BARTON HILLS MEDICAL GROUP
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP MEETING
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY, 6TH JUNE 2017
Apologies: Mary and James Stenhouse, Audrey Bongers
Present: Phil Turner, Ange Ashpool, Marie McGregor, Pauline Davies, Dorothy Iszatt, Maureen Gay, Linda Adams, Clare Hopkins, Ruth Smith, Jill Dickson and the meeting welcomed a new member, Linda Henness.
1. Minutes of the last meeting: these were approved as a true record of the meeting held on 13th March 2017.
2. Matters Arising:
6. Consent to share records: it is probably in a patient’s best interests to share their medical records with medical professionals if necessary: this policy is likely to be implemented for all by April of next year. Information on this policy could be devolved to patients on prescription notes, added to the newsletter or by sharing the information on the waiting room screen.
3. Sustainability Transformation Programme Update: Phil has attended various meetings recently and GP access came up for frequent discussion. The BLMK STP is one of nine leading STP areas and has been allocated additional funding. Some local authorities, Phil reported, ignore the whole STP opportunity.
4. GP Access: Ange mentioned an initiative GP “Forward View”. The General Practice Forward View, published in April 2016, commits to an extra £2.4 billion a year to support general practice services by 2020/21. It will improve patient care and access, and invest in new ways of providing primary care.
Three practices in Luton (the 3 worst cases) are to be given money for a trial. The aim is to take pressure off doctors if possible by training more GPs and nurses.
Ange commented on how much time doctors have to devote to prescription issues. Lea Vale practice is introducing administration training with the aim of reducing by 70% the time doctors have to spend on admin., freeing them up to do more clinical work.
5. Telephone appointments with GPs: these are to be reduced significantly by Dr Perera, Dr Siddique and Dr Stratford do not use them. The discussion turned to appointments, specifically the numbers of DNAs (do not attend). Some patients who book ahead and even on the day do not attend. Ange will sometimes write to repeat offenders. The meeting felt that there should be consequences for this waste of appointments, denying other patients the opportunity to see their GP. In May 2017 there were 104 DNAs, 4% of available appointments. At one practice in Luton, there can be as many as 30% not attending!
6. Access Group of which BHMG is a member: please see the final paragraph of item 4.
7. Healthwatch AGM: Phil advised the meeting of the Healthwatch AGM scheduled for 27th July at the Luton Irish Forum, 102 Hitchin Road, 3pm to 6pm with refreshments provided. The panel will include Dr Nina Pearson who is Chairman of the CCG, representatives from public health and Cambridge Community Services, a pharmacist and a representative from the Luton & Dunstable University hospital.
8. Luton Cancer Screening: Ange circulated a questionnaire which has been provided by the Luton Clinical Commissioning Group. The opportunity of cancer screening (breast, bowel, cervical) is not taken up by the local population as much as it should be, 30% of patients do not turn up for their appointments. Therefore the Luton CCG hope this questionnaire will provide the necessary feedback and help them increase its usage. Some copies of the questionnaire will be placed in the waiting room.
9. Any Other Business:
§ Phil reported that the local PRG has only 6 PPGs attending and is therefore not representative of the area. Some practices complain that their GPs do not attend their meetings. Phil commented that he does not have a problem with the doctors not coming to BHMG meetings and Ange added that their main role is that of clinicians.
§ The meeting welcomed Ruth Smith who is our new full time Nurse Practitioner.
§ HUC – Herts Urgent Care – became the providers of the 111 service with effect from 1st April but apparently the service is not working well.
§ The subject of charging a fee for an appointment with a GP was raised but it is most unlikely to be introduced.
Date of next meeting: Tuesday 15th August at 1pm.