People’s Panel

2026

Primary Care Access - March 2026

2025

NHS App - October 2025

Vaccinations Survey - October 2025

Repeat Prescriptions & Learning Disabilities, Down's syndrome and Autism Awareness - September 2025

Pharmacy First - January 2025

2024

Population Health and Learning Disabilities and Autism - September 2024

NHS App Survey - April 2024 

2023

Your views on vaccinations - November 2023

Primary Care Access Report - August 2023

Long Covid Report - February/March 2023

2022 

Primary Care Access Report  - April 2022

People's Panel Survey Report  - April 2022

2021 

People's Panel Engagement Report  - December 2021

Covid-19 Vaccine Survey - November 2021

Digital Kiosks Report - September 2021

Digital Technology and Health Report - March 2021

Urgent Care Access Report- January 2021

Tell us what you'd like to see surveys about

If you'd like us to share a survey about a health service or health condition, please let us know by emailing enquiries@direct-data-analysis.co.uk using People's Panel as your subject line.

You said, We did

In 2026, we're introducing a new section on the People's Panel page, where you can find out what action the ICB has taken as a result of members' responses to surveys shared by the ICB.

When patients have responded to People's Panel survey's we've heard that there are some improvements that could be made - particularly about 'closing the loop' and explaining what has happened as a result of the comments made about experiences of accessing health services. 

We listen to what patients tell us; your responses to surveys are shared with managers and commissioners in the ICB so they are aware of people's experiences, and can address any issues or concerns.

The views shared by members of the People's Panel are important, and help the ICB as commissioners of health services understand people's priorities and concerns. In this section you will find the ICB's responses to comments made in response to a survey. All of the comments shared are included in the reports of findings which you can find in the People's Panel Survey Reports section.

Closing the Loop on commentsYou said: There's no way of finding out what's happened as a result of answers or comments shared in response to surveys

We did: We've added this 'you said; we did' section to explain what's been changed or is being done as a reuslt of what patients tell us about their experiences of accessing health services.

Updating members' preferences and personal information

You said: There's no clear or easy way members can update their information or areas of interest, and these will change over time.

We did: We've created a form for existing members of the People's Panel to use to update any information that's changed, or change the health services they are interested in hearing about. You can find this on the ICB website page for the People's Panel 

Health Letters Survey

You said: NHS letters don't always arrive in time for the appointment to be attended, if they arrive.

We did: We looked at how many people identified the timing of letters being sent or arriving, and that letters not arriving were an issue. We need to understand how wide-spread this is across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, so have developed a new People's Panel survey to find out more details about this.

Primary Care Access Survey

We received comments that named specific GP Practices and pharmacies; we have used an anoymous reference, e.g. 'GP Practice A' and 'Pharmacy A' when publishing these comments:

You said: GP Practice A is amazing. I don't see how they could improve their service. When I call, the Dr or Nurse call back and if you need to be seen we get an appointment very promptly and are given excellent care and treatment from all of the staff

We did: Thank you for your positive feedback—it's great to hear that GP Practice A is providing such prompt, responsive, and high-quality care. We've passed your comments on to the practice.

You said: I think GP Practce B does very well. Access can be by phone or online. It works. 

We did: Thank you for your positive feedback—it's great to hear that GP Practice B's approach to patient appointment is working for patients. We've passed your comments on to the practice.

You said:  I was forced to go online as I initially rang the surgery for the receptionist not to be interested or bothered in helping me and all she kept saying was ‘ I had to go online’ note the ‘had to’ this is GP Practice C whose standards have dropped considerable in the last couple years. If that someone had been unable to fathom out the ridiculous irrelevant questions on that silly triage form they probably would have killed themself. It’s all just a system to make it harder for people to get regular routine appointments and for the GP to see less patients and to get paid more for doing less. There is nothing legally possible point to the job of receptionist any more. So, there is much space for improvements.

We did: Thank you for sharing this concerning experience regarding the support from practice reception teams. This feedback highlights important issues around access and communication, which we take very seriously.
Practices should not require patients to use online services, where this presents a barrier; reception teams should offer support to complete triage forms either in person or over the telephone to ensure equitable access for all patients.
The online triage form has been introduced to support patient safety by identifying urgent concerns quickly, including symptoms that may require immediate emergency care (for example, directing patients to call 999), and to help ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate clinician for their needs at the earliest opportunity. These forms have been clinically designed by doctors to capture the key information required so requests can be assessed effectively and responded to safely within an appropriate timeframe.
It is also important to note that the most appropriate clinician is not always a GP and may include nursing teams, mental health practitioners, physiotherapists, pharmacists, paramedics, or social prescribers. Using a triage approach allows practices to prioritise care based on clinical need, ensuring GP appointments are available for those who need them most while making best use of the wider multidisciplinary team.
We will ensure this feedback is shared with the practice so that processes are delivered in a supportive, safe, and patient-centred way.

You said: At GP Practice D, there is more parking & better facilities. More doctors needed, do not want to see a student. 

We did: It is helpful to hear your views on facilities at GP Practice D, including parking and the environment. We will share your comments about the need for more doctors and your preference not to see a student with the practice.While practices aim to provide as much patient choice as possible, GP capacity is influenced by national funding and workforce constraints, which can limit the number of doctors available. Supervised trainee clinicians also play an important role in delivering care and ensuring a sustainable future workforce, while still providing safe, high-quality consultations. If you would prefer not to see a particular GP or trainee, you can request this with the reception team when booking your appointment; however, please be aware that this may result in a longer wait for an appointment.

You said: GP Practice E is inadequate for the champions league of GP surgeries. 

We did: We recognise that patients may have differing views and experiences of GP services, and we take all feedback seriously. While we understand the comparison being made, there is no formal system that categorises GP practices into levels such as a “champions league” within the NHS. All GP practices in England are independently regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which inspects services to ensure they meet the required legal standards of safety, effectiveness, responsiveness, care, and leadership. Practices must meet these standards in order to provide NHS services. If you have specific concerns about the care or service you have received, we would strongly encourage you to raise these through the practice’s own complaints procedure in the first instance. This gives the practice the opportunity to investigate and respond directly to the issues raised. Alternatively, depending on the nature of your concerns, you may wish to escalate your complaint to:The Integrated Care Board (ICB), as the commissioner of primary care services; The Care Quality Commission (CQC), particularly if your concerns relate to safety or quality of care or The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, if you remain dissatisfied after completing the local complaints process. These routes ensure that concerns are reviewed appropriately and support ongoing improvements across NHS services.

You said: My GP Practice F are absolutely amazing and have looked after my well-being at all times. I have always been advised if I need a GP appointment or to see a nurse or a practitioner to help with reviewing my medication. Thank you.

We said: It is always encouraging to hear when patients have had a positive experience and feel well supported in managing their health and wellbeing. Your comments highlight the value of clear communication, timely advice, and access to the wider practice team, including nurses and other practitioners.We will ensure that your feedback is shared with the practice, as it is important that staff are recognised for the care and support they provide to patients .Patient feedback plays an important role in helping us understand what is working well across local services and where we can continue to improve.

You said: The surgery I attend, GP Practice G, was closed down and has only just been reopened. It was closed for well over 12months. I wasn't notified about this or when it reopened. I only found out about this through word of mouth and this didn't surprise me.

We did: We understand that temporary changes such as building closures can be disruptive for patients. In this case, the closure was necessary to allow essential maintenance and building works to be completed, ensuring the premises remain safe and appropriate for delivering services. The practice made information available to patients regarding the closure and reopening arrangements, including updates on the practice website. Patients were also supported with access to services during this period. We appreciate patients’ understanding while these important improvements were carried out, helping to ensure the ongoing safety and quality of the environment in which care is delivered.

You said: My GP Practice H is in a village so we don’t come under the same pressure as densely populated areas. i.e., population per doctor. We are very lucky to have such great doctors, nurses and support staff at Trinity Medical Centre. Excellent facility. Keep our NHS.

We did: Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience of GP Practice H. It is very encouraging to hear when patients feel well supported and recognise the dedication of local GPs, nurses, and practice staff. Your comments highlight the important role that primary care teams play in supporting the health and wellbeing of their communities.We also recognise your point about differences between rural and more densely populated areas, and the varying pressures that practices can face. Regardless of setting, our priority is to ensure that all patients have access to safe, high-quality care. We will ensure that your feedback is shared with the team at Trinity Medical Centre so that staff can be recognised for the excellent service they provide.

You said: Sexual health in particular; also, many pharmacies do not have the space or staff to provide one-to-one support within a brief intervention. Also, some pharmacy staff i.e. Pharmacy A are often judgmental and racist towards some patients that would make me have little faith in their skills to deal with health matters.

We did: We recognise that while community pharmacies can provide a range of accessible services, patients must feel confident, comfortable, and treated with dignity when using them. We note your concerns regarding privacy, particularly for sensitive services such as sexual health. Pharmacies are expected to have suitable consultation areas to support confidential one-to-one discussions, and this is something we continue to work with providers to strengthen. We are especially concerned to hear your comments about experiences of staff behaviour. Any suggestion of judgmental or discriminatory treatment, including racism, is taken very seriously. All healthcare providers are expected to deliver care that is respectful, inclusive, and free from discrimination. If you have experienced or witnessed this directly, we would strongly encourage you to raise this through the relevant pharmacy’s complaints procedure in the first instance. You can also raise concerns with: The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), which regulates pharmacy professionals, The Care Quality Commission (CQC), regarding service quality and safety. This helps ensure concerns are investigated appropriately and supports improvements in patient experience. Your feedback is important in helping us understand where services need to improve, and we will continue to work with providers to ensure services are welcoming, safe, and accessible for all patients.

You said: But not Pharmacy B - dreadful service.

We did: We recognise that individual patient experiences can vary, and we take all feedback about community pharmacy services seriously. Comments such as yours help us understand where improvements may be needed. We would encourage you to share specific concerns about Loggerheads Pharmacy directly with the pharmacy through their complaints procedure in the first instance, as this allows them the opportunity to investigate and respond.e would strongly encourage you to raise this through the relevant pharmacy’s complaints procedure in the first instance. You can also raise concerns with: The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), which regulates pharmacy professionals The Care Quality Commission (CQC),We will continue to work with community pharmacy providers to ensure services are consistently safe, effective, and patient-centred.

We publish regular newsletters to keep members updated about health services in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, and the different ways they can be involved in how health services are designed and delivered to support our local population.

Our first newsletter was publised in December 2023, with subsequent issues published twice a year. In 2025, we increased the number of newsletters, with the plan to publish four each year. You can read the newsletters below.

2026

Edition 9 Summer Newsletter June 2026

Edition 8 Spring 2026 (March2026)

Edition 7 Winter 2026 (January 2026)

2025

Edition 6 Autumn Newsletter September 2025

Edition 5 Summer Newsletter June 2025

Edition 4 Winter Newsletter January 2025

2024

Edition 3 Seasonal Greeting December 2024

Edition 2 Summer Newsletter August 2024

2023

Edition 1  Winter Newsletter December 2023