Enhanced Access – Patient Survey 2022/23
The survey will take approximately 4 minutes to complete.
The NHS is currently working on the best way to develop and improve access to local General Practice services. Some of this work includes the best way patients can be offered General practice service appointments outside of normal working hours (8am – 6:30pm). This may be referred to as “Enhanced Access”.
How will my feedback be used?
We would very much value your feedback to help us shape the approach to how patients can access local General Practice services in your area. From 1st October 2022, each of the Primary Care Networks (PCNs- groups of GP practices working together in close geography to deliver NHS services) have been asked to provide appointments outside of normal working hours to patients registered at their member General Practices. Alongside practice data, your feedback will be used to help shape your local practice and PCN plans on delivering these extra appointments.
What do these ‘Enhanced Access’ changes mean for me?
For patients this will mean that you will be able to make pre-bookable and same-day General Practice service appointments with a range of clinical professionals, this may be delivered at a different location to your own practice, or at a hub in the PCN practice’s geographical footprint, they may also be online, or by telephone if appropriate. The contract states that these appointments should be delivered Monday to Friday (between 6:30pm – 8:00pm) and on Saturdays between 9:00am and 5:00pm, however, a proportion of these extra appointments could also be provided outside of these times, where it can be evidenced by the PCN that different appointment times would better meet the needs of the PCN’s patient population.
We are keen to hear our patients feedback on the following to understand your access needs and preferences for Enhanced Access:
- What appointment types and channels would be accessible to you
- Understanding your preferences around the use of services at different times
- Understanding how far you are willing and able to travel to access appointments
- Understanding any barriers, you may face to accessing enhanced services i.e. public transport, access to broadband/ IT
Basically, we want to hear how we can best deliver Enhanced Access for our patient population.