Accreditation practice pointer: our practice analyses, considers and responds to feedback.

QI1.B Our practice analyses, considers and responds to feedback.

RACGP Standards for general practice

Collecting and responding to patient feedback in primary healthcare has been shown to improve:

• clinical effectiveness and patient safety

• adherence to recommended medication and treatments

• preventive care, such as the use of screening services and immunisations.1

General practice must be able to show that issues raised by patients have been considered and discussed. Likewise, there must also be evidence that improvements have then been made accordingly when the feedback aligns with the practice’s strategic objectives.

Practice teams can respond to patient feedback by:

• discussing patient feedback responses at team meetings

• considering which feedback aligns with the practice’s strategic objectives

• creating specific action plans to address issues raised by patients

• sharing the results and outcome reports about activities that were based on patient feedback with the practice team

• incorporating improvements into relevant policies and procedures.

General practices can demonstrate their response to patient feedback by keeping records of discussions that have arisen due to matters raised by patients, and the ensuing changes made.