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Table 3 Good and poor practice examples, frequency of emergence data, and exemplar quotes for safety climate domains identified in free-text comment responses

From: Patients’ perception of safety climate in Irish general practice: a cross-sectional study

Safety Climate Domain

n (%)a

Exemplar quotes

Communication & feedback

Good practice

14 (14.6%)

“I was particularly impressed by the communication between nurses and doctors within the practice”

“One GP is very good at their job and listens to my concerns”

Poor practice

15 (15.6%)

“My GP rushed a phone call about scan results and took no time to answer questions”

“As a parent, I felt my theory/opinion was ignored and antidepressants were early on for a child”

Access & timeliness

Good practice

2 (2.1%)

“They are very efficient with appointment time and the longest I have waited in the waiting room is 10 min”

“This [waiting time] doesn’t bother me as they are usually fitting me in”

Poor practice

17 (17.7%)

“It is difficult to get an appointment. There is usually a wait of at least a week unless it’s an emergency”

“My GP couldn’t see me that day to just check it so I had to wait a day to get in, unable to walk”

Staff competence

Good practice

8 (8.3%)

“My GP is exceptional…She’s extremely highly skilled and seems to know everything about everything”

“My GP was always very knowledgeable”

Poor practice

13 (13.5%)

“GPs should learn more about ethnic minorities and the health issues that affect them. I usually get misdiagnosed when I go to the GP”

“In one situation the GP explained himself that he did not know how to do a speculum exam and referred me to another doctor”

Dignity & respect

Good practice

8 (8.3%)

“I’m blessed to finally have found a practice that treats patients with ME/CFS with care, respect, dignity and time”

“Doctor, practice nurse and staff are very kind and always treat patients with patience and respect”

Poor practice

8 (8.3%)

“Feel like a burden, treated with disrespect at times”

“The doctors can be a bit condescending sometimes when you’re telling them information you don’t know is relevant or not”

Job demands

Good practice

Poor practice

16 (16.7%)

“They are extremely busy, and you get the sense it is a stressful environment to work in”

“I feel the GPs are so rushed that sometimes they just don’t have sufficient time to spend with acute patients”

Co-ordination of care

Good practice

1 (1.0%)

“GP practice is quite new and seems to be well organised”

Poor practice

9 (9.4%)

“Have to follow up to ensure referrals are made”

“We often see different doctors, so part of the appointment is taken up giving the GP your history”

Risk perceptions

Good practice

8 (8.3%)

“I would consider my GP practice to be very safe and efficient”

“Always felt the safety of care was adequate”

Poor practice

1 (1.0%)

“If I was a new patient in the practice, I would not feel totally safe”

Facilities & equipment

Good practice

1 (1.0%)

“Waiting area is clean and tidy”

Poor practice

4 (4.2%)

“I’m a wheelchair user, examination bench is not accessible to me. Toilet facilities also not accessible”

“No alcohol/disinfectant hand gel anywhere in the waiting/public areas”

Teamwork

Good practice

3 (3.1%)

“The staff get along so well, and I receive exceptional treatment at all times from all staff”

“The receptionist is a valued member of the medical staff. Just as helpful and always ensures that all messages are sent to the GP.

Poor practice

1 (1.0%)

“Two GPs in the practice seem to disagree and one has criticised the instructions the other gave me on several occasions”

Safety systems

Good practice

Poor practice

1 (1.0%)

“There is no ‘red flag’ system, if for example, someone has severe chest pain”

  1. aPercentages do not add to 100%, as there were more than one safety climate domains identified across comments. The denominator is 96, the total number of comments
  2. GP General Practitioner, ME/CFS Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome