Cheddar Medical Centre (CMC) PPG Minutes of Meeting with Tessa Munt, MP Thursday 20th March 2014
Minutes of Meeting with Tessa Munt, MP Thursday 20th March 2014
Attendees: 10 PPG members, Pauline Drummond, Practice Manager and Tessa Munt, MP.
Smaller Rural Medical Practices – change for the future
A summary was given of the CMC, the Centre’s success against the measures of quality, patient satisfaction and current financial sustainability and the 2013 patient survey outcomes to preserve continuity of care; access to Doctor of choice and a surgery close to home.
The main threats to CMC are perceived as the NHS drive for ‘super practices’, reduced CMC revenue from Qualified Providers and Doctor workload and stress.
The message of ‘don’t break what is not broken’ was clearly stated and agreed.
The meeting focussed on three discussion areas.
- The preservation of essential elements of primary care at CMC within the NHS ‘Call to Action’ theme of Super Practices of 25,000 patients whilst focussing on giving patients greater control over their own health and increased productivity.
It was clear from Tessa Munt that there is no external pressure from the NHS or Commissioning Bodies to group rural medical practices into larger practices.
The decision clearly rests with the CMC as managed by the Principal Doctors. Other medical practices have decided to merge because of their own and/or local needs to group services in one location as decided by the managing doctors concerned as appropriate to local conditions.
Patient care and continuity of care is a central element of Primary Care, both of which are clearly provided by CMC.
All parties expressed a view that there was limited understanding and knowledge of the other ‘minor ailment’ centres, e.g. accident and emergency, treatment centres, local pharmacy services, etc and these services should be appropriately used.
There is a widespread need to communicate ‘what’ is ‘where’ and ‘when’ the other centres should be used.
With the continuously changing NHS environment the point was made about removing the NHS from being a ‘political football’ to give governance and stability of long term direction.
- The emergence of Any Qualified Provider and the threat to continued CMC financial sustainability
It was explained that specified Enhanced Services will be submitted for outside tender in 2015/16 potentially meaning a decreasing revenue for CMC. A feeling was expressed of don’t reduce CMC revenue by ‘stealth’ – a lack of transparency and general knowledge of outsourcing services that may have a detrimental effect of the future viability of CMC.
Tessa Munt understood the point of view and will seek guidance and knowledge on the Qualified Provider perceived threat.
- Public and Community Transport to medical appointments outside Cheddar is a major problem, especially for the sick and elderly.
People and community healthcare has not completed the ‘circle of healthcare and wellbeing’ by considering the transport infrastructure that so often adds stress and delay.
Whilst there is a complete understanding of the transport difficulties by the PPG and Tessa Munt, there is a lack of information of what transport is available, in what circumstances and where CMC patients indeed take the most journeys.
Examples were cited of Red Cross transport being used for specific radiography appointments and Bristol appointments taking a whole day using public transport via Wells to Bristol.
It was agreed that Tessa Munt will act together with the PPG if needed, but there is a need to firstly gather information of what transport is available, how is it used and what specific issues there are that need to be challenged and addressed.
A transport working party has been established led by a PPG member etc that will lead to a thorough analysis.
Tessa Munt was thanked by the PPG for her time, contributions and forward actions in raising awareness of the issues affecting the CMC. She will contact the PPG regarding the outcome of correspondence with the Minister of Health. The PPG agreed to correspond with transport outcomes.
Actions
a) Tessa Munt Contact the Minister of Health, Norman Lamb MP regarding clarity and direction of the NHS Call to Action theme of Super Practices affecting CMC, and the future threat to CMC revenue of the Qualified Provider outsourcing policy.
b) PPG to address the lack of clarity and communication effectiveness of alternative treatment centres affecting CMC as described in discussion area 1.
c) The PPG working party to undertake an analysis of the transport issues affecting CMC and the challenges that need to be addressed.
Consider circulating minutes of PPG meetings to Tessa Munt (via staff) as appropriate.
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