Malmesbury Primary Care Centre
PATIENTS PARTICIPATION GROUP
Minutes of meeting 6 June 2011
Present: Marion Burfield, Georgina Carter, Elisabeth Cheshire, Miriam Nicholls, Margaret Perrin, Ces Smith, Di Vincent, Grace Walbridge, Jennifer Walker.
Apologies: there were no apologies
Minutes of the last meeting were agreed.
Matters arising:
Website update: There was a discussion about the content of the PPG page. It was agreed to give a description of the role of the PPG and its members. Names and contact details of members would be given, also the parish they represent. It would also state that any member could be contacted. Minutes of meeting would also be posted on the page.
Podiatry service: The government guideline is for this to be done under the NHS every TEN weeks (for Diabetic patients etc). We were reminded that the Age UK service is still available at Glovers Court to all patients who only need a cutting service and they have a shorter time interval. There is a cost involved with each visit and also an initial are equipment pack cost.
Surgery Update: Pictures
The Pictures initially placed around the building were on a 3 year contact with a Hospital Charity ( Funded by the Malmesbury LoF) This has now expired and another solution is being established . Some of the ‘spaces’ will be filled by a local photographer who specialises in local scenes. Dave reiterated that these latest pictures were also being funded through the generosity of the LoF.
Surgery Update:Extended Hours.
Dave explained the rules for Practices having to open outside the ‘normal’ times had been relaxed ( along with a cut in the funding) and Practices were now allowed to use Practice Nurses as well as GP’s to cover the required hours . Dave explained that the practice had already trialling Saturday Morning PN session and this seemed to have been well received (all appointments fully booked) . This positive outcome along with a significant (albeit anecdotal) feedback that many of the early/ late/ Saturday day appointments were actually filled with patients wanting ‘any’ appointment rather than a ‘special’ time one. Indeed the elderly and those without transport found seeing GPs at these times in winter months a problem and not a blessing. Dave explained that if the practice did modify the current arrangements then a P Nurse would be available every Saturday along with a GP session. However the pre 8.00am and post 18.30 appts currently offered by GP’s would stop. The Group agreed having a Nurse for dressings, smears; travel etc would be seen as a good thing and endorsed this as an option.
Surgery Update:Patient Reference Groups:
Dave explained the new national requirements and suggest a mechanism for the new group to develop evolve. A copy of the Patient Participation Directed Enhanced Service ( DES) Guidence and Audit) was distributed via email and post either prior to the meeting ( most cases) or a couple at the meeting. Dave explained that the requirement to develop a Patient Reference Group ( PRG) should not be seen as a threat to the current Patient Participation Group (PPG) indeed provisional interpretation of the requirements, and initial thoughts how the Practice will implement them would keep the PPG at the heart of the programme. The Key factor with a PRG is it has to be “representive” of the practice population … this not only means geographical ( which the PPG is) but also other variables such age, sex, ethnicity, working status, single parents etc etc. The PPG fully accepted that it did not, and could not become ‘representative’ in those terms, as the numbers required to fulfil this would be too great. Instead it was proposed to use the ‘virtual’ option and to gather a representive reference group though a combination of networking, Surgery recruitment. It would be deemed ‘virtual’ as the intention would be to use email as the tool to communicate with, and to. (the group realised that by using email as the key tool might exclude a particular group of the patient population- so an alternative option would be developed to ensure this was not an issue). Exact mechanisms have to be worked out but it was envisaged that the PPG would be at the hub of this virtual group and be the direct ‘voice’ when discussing the issues with the Practice ( face to face) at its meetings.
Dave explained that getting an ‘absolute’ representive sample was never going to be possible or expected but efforts must be made to ensure that different patients groups are captured – this could be young mums, the retired, those working, military dependants ( ethnic communities ie Nepalese) , Carers ,those in Residential Care , patients with long term conditions etc etc. Practices have been advised that a ‘virtual’ group size of around 100 .
Dave suggested that it might be a good idea if each of the PPG members attempted to ‘recruit’ people within their community that fell into one or more of these groups , especially people that would be responsive and willing to engage in the service the Surgery provides. It was agreed it would be easier to do if Dave prepared a draft invitation letter which explained what was trying to be achieved and why we wanted their help ( and to reassure them it would not be an onerous task and that they would not ‘bothered ‘ excessively!).
The main point of the PRG is to establish what key areas need to be reviewed – this might come from the PRG virtual members themselves or it might be items that the Practice wants to get a wide patient perspective on ( ie a new phone system etc … please note this is just an example!!) .
Once we have identified the key areas then we can use the PRG Group to find out a little more (probably by a short and simple questionnaire that can be filled out online). Feedback from these can be collated and the results distributed and then discussed with the PPG so the Practice can action any points with the benefit of these results in mind.
Finally great care has to be made that this process does not raise unrealistic expectation (ie request for 24/7 opening) as the Practice has to operate to its NHS contract. It might be the case that the practice needs to get a patient perspective on how it has to deal with budget cuts (ie which would be better… cut back no service a or service b!).
ACTION : Dave to produce a draft explanatory/’sign up’ letter or leaflet that members of the PPG and the Practice itself can use to recruit a virtual PRG population.
Any Other Business:
There has been a temporary blip in the phone system which meant no music appeared ‘on hold’. This has now been partially sorted out.
There still appears to be difficulties in relaying to patients that a significant no. of appointments ARE available for Pre booking (up to 6 weeks ahead). Methods to reinforce this message is l being looked into.
Some patients reported have problems with the auto-check-in system. From experience this is nearly always down to the patient not fully reading the directions or screen before entering info ( their date of birth seems to cause the most problems) .
In Order to make sure best use of NHS funding it is sometimes necessary for Practices to be asked to review patients on a certain drug and offer an alternative that is just as good but cheaper. This can mean NHS savings of several hundreds/thousands for medication per year on a single patient. All medication will be at least as good as any current medication. Such a switch has just been started in Malmesbury and this will affect about 300patients from this practice.
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