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Patient Survey 2025
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our PPG (Patient Participation Group) for their support in creating our patient survey undertaken last year. They volunteer several hours of their time each month to support our practice.
We would also like to thank our patients for taking the time to complete the survey.
Your feedback enables us to review and implement changes to improve our services. Our aim and focus now is to bring in improvements that provide all patients with a consistent, professional and patient-friendly service, offering improved access, consistency and better patient satisfaction.
Patient Survey Action Plan 2025
You Said
- Access remains an issue. Offer more pre-bookable online appointments and extend evening appointments.
Our Response
- ANIMA is now open all day for routine requests. There may be occasions when availability is limited for urgent cases and patients are directed to alternative healthcare providers.
- Routine GP appointments are triaged by doctors or nurse practitioners. This enables us to allocate the most appropriate healthcare provider to the patient.
- We would like to offer more online appointments for routine matters such as blood tests and cervical smears. However, our previous experience showed misuse by patients booking inappropriate appointments, for example ECGs in
- smear appointment slots or unauthorised blood tests.
- Practices within our PCN (Primary Care Network) already provide Extended Access across the week. The service runs from Thornhills Surgery in Larkfield and includes evening GP appointments and First Contact Practitioner appointments for musculoskeletal issues at weekends.
Action Plan
- Immediate change.
- Continue to triage effectively.
- Review and look at ways to improve online appointment availability.
- Although restricted by funding, we will work with the PCN to explore whether additional services can be added to Extended Hours Access
Measure
- Monitor bi-monthly complaints received.
- Monitor complaints and review six-monthly.
- Analyse the number of appointments provided.
You Said
- ANIMA is found to be confusing and unfair due to 8am congestion.
Our Response
- As ANIMA is now open all day, this should relieve pressure on 8am congestion.
- In addition to information on the practice website, we work closely with the PPG, who offer workshops and have created a user guide.
Action Plan
- Continue liaison with the PPG to offer periodic face-to-face workshop sessions.
Measure
- Monitor need.
You Said
- Improve reception service quality and consistency.
Our Response
- A meeting has taken place to review quality of service.
- Actions:
- When the waiting room is less busy, the front-desk receptionist will acknowledge patients and invite them to check in at the front desk.
- All receptionists will undertake Receptionist Masterclass, Customer Care, and Handling Difficult Situations with Compassion training.
- Team leads will listen to call quality for learning and service improvement.
- The receptionist role requires a wide range of knowledge. We have created and continue to update our Practice Knowledge Guide to support receptionists in their role.
- Recruitment has been a problem. However, as soon as the team is at full capacity, we would like to offer a meet-and-greet receptionist in the waiting room to promote the NHS App and ANIMA, and support patients with general enquiries.
Action Plan
- Immediate start to arrange training for all receptionists.
- Arrange protected time for staff to complete training if it falls outside their normal work pattern.
- Start routine monitoring to assess service standards.
- Provide additional support when training needs are identified.
- Complete recruitment.
Measure
- Regular monitoring and planning to ensure all team members meet the training standard.
- Ongoing monitoring.
- Regular review and updating.
- Review complaints for common themes to identify areas for improvement.
You Said
- Communication: update website content and usability.
Our Response
- The website is managed by a third-party provider who is able to add information from the Kent and Medway ICB.
Action Plan
- Implement bi-monthly reviews to ensure information remains accurate and up to date.
Measure
- Ongoing monitoring.
You Said
- Improve reception service quality and consistency.
Our Response
- A meeting has taken place to review quality of service.
- Actions:
- When the waiting room is less busy, the front-desk receptionist will acknowledge patients and invite them to check in at the front desk.
- All receptionists will undertake Receptionist Masterclass, Customer Care, and Handling Difficult Situations with Compassion training.
- Team leads will listen to call quality for learning and service improvement.
- The receptionist role requires a wide range of knowledge. We have created and continue to update our Practice Knowledge Guide to support receptionists in their role.
- Recruitment has been a problem. However, as soon as the team is at full capacity, we would like to offer a meet-and-greet receptionist in the waiting room to promote the NHS App and ANIMA, and support patients with general enquiries.
Action Plan
- Immediate start to arrange training for all receptionists.
- Arrange protected time for staff to complete training if it falls outside their normal work pattern.
- Start routine monitoring to assess service standards.
- Provide additional support when training needs are identified.
- Complete recruitment.
Measure
- Regular monitoring and planning to ensure all team members meet the training standard.
- Ongoing monitoring.
- Regular review and updating.
- Review complaints for common themes to identify areas for improvement.
You Said
- NHS App: offer support in accessing the NHS App.
Our Response
- We will look to improve the information available to include short videos, posters and other support materials. There is currently an NHS campaign to raise awareness of the NHS App.
Action Plan
- Immediate start to ensure campaign materials are available on the website, plasma screens and noticeboards.
Measure
- Ongoing monitoring.
2025 Patient Survey Results
The Patient Survey was created through collaboration between the practice and the Patient Participation Group.
The results of the survey follow. The responses to survey questions have been analysed and are presented as graphs and statistics.
Prepared by the West Malling Group Practice Patient Participation Group.
We are always looking for fellow patients to join our group. If you would like to learn more about the PPG and perhaps join, please send an application request to Bob MacDonald, PPG Chair
Q1 Approximately how often do you interact with the practice?
Answered: 2,379 and Skipped: 22
Once a month 18.45%
Every 3 months 25.73%
Every 6 months 18.16%
Less often 37.66%
Q2 How helpful do you find the doctors at the practice?
Answered: 2,385 and Skipped: 16
Very helpful 43.52%
Fairly helpful 37.69%
Not very helpful 6.16%
Not at all helpful 2.89%
Don't know 9.73%
Q3 How helpful do you find the nurses at the practice?
Answered: 2,387 and Skipped: 14
Very helpful 55.80%
Fairly helpful 29.74%
Not very helpful 3.10%
Not at all helpful 1.09%
Don't know 10.26%
Q4 How helpful do you find the receptionists at the practice?
Answered: 2,378 and Skipped: 23
Very helpful 31.96%
Fairly helpful 37.59%
Not very helpful 17.07%
Not at all helpful 8.33%
Don't know 5.05%
Q5 How easy do you find the practice's website to look for information or services?
Answered: 2,379 and Skipped: 22
Very easy 10.34%
Fairly easy 33.08%
Not very easy 25.30%
Not at all easy 16.65%
I haven't tried 14.63%
Q6 Have you used, or tried to use, any of the following services?
Answered: 2,304 and Skipped: 97
The NHS App 86.94%
NHS Online, e.g. 111 online 25.35%
A local pharmacist 62.46%
Phoned an NHS helpline, e.g. 111 35.59%
Used an Urgent Treatment Centre (not A&E)14.15%
A&E (Accident and Emergency department)39.32%
Minor Injury Unit14.67%
Online mental health and wellbeing information hub3.69%
Q7 Primary care services are evolving. Did you know that we offer the following healthcare practitioners?
Answered: 1,197 and Skipped: 1,204
First Contact Practitioner for joint or muscle pain 25.48%
Child and young person's mental health specialist nurse 7.35%
Nurse Practitioners 87.30%
Paramedic appointments via the NCC (Neighbourhood Care Centre)11.11%
Q8 Care navigation is the term used for how patients are signposted to the most suitable service. Receptionists will question patients in order to direct them appropriately. Have you been directed to any of these?
Answered: 146 and Skipped: 2,255
Children's health and welfare navigator 15.75%
Social prescriber 17.12%
Dementia care co-ordinator 13.70%
Learning disability co-ordinator 7.53%
Community Pharmacy Service34.93%
Cancer Care Co-ordinator21.92%
Health Inequalities Care Co-ordinator5.48%
Q9 Overall, how would you describe your experience at the practice?
Answered: 2,372 and Skipped: 29
Very good 23.27%
Fairly good 36.51%
Neither good nor poor 21.25%
Fairly poor 12.18%
Very poor6.79%
Q10 Have you registered to use ANIMA?
Answered: 2,247 and Skipped: 154
Yes
82.64%
82.64%
No17.36%
Q11 Why have you not registered to use ANIMA
Answered: 423 and Skipped: 1,978
haven't needed to make an appointment or contact the practice yet, but I plan to when I need to.54.14%
I have no access to a computer, tablet or smartphone6.86%
I have tried to register but failed 17.26%
I am not confident using technology 21.75%
Q12 If we could provide support to register and use ANIMA, would you be interested?
Answered: 478 and Skipped: 1,923
Yes62.76%
No 37.24%
Q13 How did you find using ANIMA?
Answered: 2,213 and Skipped: 188
Very easy 11.03%
Fairly easy 31.45%
Not very easy 21.33%
Not at all easy 18.21%
I haven't used it yet17.98%
Q14 Which other online services have you used in the last 12 months?
Answered: 2,204 and Skipped: 197
Accessing my test results 44.78%
Ordering repeat prescriptions 49.91%
Accessing my medical records 33.89%
None 27.99%
Q15 Ethnic group
Answered: 2,234 and Skipped: 167
Asian 1.52%
African 0.63%
Hispanic 0.13%
Middle Eastern 0.09%
White British89.30%
European2.82%
Another group1.75%
Rather not say3.76%
Q16 Age range
Answered: 2,260 and Skipped: 141
Under 160.00%
16-17 0.18%
18-50 24.25%
51-69 45.53%
70+28.36%
Rather not say1.68%
Q17 Gender
Answered: 2,249 and Skipped: 152
Male 38.11%
Female 60.07%
Non-binary 0.18%
Rather not say 1.65%
Constructive Comments
Comments were made by over 1,000 patients. Their comments have been analysed and a thematic report has been created
Thematic Analysis of the Written Responses
We made a thematic review of the responses to draw out important and dominant themes.
The themes of interest were: general experience; reception staff; doctors; nurses; ANIMA; and getting appointments.
Each theme was categorised as good, bad or neutral
Results
- General Experience
- Good: Many patients expressed gratitude for excellent care, kindness and feeling well looked after.
- Bad: Some perceived the surgery as poorly run, impersonal and system-focused rather than patient-focused.
- Neutral: Several comments praised medical care but criticised processes and administration.
- Reception Staff
- Good: Named staff were praised as helpful, friendly and efficient.
- Bad: Frequent complaints mentioned rudeness, abruptness, lack of empathy and inconsistent information.
- Neutral: Some acknowledged that receptionists “try their best” but are limited by systems.
- Doctors
- Good: Many positive comments described doctors as caring, attentive and professional.
- Bad: Concerns included rushed consultations, lack of follow-up, and reluctance to investigate or refer. Some patients felt “like a burden”.
- Neutral: Experiences varied depending on which doctor was seen.
- Nurses
- Good: Nurses were generally described as helpful, professional and kind, especially for health checks, vaccinations and long-term conditions.
- Bad: A few negative experiences were noted, for example poor HRT advice or unpleasant procedures.
- Neutral: Some inconsistency between nurses was noted.
- ANIMA (Online Appointment System)
- Good: For some patients, ANIMA works well and offers faster responses than phones once they get used to it.
- Bad (Dominant Theme): Access only at 8am; the system can be full within minutes; questionnaires are repetitive, lengthy and confusing; elderly, disabled and less tech-savvy patients may feel excluded; appointments can ignore stated preferences; and patients find it difficult to book in advance or outside working hours.
- Neutral: Some said ANIMA is “OK once mastered” but requested improvements such as a mobile app, simpler forms or extended access hours.
- Getting Appointments
- Good: A small minority were pleased when they did manage to book, and said that the care received was excellent.
- Bad (Overwhelming): Comments described the process as “impossible”, “a nightmare” and “stressful”; routine care can involve long delays; many patients felt forced to go private or to A&E; and there is a lack of evening and weekend slots for working patients.
- Neutral: A few accepted the challenges but remained loyal to the practice
Quantitative Snapshot
Sentiment distribution by theme, from the categorised sample of responses
- General Experience
- Good: 45
- Bad: 30
- Neutral: 25
- Reception Staff
- Good: 40
- Bad: 50
- Neutral: 15
- Doctors
- Good: 55
- Bad: 25
- Neutral: 20
- Nurses
- Good: 50
- Bad: 15
- Neutral: 10
- ANIMA (Online Appointment System)
- Good: 20
- Bad: 90
- Neutral: 15
- Getting Appointments
- Good: 10
- Bad: 120
- Neutral: 5
Language Patterns
- Positive themes: words dominating included good, excellent, friendly, helpful, kind, caring, professional and supportive.
- Negative themes: words dominating included impossible, rude, nightmare, difficult, stressful, frustrating, useless and unhelpful.
Key Insights
- Biggest barrier: appointment access, particularly through ANIMA.
- Most positive element: clinical care from doctors and nurses once accessed.
- Reception: highly variable, with some outstanding experiences and some that damage trust.
- System issues: ANIMA excludes some patient groups, including elderly, disabled and working adults
Published: Jun 17, 2026
