Response to Recent Patient Survey

25/7/23

Knebworth and Marymead Medical Practice Responds to Recent Patient Survey, and Announces
Improvements to Appointment Booking System

Following the recent patient survey results, Knebworth and Marymead Medical Practice
wishes to address the feedback from our valued patients and announce forthcoming improvements
to enhance their experience.

Firstly, we are truly grateful to all our patients who took the time to share their insights and
experiences. Surveys like these play a pivotal role in guiding our services and ensuring that we
continue to meet the healthcare needs of our community.

The main concerns highlighted were the difficulty in accessing our practice by phone and getting an
appointment. We recognise this challenge and understand the frustration it can cause. We have
been working with our phone supplier for the past year to improve the system, there have been
some improvements noted by patients. However, we recognise that demand outstrips supply for
appointments daily.

To address this, we have employed new staff and redirected three staff daily (10hrs per day) to the
telephones. We receive between 11500 and 13000 phone calls a month. We provide over 5500
appointments per month, and we are continually looking at ways to improve services and access.
From September we will be completely overhauling our appointment booking system. Our new Total
Triage system will provide a more streamlined approach, allowing patients to book appointments
with greater ease and efficiency, mostly online via a short assessment process. In turn, we anticipate
this will significantly reduce the congestion on our phone lines, making it more convenient for those
who need to reach out to us for other concerns.

Furthermore, we are encouraged by the positive feedback on interactions with our healthcare
professionals during appointments. We are committed to ensuring that all patients continue to feel
heard, cared for, and confident in the treatment and advice they receive.
“We are continually striving to enhance our services, and we believe that the upcoming changes to
our appointment system will significantly benefit our patients and improve their overall experience,”
said Andrew Harrington, Managing Partner.

We appreciate the trust our community places in us and reassure all our patients that we are
dedicated to implementing these improvements swiftly. Our team is always open to feedback, and
we encourage patients to reach out with any further comments or concerns. We actively engage
with our PPG and meet with them at least once a month.

For any further information or media enquiries, please contact:
Andrew Harrington, Managing Partner