NORTH HERTS & STEVENAGE– PCG ACTION NOTES

DATE / Thursday 8th February 2018
LOCATION / Friends Meeting House, Paynes Park, Hitchin
ATTENDEES / Ashwell: PC; Bedwell & Roebuck: RW; Birchwood: JC; Courtenay House: JW, DR; KnebworthMarymead: TS; Regal Chambers and patient co-chair: JP; GP co-chair: SCNevells Road: PB; Orford Lodge: GM; Manor House: JS; Portmill: MW; Stanmore: KM; Sollershott Surgery: KW
East and North Herts CCG: Mark Edwards;Dianne Desmulie, lay-member for involvement
APOLOGIES / LS, CP, MT, JC, EC
ITEM / NOTE / ACTION
Primary Care / DR reported on proposed soft merger between Courtenay House and Orford Lodge in Hitchin and what this would mean for patients. The proposed merger has come as a result of one of the senior partners retiring. Both practice patient groups had been informed, but will be looking to engage with the wider patient population to go forward.
KW reported on the patient experience for at SollershottSurgery and the issues going forward. ME informed the group that the procurement process has begun and that the patients of Sollershott had been written to, and we were expecting patient involvement in the procurement process. There was discussion around quality monitoring and how patient experience can be improved at the surgery in advance of the procurement. DD informed the group of the upcoming changes to primary care commissioning and what this would mean for quality monitoring, but also in terms of public engagement going forwards.
ME informed the group that there were questionnaires currently open for patients of Stevenage practices on the provision of extended access services at GP practices. ME informed the group that North Herts patients should have already been engaged with. SC gave details of the scheme and expressed concerns particularly around how the scheme could be delivered in North Herts, particularly in terms of the workforce available. There was discussion around the needs v desires of patients, but also around the concerns of primary care workforce going forwards.
Public Engagement / ME presented to the group and talked through the suggested new model of engagement with patient groups in North Herts and Stevenage and for the CCG’s practices in involvement going forwards. The presentation is attached separately.
PC felt that the strategy was a sensible approach, particularly in relation torecruiting people with experience. RW agreed on this point.
Members discussed influencing change and how we can look at task management on projects going forwards. ME responded that the core membership would still be the first place for recruiting people, but that by extending reach into voluntary and community sectors there would be more opportunity to involve and engage with a representative population.
JP still unsure of how the locality patient network could work going forwards and what it could focus on? ME responded that this would now be in the hands of patient members and that the group should reflect the interests of the local group, whether this be around suggestions from Courtenay House to deliver health events or to focus on building better and more sustainable PPG groups. ACTION: ME asked members to email with agenda suggestions going forwards.
JP felt it was important that members could reflect their experience onto Patient Network Quality. / ALL
North Herts Locality / SC reported back from the locality meeting for North Herts, particularly that there are issues with care homes and the significant burden added to primary care in the area. SC is involved in a project which is looking to recruit two full time nurses who will be care home facing and will work at a senior level to look at the issues facing this. This scheme is hopefully going live within two to three months and SC will report back on the project as it continues.
Stevenage locality / KM reported back from the Stevenage locality which focussed on the introduction of extended access across Stevenage and also phlebotomy services. Stanmore will now employ a phlebotomist who will work across the surgeries in Stevenage to increase capacity.
PPG Updates / Bedwell: the group talked about the introduction of Extended Access service and a new GP has joined the practice.
Birchwood: Have a new interactive website and a new text message system through Mjog. Planning a closure of the surgery during lunchtimes for 1 hour, and are starting to see an increase in numbers.
Portmill: Looking to get hints and tips from the meeting around best support of Patient groups, but struggle to get people involved.
Stanmore: The group met last night and are looking to get Poplars Surgery refurbished to enable better access on this part. The group were horrified to see the Did Not Attend rate at the surgery.
Ashwell: have had a new website as well, but also considerable turnover of staff. The new Practice Manager is very responsive.
Manor House: Havea new frailty nurse and good CQC rating. Have had an issue in relation to the estates funding approval being held up for a long period of time – and what the cause of this was.
PCG Group moving forwards / Members wished to remain as a joint group to encourage greater levels of debate and discussion across North Herts and Stevenage, particularly where Stevenage practices are still under represented.
ME informed the group that JP wished to stand down from the group as chair, but that other localities were in a similar position and that chair of the meeting position could be rotated. ACTION: ME asked for volunteers to chair forthcoming meetings going forwards.
KM to book venue for next meeting. / ALL
You said, we are doing… /
  1. Share public engagement strategy for people to give their views.
  2. ME to draft up agenda based on patient member reflections so far

Dates of meetingsin 2018: 6.30pm, Thursday 26 April 2018;

Proposed future meetings: Thursday 19 July and Thursday 25 October 2018

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