Countywide patient forum
Summary of issues raised at event in January 2015
Patient Transport Service (PTS)
Comments from patients included concerns about the eligibility criteria and how they are managed; public transport issues such as reliability and access to information; and distances travelled for hospital appointments.
The national criteria state that patients are eligible for free patient transport if they have a medical need for transport and are unable to use any other form of transport such as help from a friend or relative or public transport, or if the treatment they receive means they need patient transport on the return journey. Patients requiring an escort should have a medical need for an escort, such as requiring treatment during the journey.
A patient’s GP or the healthcare professional referring someone to hospital should discuss, with the patient, whether or not they have a medical need for transport.Additional information regarding the national criteria can be found on our website at
The clinical commissioning group (CCG) is responsible for buying patient transport services that are provided free of charge based on clinical need. This doesn’t cover all transport to health services but we do work closely with the local authority to coordinate other forms of transport, including community transport.
Improving access to GPs
A range of comments touched on planning for discharge from hospital; access to GPs, and length of appointments; continuity of care when you need to see a different doctor; customer care and disability awareness; uncertainty about who to ask for what; accessibility of websites; how to reduce the number failing to attend appointments; and concerns about the triage system for the NHS 111 service.
The GP Patient and five year plan surveys highlight access to GPs as the most significant problem related to primary care. The county is extremely diverse and geographically vast with a largely rural population creating significant access challenges.
Pressures on primary care in-hours and patients’ expectations of services outside of core hours coupled with workforce recruitment challenges creates significant challenges for access.
We are busy working closely with primary care federations and the wider acute and community sector to make efforts to improve GP access issues. Last month we helped prepare, coordinate and submit a bid on behalf of the three federations across Northumberland specifically in relation to models of care that can help improve GP access. This was guided by engagement with key stakeholders and we hope to find out the outcome of our bid in the coming weeks.
Getting involved in a Patient Participation Group
Comments centred on the need to ensure people have the chance to find out more about Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) in GP practices – how to get involved, getting as wide representation as possible, and ensuring people know that their views will be listened to. There was positive feedback about the testing panel, where it was felt patients, carers and others were truly listened to and their views are making a difference.
Patients are encouraged to have a say on how their local GP surgery services can be enhanced by becoming involved in a Patient Participation Group (PPG). The groups have been sent up to involve patients and voluntary and community groups. We really want to engage with patients to share experiences, discuss what is working well and explore what changes are needed to improve the patient experience.
Every patient has a voice and useful experience to share. Expert skills are not required to enable someone to become involved with a PPG. Views are listened to by the PPG and the views expressed and feedback helps shape the way healthcare is developed for the people of Northumberland.
You can obtain further information by contacting your GP surgery.
Keeping healthy
Patients made a range of comments about healthy lifestyles, feeling that people are generally living healthier lives than five or ten years ago as a result of better access to education, feeling more responsible for our own health and more awareness of public health campaigns, such as bowel and breast screening – but that there are financial barriers to traditional exercise and being able to eat healthily (gym memberships, cost of fruit and veg often higher than ‘junk food’)
Other comments touched on how early issues should be flagged with a GP; links between health and social care; diet and nutrition advice, including for people with diabetes and help to stay in your own home. Patients also mentioned concerns with continuity of care and navigating the NHS system, funding for mental health services and knowing which service to contact when you need treatment.
Comments about the patient forum meeting
Patients made a range of useful comments and suggestions which will help us to run the forum events in a way that really works for people.
- Size of discussion groups: Some people commented that smaller discussion groups would be better as it was difficult to hear at times as the tables were placed quite closely together. We will take this into account when making preparations for the next event later in the year.
- Presentation slides
At the last patient forum meeting it was commented upon that it would be helpful for hard copy presentations to be available on the day. The presentations were available on tables at the meeting however it has further been commented upon that it would be helpful for presentation slides to be distributed to people in advance of the actual meeting. This will be done ahead of the next meeting.
- Why aren’t the meeting venues rotated?
There have been two patient forum meetings to date, both of which have been in Morpeth. It is intended that the next meeting will take place elsewhere in the county. Feedback received as a result of the event is that Alnwick, Berwick, Hexham and Ashington could all be considered as good locations for the next meeting. The venue of the next event will be organised over the coming weeks.
- The presentations
There were a number of short presentations scheduled to try to share important CCG updates along with hearing from patients and Healthwatch on their experiences of participating in Patient Participation Groups and the Testing Panels. Unfortunately the presentation time did overrun and this will be reflected upon when planning the next event. We need to ensure that we get the balance right between sharing information in a way that is meaningful but also allows a significant amount of time for the table discussions.
Quotes from the day…
- “Very positive meeting. Enjoyed listening to concerns as well as good feedback from many people. Look forward to next meeting.”
- “Hurrah! (Hearing) loop works a first!”
- “Thank you for organising these sessions – a lot of time and effort put in. Appreciate that the organisers made it convivial with healthy option refreshments. It is very good that the patient voice is being heard.”
- “Well organised despite being a bit cramped.”
We would like to thank everyone who took the time to come along and share their experiences. Your contribution helps us to continually improve healthcare services throughout Northumberland.
If you missed the event and would like to provide additional comments, you can contact us by email at .
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