Patient reference group meeting minutes –
16 3 16 at 5 pm
Present: Dr J Williams, Mrs A Goode (Practice Manager), Mrs Teresa Newman (Admin Manager), and patient group members
Everyone was introduced and welcomed to the meeting. Amanda explained that there are currently 141 patients subscribed to the patient reference group and that comminication throughout the year was generally by e-mail with an annual meeting. Teresa is currently updating the members and will send out more information following the meeting today. Patients usually subscribe to the group via the new patient questionnaire, the website link or following surgery newsletters.
- Last year’s priorities and feedback – the action plan for last year was distributed and discussed. Themes such as the new build and appointment waiting time were on-going and actions taken throughout the year to alleviate the issues were discussed and further actions identified. Communications with patients were discussed with new systems in place with increased on-line facilities and new service trials being trialled at present. The action plan will be updated and added to the website, along with the minutes of the meeting.
- Friends and family test results and feedback
Results were circulated and discussed. The surgery is very happy with its 96.5% positive (patients chose extremely likely or likely to recommend the practice) feedback throughout the year. 1.4% chose neither likely or unlikely or didn’t know and 2.1% chose unlikley or extremely unlikely. Difficulties were discussed around anonymous comments on the questionnaires with regard to issues with individuals at the practice and that the practice would have liked to discuss the concerns with the patient. However, the practice has added information to the practice website to respond to some of the general issues raised, for example a dislike in the choice of radio station played. This on-going survey will continue with results displayed on the surgery website.
- National survey results
The national patient survey results were circulated for discussion. This survey is administered outside of general practice and questionnaires sent to patients from practice lists over the year. There is a website: where patients can view results for their surgery and compare to other surgeries or areas or to the national results.
The surgery was extremely pleased with a recent article in the local journal newspaper stating that recent results showed Campden Surgery as the top ranked surgery in the Cotswolds’ area (224th out of 7,708 surgeries in the UK). The article was proudly displayed in the surgery.
From the results:
- 97% of respondents found the receptionists helpful (compared to the national average of 87%)
- 90% of respondents describe their experience of making an appointment as good (compared to the national average of 73%)
- 93% of respondents say the last GP they saw or spoke to was good at involving them in decisions about their care (compared to the national average of 82%)
- 91% of respondents would recommend the surgery to someone new in the area (compared to the national average of 78%)
- 56% of respondents usually wait 15 minutesor less after their appointment time to be seen (compared to the national average of 65%)
This area will continue to be prioritized and worked on by the practice. Discussions around this included:
- educating patients about the 10 minute appointment slots for GP’s and that patients can request a “double” 20 minute slot if they feel they have more complex issues to discuss.
- Raising awareness advising to talk about the most important issue first in an appointment (if they need to discuss a number of items) and that they may be asked to rebook another appointment if the 10 minute slot is overrun.
- Discussing ways of amending appointment allocation to allow for delays as much as can be foreseen.
- Changing the afternoon starting times from 2pm to 2 05 pm to allow for the surgery to re-open after its ½ hour lunch break and ensure clinicians start again on time.
- Increase awareness of the practice website and subscribers to the newsletters via the television screen and posters in the surgery.
- This year’s priorities:
E-mails had been circulated in November asking for comments regarding new service initiatives being trialled in Gloucestershire and asking for help with choosing which ones the practice should get involved with. Responses received with comments were very helpful. Some patient members did not receive this e-mail and, therefore, Teresa will check her list to ensure this is up to date and also ensure that e-mails are sent by blind copy to ensure patient e-mail addresses are protected.
The new initiatives are to assist with patient expectations and demand in Gloucestershire, which has risen dramatically over the last few years, compared to practice resources and capacity, which have decreased during the same timeframe. Recruitment of new GP’s and locum GP’s to cover sessions is exceptionally difficult at present and the surgery has recently filled a salaried GP vacancy which had been vacant since the beginning of October. From this, it was decided that the practice would trial the following:
- “Choice +” clinics - held in Moreton-in-marsh surgery for North Cotswold patients for “urgent” on the day issues. These are bookable appointments by receptionists for patients who need an acute (ie not on-going) medical issue to be dealt with, without the need to see one of our routine drs.
- E-consultations – facility via the surgery website to ask questions or complete a health questionnaire, which are then responded to by the practice the same day.
- New build – discussed and still a priority for the practice. However, the local Clinical Commissioning group’s recent prioritization of practices in Gloucestershire have placed Campden Surgery at approximately a third of the way down on the list of practices to be approved, even with the acknowledgement that we have utilized all of our available space and are unable to provide extra clinical sessions for GP’s and nurses due to lack of space. The practice has a developer dealing with this project and is in contact with the local council and neighbourhood plan committee with regard to this.
- Patient reference group chair and meetings
Rachel Cunynghame has decided to step down as patient chair. Mandy asked for members to consider stepping forward to become our new patient reference group chair person for this year. The role would not be onerous, as the practice generally only meets once a year and communicates via e-mail other than this. If a patient chair wanted to be more involved and arrange more frequent meetings, this would also be welcomed by the practice. The chair would also receive occasional e-mails from the local NHS group inviting them to occasional meetings with other patient group chairs.
If you are interested in this role, could you please let Teresa or Mandy know.
- Recruiting new members
The surgery is always looking to recruit new members to the group and asked patients attending the meeting to spread the word with friends and relatives to increase membership and gain further input to the group.
Patients were thanks for their attendance today and the meeting closed.