MALMESBURY PATIENTS PARTICIPATION GROUP
MINUTES OF MEETING 9 August 2010
Present: Marion Burfield, Elisabeth Cheshire, Georgina Carter, David Grogan, Miriam Nicholls, Ces Smith
Apologies were received from Margaret Perrin and Grace Walbridge.
Surgery update: Kate Badcock has now retired. David Charles is now the Senior partner. Her patient list has been taken by Chris Phillips who was previously an excellent registrar with the practice, however all patients can see the GP of their choice so some general ‘redistribution’ is likely across the whole practice..
Bodies for medical research: The Human Tissue Authority has an excellent website to which patients can be referred. http://www.hta.gov.uk/donations/howtodonateyourbodytomedicalscience.cfm
Summary Care Record stored on a National database: Each PCT decides when to engage with this programme and part of that process is to set up a public consultation. Since this consultation would cost about £300,000, it is thought that it would not take place in Wiltshire for some time.
Patients’ participation forum: Ces reported that he had attended this in Devizes which was held to encourage new practices to form PPG’s. One observation he learnt was that some practices “text” patients to remind them of appointments s. Dave said that there is currently quite a lot of discussion re confidentiality issues so this practice would ‘watch the situation’. That said the amount of DNA is low compared to other areas and texting works best in practices with a very young population ( ie close to a University or large new housing estates etc. There was also a tour of the Independent Treatment Centre in Devizes. Dave pointed out that a lot more ‘simple’ routine surgery will eventually be done by these centres and not at GWH and RUH and they employ specialist who are experts in these procedures.
Hospital transport now has to be arranged between the patient and the hospital.
Date of next meeting: This will be on 11 October. Georgina and Miriam gave apologies.