MINUTES OF CORE GROUP MEETING OF HALL GROVE PPG

on 7 May 2014.

Present: Peter Wilson (Chair), Dr Martin Benfield (Practice Patient Manager), Roger Hudson (Minute taker), Peter Bell, PeterGramson, Geoff Morgan (Practice Manager) & Barbara Spencer, Eric Walsby

  1. Welcome new members - Peter Bell was welcomed back to the Group. Liz Davidson had also expressed a wish to join but was unable to attend the current meeting.
  2. Apologies for Absences – Liz Davidson. The sad passing of the Rev.JuneFordham was also noted.
  3. Minutes of the Last Meeting - Members agreed the minutes of the last meeting held on 24 March 2014 subject to two amendments which have since been made, these concerned the items about Information screens and Chairman of the Group.
  1. Matters arising from the Minutes

4.1 Information Screens – GM reported that there was a hitch with installation arrangements. Agreement had been made with ITS to provide equipment and that the Practice would be responsible for the content displayed. The Practice, however, was also currently in negotiation with a second company. A contract for supply of a system is in place but there were some concerns about the advertising that would be included by the company. A possible solution would be to install the commercial system into the Parkway surgery, subject to agreement on the advertisements and the ITS system at Hall Grove.

4.2 Progress with new IT system and Group involvement - GM said that everything was set-up and ready to go but that the launch of new NHS services in the new financial year had delayed the launch. The IT system should be trialed next month with piloting support from members of the group.

4.3 Big Top Event - PG reported that he had attended the Big Top Event, where PPG representatives were brought together to share good practice. Items discussed included: the NAPP terms of reference; the role of the CCG; recruitment of PPG members and buyin by Practices. PG offered to circulate the papers to anybody interested.

Internal Practice Issues

  1. Chairman of the Group
  2. PW reminded members that the Group was scheduled to elect a new Chairman in February 2014. He also noted that as nobody had come forward to carry out the role, the suggestion of a rotating chairmanship should be discussed. Whilst some concerns were expressed about this option, it was agreed that it would be trialed by 4 members: PW, PG, EW and RH.

5.2.PW as the outgoing chair would clear the minutes of today's meeting and draft the Agenda for the next meeting to be held at 11am on Thursday 19June at Parkway. RH would chair the meeting on 19June, with minutes taken by BS. BS offered to provide a lift to enable Denise to attend.

5.3.RH would in turn clear the minutes of the meeting on 19 June and draft the Agenda for the next meeting, which would be chaired by PG. Similar arrangements would operate for future meetings as each of the volunteers chaired a meeting in turn.

  1. Membership
  2. Several topics were discussed with a view to increasing the membership of the PPG. This included:
  3. Emails - MB confirmed that the letters from the Practice to patients introducing the new IT system, would publicise the PPG. In addition, the letters would seek to obtain an email address from each patient for circulation of information about the PPG - as discussed previously.
  4. Timing - it was agreed that the despatch of these letters would be timed to coincide with PPG week 2 -7 June, which was intended to publicise Patient Participation Groups. Action - Timing of letters to be arranged by MB and GM. GM would keep EW informed of progress.
  5. Publicity in the surgeries - Action - PB, PG, EW, PW and BS agreed to speak to people in the surgeries during PPG week to encourage patients to sign up to the new IT system and to publicise the PPG. EW agreed to co-ordinate this activity.
  6. Health Fest - The Group noted that a health festival was being held in WGC on Saturday 7June to coincide with PPG week, and representatives from the local council and CCG had been invited. Action- PB and BS agreed to attendto publicise the PPG.
  1. Action Plans - Review progress and agree next steps

7.1. Waiting Room Information - GMreported that due to work commitments, he had been unable to find an opportunity to meet with RH to progress this topic. ACTION - GM and RH would meet to agree the principles, priorities and way forward.

7.2.Local Support / Health information - EW said that he was about to start work on this topic.

7.3.Transport Links - PW reported that he had finalised the leaflet, which he had circulated to members. BS had assisted and used desktop publishing software to produce a professional result. PW said he would do any necessary updating to the leaflet at the end of September 2014. This would take account of any changes arising from the reprocurement of patient transport services. It was agreed that the leaflet would be shared with other Practices because at least one had seen it, and expressed an interest in revising it for their own Practice. ACTION - PW would send a soft copy of the leaflet to MB who would circulate it to the Practice and invite comment.

7.4.Frail Elderly - PG said that he had discussed the GP Link with MB, and the mechanisms for the referral of patients by doctors to use the services of Age UK. It was agreed that what was required was better publicity of the services provided by Age UK, and for doctors to be more active in making referrals. MB reported that this was already underway and that there had already been four referrals of patients from the Practice to Age UK. PG said that he was scheduled to discuss with the Practice tomorrow (8th May) to clarify what the PPG could do to assist.

External Practice Issues

  1. Intelligence from NAPP & other PPGs

8.1.BS was thanked for circulating an updated version of her paper, which set out the information and services provided on the websites of 8local PPGs, including Hall Grove. She queried the position regarding DNAs (Did Not Attend) where a patient has failed to attend an appointment. MB confirmed earlier advice that the level of DNAs was not critical in the Practice

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  1. Feedback from external meetings

9.1.Hospital discharge letters (from PCG) - PG reported that a hospital representative had attended the PCG meeting, and had provided an explanation,regarding the causes of the problem, which was difficult to understand. A promise was made that it should improve in the next 23 months and the representative promised to return to the PCG to discuss it further.

9.2.Cardiac Failure - PW reported that he sits on a group within the PCG that is developing a procedure to involve local Practices to improve the quality of care of cardiac failure patients. This was due to go live on 1July 2014. MB commented that a member of the Practice had received training regarding this new procedure.

9.3.Carer's Initiative - Action (PW) - it was agreed this would be an Agenda item for the next meeting.

  1. Other:

10.1.Any other business - A draft Press Release prepared and circulated by BS was briefly discussed and agreed that it should be put to the Welwyn and Hatfield Times for publication. ACTION - Members were asked to forward any comments on the draft to BS and MB by 16 May.

10.2.Date of next meeting - The next meeting is scheduled for 11.am on Thursday 19June at the Parkway surgery.

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