customer focused culture can be challenging but at its core is a business model based on a detailed understanding of customers. In building a customer-focused culture, we look at how our staff demonstrate the necessary values and understanding and how the operations and procedures meet customer needs and expectations.
CRITERION 3 – Information and Access We know that information is vital to customers. They value accurate and comprehensive information, and this criterion aims to make sure that we have this in mind in everything we do. As a result, we focus on making sure that we consider this as part of an effective communication plan for consulting and involving customers, rather than seeing communications as a one-off exercise. We realise also how frustrating it is if patients are not kept informed about what is happening.
CRITERION 4 - Delivery A vital part of any organisation is how successfully it achieves its main business aims. This is also very important to the customers of those organisations. As a result this criterion relates to how we carry out our main business, the outcomes for the customer, and how problems are managed.
CRITERION 5 – Timeliness and Quality of Service This criterion looks in more details at the standards we have relating to how we carry out our main business. It draws heavily on what public service users have identified as the most important factors in excellent customer service.
There are only two practices in the whole of the UK who have attained this award and we are very pleased that we have met the criteria in the majority of areas. We fully intend to build upon this by looking closely at the recommendations and suggestions for continuous improvement that the assessment has highlighted. If you would be interested in helping with this process please contact the Practice Manager – Isobel Chetwood on 01625 429555.
For further information about the Standard visit the website:
Cutomer care policy (24/07/09)
PARK GREEN SURGERY CUSTOMER CARE POLICY
Park Green Surgery is dedicated to continuously improving the provision of high quality healthcare services within Waters Green Medical Centre, Macclesfield, Cheshire. We view everyone who comes into contact with the Surgery as our “customers”; patients, carers, relatives, pharmacy, PCT, ECNHST staff and visitors. We also value our relationship with our internal customers; Park Green Surgery and Waters Green Medical Centre colleagues and team members.
We strongly encourage our customers to make their views known about any aspect of the service we provide. Their comments help to shape the way we adapt and improve everything that we do.
The aims of our Customer Care Policy are to:-
1. Promote a corporate identity for the Practice which gives a clear message about who are and what we do.
2. Provide easily accessible 24 hour contact with the Practice and Out of Hours Service.
3. Deal with all contact from customers in a fair, prompt and courteous manner.
4. Train all Park Green Surgery staff in customer care.
5. Ensure adequate engagement takes place with all our customers prior to any new service developments or changes to existing arrangements.
6. Actively collect feedback from customers on the performance of the practice to be analysed and monitored for the purpose of performance management.
We will endeavour to treat all our customers in a fair and equitable way. We will promote the availability of published materials in a range of formats, e.g. large print, Website etc. We will endeavour to include people from ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people of all age groups and those living in disadvantaged communities, in any public involvement activities.
AIM 1
Promote a corporate identity for the practice to give a clear message about who we are and what we do
· Nursing and front line staff at Park Green Surgery will be provided with a uniform showing the WGMC logo. All staff are required to have photographic swipe cards.
· The Park Green Surgery logo will be displayed on all letterheads, newsletters, Website and information leaflets, together with clear and full contact details.
· Staff will identify themselves as “Park Green Surgery” when answering the telephone.
Park Green Surgery will engage with local communities to explain our services and increase public awareness through local media channels and public health promotion activities. We will produce and widely distribute a range of literature to inform all stakeholders about the practice’s activities.
AIM 2
Provide easily accessible 24 hour contact with the Practice and Out of Hours Service
· Provide a single contact phone number for Park Green Surgery and direct dial numbers as appropriate for service users.
· Ensure clear contact details are available for out of hours call redirection.
· The contact phone number will be displayed on all literature, newsletters and the Web Site.
· Out of Hours contact details are well advertised at weekends and Bank Holidays.
Park Green Surgery will ensure that all its customers are able to access its services promptly and safely on an ongoing and acute basis. We will ensure that our Practice Leaflet and Website are regularly updated and that the information contained therein is accurate. We acknowledge that patients need to be able to access emergency services promptly when the surgery is closed.
AIM 3
Deal with all contacts from customers in a fair, prompt and courteous manner
· Customer’s comments, queries, suggestions, compliments and complaints will be accepted in a written format, by telephone, face to face or via the Website.
· Staff will make every effort to respond promptly to telephone calls and face to face contacts at Reception and in surgery consultations. A full explanation will be given in the event of any undue delays.
· Staff will behave in a polite and helpful manner at all times. No behaviour which causes offence will be tolerated. Equally, all staff have the right to expect similar behaviour in return.
· Surgery appointments to be available within 48 hours and every effort made to ensure patients are seen promptly on arrival.
· Formal complaints will be dealt with in accordance with the NHS procedure and specified timescales.
· All written correspondence will be in plain English and a contact point for further correspondence will be provided.
Confidentiality is central to the work of everyone working in healthcare. All our patients can expect that their personal information will not be disclosed without their permission and that they will be treated with respect and dignity at all times.
AIM 4
Train all Staff in Customer Care
· All Park Green Surgery staff will be trained in customer care and will understand their roles and responsibilities within the organisation structure as well as having knowledge of the services and standards required.
Park Green Surgery has been accredited as an Investor in People for 8 years and as such demonstrates a learning culture which supports the continuing professional development of its people. It follows therefore that this provides a framework for excellent customer service.
AIM 5
Ensure adequate engagement takes place with all our customers prior to any new service developments or changes to existing arrangements
· Park Green Surgery will actively engage with its customers through Patient Liaison Groups, Friends of Waters Green and the Waters Green Medical Centre Patient Participation Group.
· Suggestions are welcomed via the Suggestion Box and Website Link. Contact details for queries or comments will also be included.
· Statutory consultation, with all relevant stakeholders, will be completed whenever necessary e.g. in the event of major service redesign.
· If necessary, press releases will be issued via the Communications Officer to inform customers of any significant disruption in services.
The constantly changing demands of the NHS require us to achieve higher targets and deliver excellent service. We are committed to understanding our customers’ needs and to meeting those needs with all the resources at our disposal.
AIM 6
Actively collect feedback from customers on the performance of the practice to be analysed and monitored for the purpose of performance management
· The Practice will regularly monitor its performance through surveys and questionnaires. The responses will be analysed and an action plan drawn up which builds on good practice and establishes patterns of continual improvement and development.
· The Practice will conduct ongoing audit and monitoring of service satisfaction, i.e. access to appointments, DNAs and use this information to improve or develop services.
· Quarterly Patient Satisfaction MORI polls will be conducted which form the basis of payments to the Practice and engender continual service improvements.
· Staff suggestions are actively encouraged to support employee engagement and consultation in all processes.
We recognise that the views and opinions of our customers provide a valuable insight into the quality of the service we deliver. We are committed to improving and developing new services based upon the feedback we receive from our service users.
Park Green Surgery cares about the service we provide for all our customers and our staff make every effort to maintain as high a standard as possible. Low customer expectation is not an excuse for poor service.
Extended Hours (17/10/08)
We now offer extended hours, which enable patients with full time jobs to attend appointments at a more convenient time, please contact our receptionists for more details.
New information on Swine Flu (15/02/10)
SWINE FLU
INFORMATION
0800 1 513 513
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATIONAL PANDEMIC FLU SERVICE
The National Pandemic Flu Service was launched was launched in England, in July last year, to provide assessment and treatment for people suffering from swine flu.
With the number of swine flu cases now falling, the service will stop offering assessments at 1am on 11th February 2010.
If after this time, you think you have swine flu symptoms, you should stay at home and contact your GP who will be able to assess you and authorise antivirals if you need them. Your GP will also be able to advise you if you are eligible for the swine flu vaccination.
The symptoms of swine flu are a fever or high temperature (over 38°C/100.4°F) and two of the following symptoms: unusual tiredness, headache, runny nose, sore throat, shortness of breath or cough, loss of appetite, aching muscles, diarrhoea or vomiting.
For up to date information visit www,direct.gov.uk/swineflu or call the swine flu information line on 0800 1 513 513.
APPOINTMENTS (13/12/11)
YOU CAN NOW BOOK APPOINTMENTS 4 WEEKS IN ADVANCE
