At Willows Health, we’re always looking for ways to improve the experience our patients have with us. Based on feedback from our Patient Participation Group (PPG), we’ve recently introduced a number of changes aimed at making our services more responsive, accessible, and patient-friendly.
These improvements are already making a difference, and we’re grateful to everyone who’s shared their thoughts with us so far.
If you’d like to be part of shaping future improvements, why not consider joining the PPG? To find out more, just email us at wh.ppg@nhs.net.
Key Achievements
Enhanced Call Handling Efficiency
Previous Performance: Prior to the employment of additional staff, only 40% of calls were answered within 10 minutes. This was a significant area of concern for us, as timely response is crucial for patient satisfaction.
Current Performance: With the strategic addition of more call handlers, we have achieved a substantial improvement, now answering over 80% of calls within 10 minutes. This represents a doubling of our efficiency and a major milestone in our service delivery.
Improved Patient Experience
Timely Assistance:Â The reduction in call wait times ensures that our patients receive the assistance they need promptly, which is essential for their overall satisfaction and trust in our services.
Operational Efficiency:Â By addressing calls more efficiently, we can better manage patient inquiries and appointments, leading to a smoother and more responsive healthcare service. This improvement not only benefits our patients but also enhances the workflow for our staff.
Future Plans
Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
We are committed to continuously monitoring our call handling performance to ensure that we maintain and further improve our efficiency. Regular performance reviews and feedback mechanisms will be in place to identify areas for further enhancement.
Monthly Updates
To keep our stakeholders informed, we will provide regular monthly updates on our progress. These updates will include detailed metrics and insights into any new initiatives aimed at further enhancing patient experience.
Conclusion
The employment of additional call handlers at Willows Medical Centre has proven to be a highly effective strategy in reducing call wait times and significantly improving patient satisfaction. This initiative underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional healthcare services. We will continue to build on this success and explore new ways to enhance our services for the benefit of our patients.
Improving Your Care Through Smarter Technology
How Willows Health is Using Innovation to Better Serve You
At Willows Health, we are constantly looking for new ways to improve your care, make it easier to access services, and ensure no one gets left behind. Over the past year, we’ve been working on a major improvement project to upgrade how our systems work behind the scenes. This helps us deliver safer, more efficient, and more personalised care to every patient.
We know that managing long-term conditions, getting test results, or booking appointments can sometimes feel frustrating. That’s why our team has developed smarter ways of working that use technology to support our staff and patients alike.
What Have We Changed?
Here are just some of the improvements we’ve made as part of this project:
- Smarter Appointment Booking
You can now book many appointments online through the NHS App. We’re also making sure the right appointments go to the right people – avoiding wasted time and helping you get the care you need faster. - Quicker Follow-Ups for Test Results
Our new systems help us follow up quickly and automatically on blood tests and other results. You might now get a text with a link to book any follow-up you need – without needing to call us. - Fewer Appointments, Better Outcomes
If you have more than one long-term condition, we’re working to combine your reviews into one visit. This means fewer trips to the surgery and better coordination between our clinical teams. - Improved Safety and Governance
We’ve introduced new templates that help our clinicians identify concerns more quickly, follow up on safeguarding issues, and keep a clear record of your care. - Helping Our Staff Help You
By improving how we manage daily tasks, we’ve made things easier for our doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and admin staff – so they can spend more time focusing on what matters: you.
What’s Coming Next?
We’re not stopping here. In the next few months, we’ll be:
- Launching a smarter system to follow up on your test results without needing multiple appointments
- Sending more health questionnaires and booking links directly to your phone
- Using data more intelligently to spot when patients need help – before problems arise
Why This Matters
We know that many of our patients live busy lives, manage multiple health issues, or care for others. By streamlining how we work and using digital tools thoughtfully, we’re making care more accessible and joined-up.
These changes also help us meet the highest national standards for care quality and safety. Most importantly, they make it easier for you to stay on top of your health and get the support you need.
Thank You for Being Part of Our Journey
Your feedback, patience, and trust make improvements like this possible. We’re proud to be at the forefront of innovation in primary care – and we’re doing it for you.
If you’d like to know more or share your feedback, please speak to a member of our team or your local Patient Participation Group (PPG). You can also check our website for the latest updates.
Together, we’re building a healthier future – one innovation at a time.
Introducing Lumina: How Willows Health is Making Care Safer and Smarter for You
A Patient Update from Willows Health
What is Lumina?
At Willows Health, your safety and wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we’ve created Lumina – our brand-new, in-house digital system designed to help our teams deliver safer, faster, and more joined-up care.
Lumina is built directly into the clinical system our staff use every day (SystmOne), so we can respond quickly to any concerns, make better decisions as a team, and make sure nothing gets missed.
How Does Lumina Help You as a Patient?
Lumina is already helping us improve the way we care for you in important situations, including:
- End of Life Care – making sure our teams communicate and plan sensitively and consistently
- Cancer Pathways – helping us follow up on urgent referrals and avoid delays
- Responding to Complaints and Compliments – ensuring your voice is heard, whether it’s positive feedback or an issue you’ve raised
- Learning from Events – we use Lumina to reflect on any patient safety concerns or incidents, so we’re always improving
- Understanding Who to Contact – our staff can easily find the right people to speak to about safeguarding or clinical questions
All of this takes place in one secure system, which helps us avoid duplication and keep your records accurate and up to date.
Why Is Lumina Different?
Unlike traditional governance systems (often designed for hospitals), Lumina was built specifically for general practice. Our staff told us what they needed: something simple, integrated, and relevant to how they work. And that’s exactly what we delivered.
- It’s built into our clinical system – no extra logins or systems to manage
- It’s easy to use and quick to access – helping us act faster
- It’s tailored to our patients and our team – no generic templates, just what works for us
What Does This Mean for You?
By using Lumina, we:
- Stay more organised and efficient behind the scenes
- Follow up on issues more quickly and safely
- Ensure all of our staff are working together – with access to the same, up-to-date information
- Learn and improve as a team
All of this helps us deliver a service that is not only caring and responsive, but also future-focused and reliable.
What’s Next?
We’re continuing to develop Lumina so we can learn more from the work we do. The next step is to link it with visual dashboards (using Power BI) so we can see patterns and trends in real time. This means we’ll be able to spot risks earlier, respond faster, and plan more effectively.
Our Commitment to You
At Willows Health, we are proud to be leading the way in how general practice teams manage care quality and safety. Lumina is our commitment to being innovative, caring, and proactive – for you, your family, and our whole community.
We will continue to share updates with you as we grow and improve. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local practice team or Patient Participation Group.