Healthwatch
Enter and View: 168 Medical Group
Enter and View visits are a way that information can be collected about services and views of service users, their carers, staff and relatives can be collected.
Following the visit, they have made some recommendations based on the feedback received and what was observed.
Key findings from the report
We spoke to staff and members of the 168 Medical Group Patient Participation Group.
- We asked staff questions about what training they have received to be more trauma informed. One staff member felt this was during the onboarding process.
- Some staff members mentioned there is no training or formal pathway, but that they understand trauma and discuss this as a team through clinical meetings and staff meetings.
- Although there is genuine empathy and clear pathways of triage, there is no formal process and staff deal with situations as and when they occur.
- Trauma-informed policies are not mandatory and there is no trauma-informed policy within the practice.
- We asked staff about the choices for patients when trauma has been disclosed and what processes are in place. Staff spoke about how continuity of care helps patients not have to relive or retell their trauma.
- We were told that out of all the PCNs in the area, 168 Medical is within the top two for continuity of care.
- Patient notes can be flagged to identify those who have experienced trauma and may need additional support for certain procedures e.g. smear tests.
- There is no formal process for staff regarding support available when they have been exposed to traumatic stories. However, it is clear they are very supportive of each other, with examples given such as open-door policy and the ability to speak to management.
- Further training and resources such as tool kits would be welcomed by staff.
Download the full report below.
"I have always felt the staff at 168 Medical are kind and helpful and I have always felt supported"
Patient Participation Group Member
Recommendations
There are a lot of trauma-informed resources and training available. We recommend training for all staff, but especially reception staff as they are the first people patients see and interact with.
- There is an NHS trauma-informed toolkit available. We recommend this is made available and promoted as a resource for all staff.
- The practice should develop a checklist on being trauma-informed on staff notice boards.
- The practice should develop a written process/protocol of what to do when a traumatic experience has been disclosed, building on the informal approach already taken. This would help with onboarding staff and support greater consistency of approach.
- The practice should develop a poster and/or an article in the newsletter for patients to state they can ask for a private reception chat and outline how that would work.
- The practice should develop a poster and/or an article in the newsletter for patients informing them of what they can ask for, such as having a friend/family member attend with them and discussing any procedures before an appointment.
Casper Fons, Executive Manager of 168 Medical Group, said:
"We would like to thank Healthwatch North Somerset for their Enter and View visit and the thoughtful, constructive report. We appreciate the time taken to speak with our staff and Patient Participation Group members and we welcome the recommendations made to strengthen our trauma‑informed approach.
"We are pleased that the report recognises the empathetic, patient‑centred culture within the practice and the supportive nature of our team. We see the recommendations as an opportunity to build on our existing informal practices and to improve awareness for both staff and patients."
Read the full response from 168 Medical Group in our report.