Draft Action Note, version 2 – 4th November 2017
24thOctober 2017, 7pm, Caithness General Hospital
Present:
Name / Representing (*)/ DesignationAlison Brooks / GP, Thurso and Halkirk Medical Practice -Princes Street, Thurso, (Chair)
Cara Birnie / NHS Highland (Midwife)
Debbie Pottinger / Member of public
Jim McPherson / Bower Community Council
Kerri-Anne Roberts / NHS Highland (Infant Feeding Support Worker)
Linda Bremner / Tannach and District Community Council
Lucy Caird / Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Maimie Thompson / NHS Highland (Head of PR and Engagement), Notes
Maria Aitken / Sinclair Bay Community Council
Nicola Sinclair / Wick and East Caithness, Highland Councillor
Pam Garbe / Rural General Hospital Manager
Rona Morrison / NHS Highland (Midwife)
(*) –Members are responsible for cascading information to the people they are representing
Apologies:
Anne-Marie Coghill / Volunteer breastfeeding peer supporterGraham Cormack / Scottish Ambulance Service
Janette MacDonald / NHS Highland (Maternity Care Assistant)
Joan Miller / Member of public
John Sutherland / Wick Community Council
Mary Burnside / NHS Highland (Lead Midwife, North & West)
- Welcome and Apologies
Lucy Caird was welcomed to meeting. Apologies noted above.
- Draft Action Note of meeting held on 26thSeptember 2017
Action Note of previous meeting agreed.
2.1Matters Arising
Public Toilets
NS reported that The Highland Council did not have capital funds to progress further developments re Public Toilets as considered to be ‘non essential’. Wider discussion about cleanliness and possible role for Community Councils to take over as a local asset.
LB confirmed that Wind Farm monies could not be used to fund developments that are statutory functions.
- Terms of Reference(ToR) Review
Terms of Reference were reviewed and agreed subject to some minor amendments, as follows:
Individual Cases
Concerns around people being identified by raising individual cases (even when anonymous) were discussed. It was agreed to frame any examples by looking at the issue within the context of a relevant policy and procedure (eg management of Jaundice babies)
The NHS Highland procedures for feed-back was explained and Lucy highlighted that clinicians are always happy to speak to patients with any concerns. She further added that work for improving services is continuous and is not simply based in response to eg complaints.
Email Procedure
Procedure for responding to emails between meetings where there is challenge or disagreement should be handled through the Chair or Secretary. This would be to determine whether there is a need to share with all group members, if a follow-up discussion is required or if the issueshould be held over to the next meeting. This was not requested by NHSH management representatives and the solution was proposed by a community member of the group and agreed
Themed Meetings
The following were agreed as potential future speakers:
- Rural Practitioner
- Paediatrician / Community Paediatrician
- Senior Midwife
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
Action – Mary to oversee rolling programme of guests to attend meeting to update
Media release
There will not be a media release after each meeting but any key announcements or updates will be communicated, as appropriate.
Agenda, Notes and key documents will be available on NHS Highland website
Other
It was note that CHAT are no longer members of the Group and that the baby boxes havenow been distributed.
Action –Maimie to update ToR and reissue for ratification prior to next meeting
- Gynaecology Service Provision
Dr Caird provided update on services in Caithness and Raigmore.
- Consultant Job Planning exercise complete. This allocates when consultants will be in CGH and Raigmore and what services they will be providing such as theatre lists or outpatient
- Raigmore Obstetrics and Gynaecology consultants now at full complement
- Slightly fewer theatre lists currently compared to last year due to reduced need and so no impact on waiting times.
- LC explained that increasingly Gynaecology is moving away from surgical interventions for many things. One of the advantages is that it has increased local capacity to deliver more general surgery
- Colposcopy Service unchanged
- Consultant antenatal clinic one day per week
- Abortion Service
- Early Pregnancy Service
- The choice of seeing a female gynaecologist was also seen as positive
- Hysterectomies still available locally and waits are short. However patients also have choice to go to Raigmore where keyhole surgery now an option. A benefit of this is that patients recover quicker, however, it is a specialist service
- Arrangements for Emergency Gynaecology were explained including that there is a guideline for emergency calls and for early pregnancy bleeding in Caithness
- It was noted that there have been no emergency issues this year
- Greater use of Lawson Memorial is Golspie is also being explored
Jim was concerned that Caithness was getting a remote service rather than a rural one. It was clear from Lucy’s update that the vast majority of gynaecology services are provided locally. JM was reassured by the update.
NS thanked LC for the update and it was positive that so much was happening locally
Video-Clinics
DP asked about feed-back from the gynaecology VC clinic.
Action – Maimie/Mary to chase up and feed-back at next meeting
LC felt that VC clinics would lend themselves for diabetic pregnant mothers and will follow this up.
Action Lucy/Mary to explore and link in with wider work to reduce travel to OP appointments
- Service User Experience
Survey
Kerri updated that questionnaire has now been tested. Ten surveys were sent out and five were returned. This test process was to look at the acceptability of the questionnaire as well as feed-back.
Four participants were happy with the length. While the fifth mother thought it was a bit long they also asked for some extra questions. It was agreed to add a section to allow people to add in any additional comments
In terms of experience feed-back generally positive. One issue raised about Kyle Court being different from what expected (not negative but different) and also having to move accommodation
Subject to a few amendments it was agreed that it would now be issued to all mums at six weeks post-discharge. Hard copies (with Freepost envelope) and electronic versions will be prepared. It will be important to have some prompts to increase response rates.
Midwifes to need to identify any Equality and Diversity issues (other languages, literacy etc) to make sure everyone has equal opportunity and appropriate support to feed-back their views.
Informal Group Feed-Back
Peer-Volunteers also carried out some informal sessions to gauge feed-back. The following points were highlighted:
- General feeling of fear and frightened because of all the public negativity
- The actual experience, however, was positive
- Mums started to find ways to share positive experiences
- Generally very positive about local service and Raigmore
It was agreed this approach was helpful and should continue as part of the evaluation of the new arrangements
Action – Kerri-Anne, Mary and Maimie to document process to date, methodology and agree who will carry out the Analysis
6. Work Stream Updates
6.1Patient Information – Leaflet and Facebook
Any final comments to Mary by the end of the week. It was agreed it was now better to get it issued and hold over any further additions/ comments. Issues as Version 1 and review in six months.
Response to Facebook page has been positive
Action – Mary to finalise and issue leaflet
6.2Accommodation
No further update.
It was noted that issues of accommodation are covered as part of The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland.
NHS Highland is an early adopted board and this will bring further opportunities to support aspects of the service across all our units.
Action - Eric Green to attend next meeting or provide update report.
6.3Ambulance Working Group Update
GC submitted the following update
“Currently undertaking interviews to fill all the additional positions at Wick and Thurso and more information on this will be available for the next meeting. Shift reviews have been completed for both stations and new shift patterns have been agreed that provide increasedcover during peak demand hours. These shifts will be in place in April 2018. In the mean time, the additional shifts continue to be covered by staff on a voluntary basis.”
Pam Garbe highlighted that the process of working with Scottish Ambulance Service has been very positive and bringing further opportunities. Co-location and paramedics working shifts in Emergency Department are being explored
7. AOCB
Jim MacPherson, Bower Community Council proposed a vote of thanks to Kerri-Anne and colleagues for all their work to scope, research, develop and test the survey to get feed-back. All the excellent effort and time was acknowledged by the Group.
It was noted that Laura Menzies Team Lead for Midwives in Caithness) has been nominated and short-listed as part of the Highland Hero Awards. The Awards will be announced on 9th November.
8. Date of Next Meeting
Tuesday 5th December 2017 | 7PM | Caithness General Hospital
Version 1 issued – 29th October 2017
Version 2 Issued – 4th November 2017
Draft action notes from meeting held on 24thOctober2017