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Patient Survey
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.
Our action plan and survey results are available below.
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.
Our action plan and survey results are available below.
Patient Survey Action Plan 2025
Access remains an issue
Offer more pre-bookable online appointments and extend evening appointments.
Our Response
Our GP online system (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.
GP online system (Anima) confusing and unfair
Our GP Online System (Anima) is found to be confusing and unfair due to 8am congestion.
Our Response
- Our GP Online System 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.
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 our GP online system (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.
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.
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 statistics.
Prepared by the West Malling Group Practice Patient Participation Group.
- You can contact us online
- Facebook: WMGP Surgery Information Page.
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, at our contact address above.
Question 1: Approximately how often do you interact with the practice?
- Answered: 2,379
- Skipped: 22
Patient Statistics
- Once a month (18.45% Response): 439 votes
- Every 3 months (25.73% Response): 612 votes
- Every 6 months (18.16% Response): 432 votes
- Less often (37.66% Response): 896 votes
- Total: 2,379
Question 2: How helpful do you find the doctors at the practice?
- Answered: 2,385
- Skipped: 16
Patient Statistics
- Very helpful (43.52% Response): 1,038 votes
- Fairly helpful (37.69% Response): 899 votes
- Not very helpful (6.16% Response): 147 votes
- Not at all helpful (2.89% Response): 69 votes
- Don't know (9.73% Response): 232 votes
- Total: 2,385
Question 3: How helpful do you find the nurses at the practice?
- Answered: 2,387
- Skipped: 14
Patient Statistics
- Very helpful (55.80% Response): 1,332 votes
- Fairly helpful (29.74% Response): 710 votes
- Not very helpful (3.10% Response): 74 votes
- Not at all helpful (1.09% Response): 26 votes
- Don't know (10.26% Response): 245 votes
- Total: 2,387
Question 4: How helpful do you find the receptionists at the practice?
- Answered: 2,378
- Skipped: 23
Patient Statistics
- Very helpful (31.96% Response): 760 votes
- Fairly helpful (37.59% Response): 894 votes
- Not very helpful (17.07% Response): 406 votes
- Not at all helpful (8.33% Response): 198 votes
- Don't know (5.05% Response): 120 votes
- Total: 2,378
Question 5: How easy do you find the practice's website to look for information or services?
- Answered: 2,379
- Skipped: 22
Patient Statistics
- Very easy (10.34% Response): 246 votes
- Fairly easy (33.08% Response): 787 votes
- Not very easy (25.30% Response): 602 votes
- Not at all easy (16.65% Response): 396 votes
- I have not tried (14.63% Response): 348 votes
- Total: 2,379
Question 6: Have you used, or tried to use, any of the following services?
- Answered: 2,304
- Skipped: 97
Patient Statistics
- The NHS App (86.94% Response): 2,003 votes
- NHS Online, e.g. 111 online (25.35% Response): 584 votes
- A local pharmacist (62.46% Response): 1,439 votes
- Phoned an NHS helpline, e.g. 111 (35.59% Response): 820 votes
- Used an Urgent Treatment Centre (not A&E) (14.15% Response): 326 votes
- A&E (Accident and Emergency department) (39.32% Response): 906 votes
- Minor Injury Unit (14.67% Response): 338 votes
- Online mental health and wellbeing information hub (3.69% Response): 85 votes
- Total: 2,304
Question 7: Primary care services are evolving. Did you know that we offer the following healthcare practitioners?
- Answered: 1,197
- Skipped: 1,204
Patient Statistics
- First Contact Practitioner for joint or muscle pain (25.48% Response): 305 votes
- Child and young person's mental health specialist nurse (7.35% Response): 88 votes
- Nurse Practitioners (87.30% Response): 1,045 votes
- Paramedic appointments via the NCC (Neighbourhood Care Centre) (11.11% Response): 133 votes
- Total: 1,197
Question 8: Receptionists (Care Navigators) will question patients to direct them appropriately. Have you been directed to any of these?
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.
- Answered: 146
- Skipped: 2,255
Patient Statistics
- Children's health and welfare navigator (15.75% Response): 23 votes
- Social prescriber (17.12% Response): 25 votes
- Dementia care co-ordinator (13.70% Response): 20 votes
- Learning disability co-ordinator (7.53% Response): 11 votes
- Community pharmacy service (34.93% Response): 51 votes
- Cancer care co-ordinator (21.92% Response): 32 votes
- Health inequalities care co-ordinator (5.48% Response): 8 votes
- Total: 146
Question 9: Overall, how would you describe your experience at the practice?
- Answered: 2,372
- Skipped: 29
Patient Statistics
- Very good (23.27% Response): 552 votes
- Fairly good (36.51% Response): 866 votes
- Neither good nor poor (21.25% Response): 504 votes
- Fairly poor (12.18% Response): 289 votes
- Very poor (6.79% Response): 161 votes
- Total: 2,372
Question 10: Have you registered to use our GP online system (Anima)?
- Answered: 2,247
- Skipped: 154
Patient Statistics
- Yes (82.64% Response): 1,857 votes
- No (17.36% Response): 390 votes
- Total: 2,247
Question 11: Why have you not registered to use our GP online system (Anima)?
- Answered: 423
- Skipped: 1,979
Patient Statistics
- I haven't needed to make an appointment or contact the practice yet, but I plan to when I need to (54.14% Response): 229 votes
- I have no access to a computer, tablet or smartphone (6.86% Response): 29 votes
- I have tried to register but failed (17.26% Response): 73 votes
- I am not confident using technology (21.75% Response): 92 votes
- Total: 423
Question 12: If we could provide support to register and use our GP online system (Anima), would you be interested?
- Answered: 478
- Skipped: 1,923
Patient Statistics
- Yes (62.76% Response): 300 votes
- No (37.24% Response): 178 votes
- Total: 478
Question 13: How did you find using our GP online system (Anima)?
- Answered: 2,213
- Skipped: 188
Patient Statistics
- Very easy (11.03% Response): 244 votes
- Fairly easy (31.45% Response): 696 votes
- Not very easy (21.33% Response): 472 votes
- Not at all easy (18.21% Response): 403 votes
- I haven't used it yet (17.98% Response): 398 votes
- Total: 2,213
Question 14: Which other online services have you used in the last 12 months?
- Answered: 2,204
- Skipped: 197
Patient Statistics
- Accessing my test results (44.78% Response): 987 votes
- Ordering repeat prescriptions (49.91% Response): 1,100 votes
- Accessing my medical records (33.89% Response): 747 votes
- None (27.99% Response): 617 votes
- Total: 2,204
Question 15: Ethnic group
- Answered: 2,234
- Skipped: 167
Patient Statistics
- Asian (1.52% Response): 34 votes
- African (0.63% Response): 14 votes
- Hispanic (0.13% Response): 3 votes
- Middle Eastern (0.09% Response): 2 votes
- White British (89.30% Response): 1,995 votes
- European (2.82% Response): 63 votes
- Another group (1.75% Response): 39 votes
- Rather not say (3.76% Response): 84 votes
- Total: 2,234
Question 16: Age Range
- Answered: 2,260
- Skipped: 141
Patient Statistics
- Under 16 (0% Response): 0 votes
- 16 to 17 (0.18% Response): 4 votes
- 18 to 50 (24.25% Response): 548 votes
- 51 to 69 (45.53% Response): 1,029 votes
- 70+ (28.36% Response): 641 votes
- Rather not say (1.68% Response): 38 votes
- Total: 2,260
Question 17: Gender
- Answered: 2,249
- Skipped: 152
Patient Statistics
- Male (39.11% Response): 857 votes
- Female (60.07% Response): 1,351 votes
- Non-binary (0.18% Response): 4 votes
- Rather not say (1.65% Response): 3738 votes
- Total: 2,249
Question 18: Constructive Comments
- Answers: 1,024
- Skipped: 1,377
Comments were made by over 1,000 patients. Their comments have been analysed, and a thematic report is included below.
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; Online GP System (Anima); and getting appointments. Each theme was categorised as good, bad or neutral.
Results
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Our Online GP System (Anima)
- 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.
6. 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
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
Online GP System (Anima)
- 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 our online GP system (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.
