Thorpe Road Surgery PPG

Minutes of Meeting 27.07.2017

Present:

KC (deputy chair), RD, GC, NP, JP, BR, SM,NH(minutes and on behalf of the practice)

Apologies:

SD, MP, MG

New members:

The group welcomes SM.

News from the Practice

Infrastructure extension bid

  • By 6th July, the practice had still no news from NHS England following the Premises Group meeting that took place on 6th June, and no response to chaser emails or calls. Wrote to the LMC to see if they could glean any more information – they said a contact had been appointed and further information was required from the practice, but no-one had been in contact. Surgery has made a formal complaint to NHS England regarding this.

Alternative phone provider

  • Anew phone provider has been appointed and as of 27th July (today), the switch to them has started. New phone lines and call facilities/handsets will follow on shortly.

Staffing

  • Our recently hired Associate Practitioner/Paramedic (Nick) has unfortunately handed in his notice as he is relocating. The surgery has learned some things from employing him and is looking to replace him with a part-time counterpart, freeing up room for another clinician.

Minutes and matters arising

Patient Survey

  • Outcomes discussed – generally very positive.
  • 91% of patients saw their practitioner of choice – most who didn’t wanted to see a GP. NH feels that the surgery could be doing more to explain to patients why they are being offered another professional (i.e. that not all problems are best treated by a GP). Also that any issues a Nurse Practitioner etc cannot help with, they will immediately consult/refer to a GP. NP thinks the PPG have a part to play in disseminating this information as well.
  • Not many patients using online appointment booking, which has significant potential to reduce phone traffic. SM said this could be partly down to the fact not many appointments are offered online. There is a ‘Catch-22’ here, as more appointments offered online means less to offer by phone, so unless more patients are using the online appointments we cannot offer more in this way (if an appointment is not booked by the day it is due, reception will open it up to use it that day).
  • Nurse appointments also cannot be offered online due to the differing appointment lengths for different treatments.
  • (UPDATE: NH has audited July appointments, of 32 online appts offered, 25 were booked online, 6 converted by admin on the day, 1 left empty).
  • Discussed some specific items that SD had passed on to NH prior to the meeting.
  • Many related to above issue of wanting to see a GP (one patient stated they wanted a paediatrician at the surgery to see their children)
  • As above, feel this is more about ensuring patients know that seeing a Nurse Practitioner or Paramedic does not mean they will get a ‘lesser’ service.
  • One patient requested a water dispenser and baby changing table.
  • Water dispensers pose a problem with infection control, but signage has been added to say patients can ask at reception if they need a glass of water
  • NH suggested that the Friends group could consider funding a baby changing table as a first project, as it is a small target amount (~£120-140). There is space for this in the disabled toilet.
  • One patient expressed dissatisfaction with one Receptionist, feeling that she is rude/sarcastic.
  • All reception staff have had recent telephone skills training.
  • The survey had yielded a potential 3 new members, one of whom (SM) has joined us today.

Correspondence

No updates

Reports from other meetings that members have attended

Patients Forum

  • There was a talk from Public Health on Atrial Fibrillation (a heart condition which causes an irregular pulse). The CCG (clinical commissioning group) are currently in talks about funding clinics to identify patients who may have the condition but be undiagnosed (as it increases risk of stroke) – NH advised this was first proposed to surgeries this month and there are no definitive plans as yet.
  • Also discussed was how to combat failures to attend (DNA’s) in practices. This is not a significant problem at Thorpe Road.

Healthwatch Public Board

  • The CCG are considering implementing a minimum wait time of 12 weeks for non-urgent elective procedures (whilst still treating within the national standard of 18 weeks. The group felt it was highly unlikely this was achievable and that this would lead to the 18 week target being missed.

AOB

  • GC asked if any of the group would be interested in joining a cardiology committee, and if so to contact him if interested.
  • Date of next meeting: 14th September 2017