ANDOVER MEDICAL CENTRE
270-282 HORNSEY ROAD
LONDON N7 7QZ
Tel: 020 7281 6956 Fax: 020 7561 1515
Dr Amita Varma MBBS,MRCGP,DRCOG,DFFP,DipPracDerm / Dr Debashis Singh
MBChB,BSc (Hons)
MRCGP / Dr Rue Roy
MRCGP, MBBS,
BSc / Marta Cabrera
Practice Manager
ANDOVER MEDICAL CENTRE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG)
MEETING held on 23 September 2013, Time 18:00 – 19:00 PM at Andover Medical Centre
Attendees:
GB, PG, JH,WH, WC, JM, EJ, ZK, AC, BG, NR, PG.
Andover Medical Centre
Marta Cabrera (MC), Practice Manager, DR Rue Roy (RR), GP partner, Rishi Vyas (RV) Reception/Admin and Tim Hubbard (TH) IT Admin
Guest
Jaime Ross (JR) from UCHL.
The meeting was presided over by Marta Cabrera with the following agenda
1)Welcome and Introductions
Everyone introduced themselves and MC welcomed to Dr Roy, who joined us as a partner, Daniela Gomes, practice Nurse; Dr Asma Farooq, GP registrar and Dr Mawoneyi Mafunga, GP maternity locum cover for Dr Varma.
Also, everyone agreed with the minutes of the previous meeting.
2)Update of the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
RR, who is the Clinical Commissioning lead for Andover Medical Centre gave us an update about it.
In the future the CCG will purchase health and wellbeing services for the patients in these four strategic priorities:
- First 21 months of life
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Long term conditions
- Clinical and cost effectiveness
Patients were very concerned about the care for the elderly population and mental health programs for the patients. RR explained that the CCG is working definitely in both areas and they are reviewing all the services that they can commission: hospital services and local community services.
It was also explained that the CCG have launched the Clinical Commissioning Local Enhanced Service (LES) who cover more programs such as integrated care planning, Multi-Disciplinary Team meetings (MDT), to help the elderly population or patients at risk. This also includes the view of the patients through the participation in the Pan Islington Events and Patients participation group.
3)Patient Education
JR, from UCHL did a presentation about Management Diabetes toolkit.
A new website “Management Diabetes toolkit “ which was developed at University College London by a team of GP’s, psychologists, researches, diabetes nurses, consultants, dieticians and most importantly people with type 2 Diabetes.
This website, is a self-management website for people with type 2 diabetes.
As we know, self- management is the most important part of diabetes care and can help people lead a healthy, happy life with diabetes whilst reducing the risk of other health problems.
It was explained and shown how patients can access this website from any computer with internet access. Patients with Diabetes type 2 need to register and sign up to this service.
Some patients were concerned that not everybody has a computer and they don’t have internet access. MC explained that the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is supporting all the surgeries and they have approved to provide us with a Computer to be used for the patients “Elephant Kiosk” and we are waiting for the installation of it.
Also, it was suggested that patients can go to the local library or internet cafe. In the libraries there are courses available to teach basic computer skills.
Three patients did the registration on this website after the presentation.
4)Appointment System update
RV,is the person who manages the appointment system on Emis-Web and he explained the changes:
- Length of advance appointment booking time
Patients can now book appointments up to two weeks and six weeks in advance.
- Online appointment booking
Appointments can now be booked online, through our website.
(Instructions how to apply to use the online booking can be found on our website).
- Emergency Appointments
We are now offering more on the day appointments and these will be given in preference to the elderly, pregnant women and young children.
Please note that the practice is not a “walk in” centre and patients should telephone the practice for an emergency appointment.
- Telephone Triage
The doctors call back service operates mornings only, and it will be at the discretion of the doctor to offer an appointment on the same day if necessary.
Patients were very satisfied with these new changes and MC explained that we haven’t made this public, as we were in the probationary period to see how well these changes work. We will publish all the changes in the website very soon.
The patients said that sometimesthey cannot see the doctor of their choice.MC explained that reception has been now notified that it is important to book patients with the doctor who is following up any test or examinations on patients. However, it may be difficult to offer appointments with the doctor of their preference if the patient cannot wait and wishes to be seen sooner. E.g. “Urgent appointments” This depends on the availability of the doctor and the appointments.
On the same night some patients were able to set up the registration on-line.
Action Plan and New Patient Survey
As we are planning our next annual survey, a form “patient’s views on improving services” was circulated to all members of the PPG to collect the most relevant information to see which areas need improvement at the surgery. Once we have this information patients will need to agree how we are going to proceed with the Survey.
5)North Islington PPG Meetings
A copy of the minutes of the Meeting Patient & Public Involvement was given and a brief explanation was given by MC.
Main subjects, NHS 111 and Commissioning intentions.
6)News:
- Building works were discussed, and there have been some disruptions in the main entrance, apologies were given. Unfortunately, the work has been longer than expected, as the roof needed to be totally repaired.
- Flu Campaign, starting 1st October. The target for this year is 75% of the population over 65 years old and 75% of patients at risk.
Patients were informed that this year appointments are no necessary, as we are having “walk in clinics” three days a week.
7)AOB
A big thank you to EJ who provided us with marvellous information about “Talking News Islington” (TNI) a charity who care about blind or otherwise visually impaired people and provides an Audio Local Newspaper that is full of news, information about the borough. This is recorded for an enthusiastic volunteers and it can be provided by Compact Dis (CD) or Cassette (Tape). The form and delivery is free!
We will publish it on the TV at the surgery.
MC and the staff gave a big thank you to all members of the PPG for their attendance, we appreciate that they are very keen on working with us as well as together to develop a better service in the surgery.