5th Meeting of the Bridge View Medical (BVM)

Patient Participation Group (PPG)

Held on Monday 5th March 2018

at Amerind Grove Nursing Home

Attendees:

Steve Walter - Malago

Kath Ford –Malago

Barbara Gallati - Southville

Janis Beavon – Southville

Caroline Round – Wedmore

Dr Andrew Green – Malago (Executive Partner)

Dr Liz Lawrence – Malago (Community Links & Self Care Lead)

Steve Davies (Interim Chair)

Apologies:

Betty Ford - Malago

Betty Gilbert - Malago

1.Welcomes and Introductions. Liz Lawrence was introduced to the PPG members.

2.Review of actions from the previous meeting. SD acknowledged the action to arrange PPG member briefings at their ‘home’ surgeries, but it was agreed that this action could be deferred until after the merger date.

3.Update on merger plans. AG reported on the following topics:

  • The latest developmentson the service delivery work stream, which was proving more difficult to coordinate than was originally expected. As a result, the urgent care model would not be rolled out until June (at the point in time when all 4 surgeries are aligned on the same EMIS clinical platform). AG stated that the benefit of the decision to defer the urgent care model enabled a longer bedding-in period after the merger.
  • AG also reported that work continued regarding the shape and form of the urgent care ‘Hub’ for delivering triage of same day appointments.
  • Work was continuing to look at continuity of care for those patients that needed regular contact with the same clinician.
  • AG was working on a briefing video which will be played in each surgery reception area, giving details of the merger.

Following AGs briefing, the following questions were raised:

  • SW asked if each branch surgery would have specific specialities? AG replied that those already exist, but it was hoped to grow and expand the way in which BVM utilises the skills that its clinicians carried.
  • JB asked for further details of “GPSI’s” (GPs with Special Interests). LL explained the difference between GPSIs and GPs with informal areas of interest.
  • BG enquired about the benefits of introducing New Patient Questionnaires to capture relevant data about new joiners at BVM. SD replied that NPQs already exist at each individual practice, which captured a range of information, including previous medical history data, and useful background information (eg: are you a Carer?). After the merger, there would be work undertaken to create a new, single NPQ for BVM patients.

Outcome: Once the newly drafted NPQ had been produced, it would be reviewed by PPG members and feedback invited from them.

  • JB asked for an update on plans for home visiting. AG stated that we were aiming to form a regular visiting team to give continuity of care for home-based patients. The underlying challenge to the visit team model was how they would be flexed on days that required large numbers of visits, when compared to days where very few visits were needed. The model of care was currently being developed, but until it was deployed, each surgery would continue with their present home visiting system.

AG also reported that cross-over of team members and resources had enabled the finance team to release approximately £200,000 of funds in order to recruit Advanced Nurse Practitioners and additional GPs to augment the urgent care team.

Community Links and Self Care. LL formally introduced herself and stated that her role would be to attend these meetings in her capacity as Community Links and Self Care lead for the BVM. She had accepted this role in the governance of the new practice, because she saw the importance of patient engagement and communications, but she felt this subject area was quite daunting because it is not yet clearly defined. At the outset, she intended to grow engagement through social media, as she was an advocate of Facebook and Twitter.

4.Update on NAPP Membership. SD confirmed that he had submitted a BVM application to join the National Association of Patient Participation (NAPP). Formal accreditation was still awaited, but he gave an overview of the resources that NAPP would provide to PPGs including:

  • Building better participation
  • Getting PPGs in place
  • Helping PPGs work well
  • Knowing and working with patients
  • Influencing beyond the GP practice

SD also showed the group samples of the resource packs, and confirmed that online access to these resources would be available once formal membership had been acknowledged.

5.Update on the NHS Communications Plan. SD gave details of the recent ‘Whole team Meeting’ which saw team members from all 4 surgeries come together for the first time to hear the latest plans for the merger, and hear a briefing from Executive Chair (AG) on the confirmed vision for the new practice.

In terms of next steps for patient engagement in the Communications Plan, SD confirmed that the public meeting would take place on March 15th. PPG members were invited to attend, but were requested to give their names to their ‘home’ surgery, in order to confirm numbers of attendees.

The meeting had been advertised by a variety of means, including:

  • Posters
  • Text alerts
  • Adverts on repeat prescriptions
  • Waiting room info-graphics

PPG members stated that the media campaign currently looked rather narrow, and sought assurance that all available options would be used to maximise publicity for the event. They also commented on the space limitations at The ACTA Centre, and sought assurance that the public engagement event would be repeated in the future.

6.Any Other Business.

SD circulated wiring diagrams showing thecomposition of the BVM Board and the proposed organisational structure of the new surgery, and showing details of the operational management structure.

It was noted by PPG members that the wiring diagram depicted a non-voting Lay Member from the community sitting on the Board. Clarification was sought from PPG members whether they would also be included in the Board structure?

Action: SD agreed to take those questions to the next Executive meeting.

Following the 4th PPG meeting, SW had raised several observations relating to BFP’s decision to withdraw from the merger process. Points noted included:

Why would BFP’s Press Release dated October 2017 state that BFP wanted to withdraw from the merger, in order to focus its energies on completing their recruitment process? It raised the issue of practice autonomy in recruiting staff, and SW queried whether BVM would centralise its recruitment and HR processes. SD confirmed that recruitment would definitely be centralised in the BVM, because it was more effective and efficient to work across the practice in a coordinated and structured manner.

SW’s final question asked whether the merged BVM would wish to work with BFP in the future, given the history from last year. SD acknowledged this excellent question, and gave details of the aspiration to collaborate with BFP to deliver extended access across Bedminster and Southville during 2018.

A S Davies

Practice Manager

Malago Surgery

Date of Next Meeting:

3pm on Monday 23rd April 2018 at Amerind Grove Nursing Home