Loughton Health Centre

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

When we inspected in 2019, we rated the practice as requires improvement for providing responsive services because National GP Patient Survey results were lower than local and national averages and some patients told us that there was difficulty in making appointments or accessing the practice via the telephone. On 6 March 2024 we carried out an announced assessment of the equity of access part of the responsive key question. We noted that patient satisfaction (as measured by the 2023 National GP Patient Survey) was mixed but generally below average, particularly for getting through to the practice by phone. Some patients told us of difficulties with this and with appointment access. The practice had used feedback and other information to try to optimise patient access. Since the last inspection, the practice had made some significant changes to how patients could contact the practice, which had improved the service and gave the practice much better data about what patients needed. These improvements were made after the last National GP Patient Survey results and were not yet consistently reflected in feedback about the patient experience. The practice continued to monitor and make improvements.

This service scored 54 (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.

In the 2023 National GP Patient Survey, the practice’s data for access was mixed but generally below average. 22.4% responded positively about how easy it was to get through to the practice by phone (England 49.6%). 30.5% responded positively about the overall experience of making an appointment (SICBL 42.5%, England 54.4%). 34.8% very satisfied or fairly satisfied with their GP practice appointment times (SICBL 42.3%, England 52.8%). Patient feedback gathered by the practice was more positive, including feedback gathered after some recent improvements, but this cannot be compared directly to the National GP Patient Survey. For example, 85 patients completed the Friends and Family Test in December 2023. 81% said that their experience was good or very good, and 13 patients mentioned the online request form positively. When asked what needed to improve, 7 patients suggested that appointment access and 1 patient said phone waiting times. We had feedback from 3 patients in 2023 who made negative comments about access. We received recent feedback from 3 patients who made positive comments about the service..

Leaders and staff demonstrated they were aware of the challenges to patient access and had acted to improve it. The practice created an action plan in response to the annual National GP Patient Survey results and made other changes based on feedback they collected. We heard about changes made including: the introduction of a ‘total triage’ system to manage appointment requests and improved signposting to other local services when appropriate. We were told how these changes were assessed to make sure patients were not disadvantaged and how the impact of the changes was being monitored. We heard how the practice provided opportunities and support for different groups of patient population to overcome health inequalities, including adjustments to the registration and to how patients could communicate with the practice. The practice had received repeat funding for successful projects to identify patients whose health needs were not being met and improve their care. We heard about ways that the practice was working with other local stakeholders to improve access to primary care.

Patients could book appointments by telephone, online, and in person by visiting the practice. Patients were asked to give some brief details about their concern, to allow their request to be triaged. Patients could ask for administrative requests to be completed by filling in a form on the practice website. The practice was open 8am – 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Appointments were available face to face, by telephone, or as a home visit (carried out by a dedicated service). Same day appointments were available and patients could also book routine appointments at the practice in advance. Pre-booked appointments were also available on weekday evenings and at the weekend through an arrangement with other local GP practices. The practice had arrangements in place for prioritising patients. GPs reviewed requests for appointments and allocated appointments with an appropriate GP or other clinical staff member. Where patients could be better supported by other local services, patients were advised as how to access these. Appointments were available with GPs, practice nurses, and healthcare assistants. There were also a paramedic, a social prescriber, first contact practitioner and pharmacists. The practice updated the phone system in 2023 and monitored live data to adjust staffing and to evaluate the patient experience. We saw data that showed call waiting times dropping. The practice provided support for different groups to overcome health inequalities, including regular carers’ events and workshops for patients who needed support to learn how to access the practice’s online services (that resulted from a survey of patients about appointment booking).

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.