The Background
WellBN Healthcare operates three practice sites in East Sussex, serving over 25,000 patients, predominantly comprising a diverse demographic including a significant mixed-race and Asian population. The practice identified challenges with managing call volumes, administrative workload, and patient access to appointments, prompting their participation in the General Practice Improvement Programme (GPIP).
The Problem
The practice faced high levels of telephone demand and long waiting times, which strained operational efficiency and patient satisfaction. Administrative tasks were also impacting clinical capacity and workflow.
The Solution
Through the GPIP, WellBN Healthcare implemented several strategic improvements to enhance operational efficiency and patient access:
- Introduced a ‘trigger point ten’ system to manage call volumes effectively, ensuring calls were answered promptly and reducing average wait times by two minutes.
- Optimised clinic scheduling by reducing daily administrative block times, thereby increasing patient contact availability by twelve slots per week.
- Identified ‘High Frequency attenders’ and redirected appropriate medication queries to pharmacists, freeing up GP appointment slots for more critical needs.
- Established a consistent sickness policy across all sites to improve staff management and accountability, leading to reduced out-of-hours management issues and enhanced staff support.
Conclusion
The deputy manager and the team at WellBN Healthcare are committed to continuing their improvement journey, focusing on further streamlining processes and enhancing patient care delivery across all practice sites.
By implementing these changes, WellBN Healthcare has significantly enhanced operational efficiency, improved patient access to appointments, and fostered a more cohesive and supportive work environment, setting a new standard for effective practice management in primary healthcare.