In a recent enlightening webinar, Anna Quigley, leading the Health and Social care team at Ipsos, and Dr. Mohit Venkataram, ELFT's Executive Director for Primary care, engaged in a profound discussion about the significance of representation in surveys and the diverse experiences of different population groups.
Over 300 GPs and primary care colleagues joined online across the country.
The webinar delved into the intricacies of survey methodologies, representation, and the importance of understanding the varied experiences of population groups.
Survey Methodologies and Representation
Anna Quigley, acting as the quality director for the GP patient survey, shared insights into the survey's development and execution. The GP patient survey, now in its eighteenth year, has evolved significantly since its launch in 2006 by the Department of Health. It is currently commissioned by NHS England and is governed meticulously to ensure accuracy and representation. Anna emphasised the importance of having a representative sample to glean meaningful insights and understand the experiences of diverse population groups.
Understanding Diverse Experiences
The discussion highlighted the importance of understanding how experiences differ across various population groups. Anna and Dr. Mohit explored the reasons behind these differing experiences and the significance of considering these differences in interpreting survey results. The webinar encouraged participants to use national results to understand their population better and to think about what the results mean for their specific groups.
Inclusivity and Special Groups
The webinar also touched upon the inclusion of special groups, such as people with learning disabilities, in national surveys. Anna highlighted the challenges and considerations in capturing data from very specific groups and the efforts made to develop inclusive versions of the survey. The discussion underscored the value of exploring qualitative methods to understand the needs and experiences of specific groups better.
Closing Remarks
Dr Mohit Venkataram said: "Our ability to improve services for our patients is in our hand. Using a tool like the national GP survey is an opportunity to benchmark the practice on the journey it has come from previously. The sensitivity of this tool is to compare the delivery over the last few years rather than comparing to other practices who may serve a different demography” He further explains, "Looking at how well the registered patients rated the practice previously and compare it to this year. That is the power of this tool. This lets us, as clinicians, change parts of our work to make our patients’ experiences better."
Dr. Mohit Venkataram concluded the webinar by expressing gratitude to Anna Quigley for her invaluable insights. He emphasised the importance of ensuring representation in surveys and thanked all the participants for their active involvement.
The webinar provided a comprehensive overview of the importance of representation in surveys and the need to understand the diverse experiences of different population groups. The insights shared by Anna Quigley and Dr. Mohit Venkataram highlighted the significance of inclusive and representative surveys in gaining meaningful insights into the needs and experiences of various groups in the population.
For those interested in more detailed insights and discussions, the full recording is available on YouTube.