Abbey Medical Practice

Notes of the Patient Participation Group Meeting

12th August 2015

Present

Group Members – Present

Mrs J BarnesMrs D Cowan

Mr A Kain Mrs J Kain

Mrs J Langley Mrs E McCartney

Mr J McCartneyMr B Palmer (Chair)

Group Members – Apologies

None

Practice Members - Present

Mrs T WebbMr R Allen

Practice Members – Apologies

GP representative

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 15th July 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed accordingly by BP.

Matters Arising

None raised.

Practice Manager/Business Manager Report

TW and RA reported on the Practice’s recent efforts to recruit additional GPtime in order to allow the Practice to cope with increasing demand and meet patient expectations with regard to access to appointments.

The Group noted that Dr Paula Cusack would replace Dr Irene Henry as a Partner, and that Dr Shampa Hazra had started in mid-June as Salaried GP. However, steady increases in the list size had led the Practice to look for a further Salaried GP but recruitment was proving extremely difficult – several adverts have been placed in the British Medical Journal (a key publication for recruitment adverts) but 3 out of 4 adverts had failed to produce any candidates at all. Nevertheless, the Practice would continue to try to recruit an additional GP and the Group would be kept informed of developments. Action: TW/RA.

RA confirmed that South Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group had taken over the commissioning of primary care services from NHS England’s Arden, Herefordshire and Worcestershire team and had introduced a new contract called Promoting Clinical Excellence in order to encourage Practices to concentrate on key areas of activity. Some of the priorities identified were noted to overlap with aspects of the Quality and Outcomes Framework, and additional work would be required to identify and plan care for frail patients, patients with learning difficulties and those at risk of unplanned admissions. The new contract would involve a considerable amount of work but was viewed by the Practice as an opportunity to improve care in key area.

TW reported that a significant amount of work had been done in a very short period of time to set up the register of patients at risk of unplanned admissions, and 50 out of 160 care plans had been completed. The Practice is aiming to complete the remaining 110 by 30th September.

Pre-Meeting Notes and Briefings

BP referred to a recent Healthwatch meeting which he had attended, in the course of which it had been noted that mental health services are in crisis with the result that many patients who need input at short notice often end up being seen by A&E services, which is not appropriate. BP and the Chair of the Broadway PPG had asked for a meeting with those responsible for commissioning mental health services, which was scheduled to take place in 2 weeks’ time. TW and RA commented that there are significant concerns in the health community about the adequacy of mental health services and EM queried which body actually funds mental health care – i.e. the CCG or NHSE? RA expressed the opinion that it would probably be the CCG which commissions these services. JK observed that there had been recent claims from central Government of increased funding for mental health services, and therefore queried why services appear to be in such disarray. TW felt that claims of additional funding could not always be taken at face value as key issues are whether the money is in fact new money – and whether it actually percolates down to the front line.

It was agreed that the Practice Manager/Business Manager report would be included in future Pre-Meeting Briefings. Action: TW/RA.

PPG Newsletter

JM tabled a draft copy of the newsletter which looked at issues such as:

  • Appointments
  • The implications of the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund
  • Drugs and medication wastage
  • Staffing

JM undertook to email the draft to TW and RA as soon as possible, with comments on accuracy etc to be sent back to JM by 19th August. Action: JM/TW/RA.

BP thanked JM on the Group’s behalf, and asked members to consider whether the newsletter should have a ‘strap line’ which perhaps emphasised the partnership between the Group and the Practice. Action: All to consider.

In terms of distribution of the final version of the newsletter, the following routes were agreed:

  • By email to members of the e-group
  • Printed versions in the Practice’s waiting room
  • Inclusion on the PPG’s page on the Practice’s website
  • Copies available for Reception staff to promote at the front desk.

EM asked if the Practice’s Health Visitors and Midwife could be asked to offer copies of the newsletter to young mums who attend clinic as a way of making contact with/raising awareness amongst the younger generation. Action: TW/RA to ask attached staff.

JM suggested that the next edition could be set up for September/October and could perhaps be shorter in length (e.g. 2 sides of A4). Items for inclusion could include a message about the benefits of influenza vaccination and clarification of those groups of patients who are entitled to free vaccination.

Discussion turned to the possibility of getting the newsletter translated into other languages (e.g. Polish) and EM confirmed that she had a Polish neighbour who might be willing to do such as translation. Another option would be to try to get the newsletter translated into other Eastern European languages via the CCG’s Communications Officer (Tom Grove). JM did sound a note of caution in that the provision of the newsletter and indeed other communications in a variety of languages could lead some patients to assume that the GPs and staff are able to converse in other languages. It was also noted that other options such as large print or Braille versions ought to be considered alongside copies in other languages and again it was felt that this could be requested via Tom Grove. Action: RA to raise with the CCG.

Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund

The Group were advised that funding had been offered nationally via the PM Challenge Fund in order to improve access to primary care services, and that South Worcestershire Healthcare (a federation of 32 Practices across South Worcestershire) had successfully bid for £2.8 million in order to fund a variety of projects across the area.

A key element of the bid was for a virtual hub to be set up in order to offer advice and signposting services to patients, along with a local hub based in Evesham Community Hospital which would offer patients access to routine GP appointments between 6.30 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and between 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. These would be supplemented by the option of offering patients an appointment with a local Pharmacist where this was identified as being the most appropriate means of dealing with the patient’s problem. There are a number of issues to be resolved before the hub becomes operational , not least of which is where the GP time to staff it will be found – RA felt that although the Federation would offer sessions to local GPs, the vast majority of GP time for the hub would come from locums/GPs employed directly by the Federation.

EM raised the question of feedback and monitoring of patients views on the new service and RA felt that it would probably be subject to the same Friends and Family Test that Practices now operate. EM also asked if appointments for the hub would be available for patients to book, e.g. via online booking. RA advised that these issues had not yet been resolved but further information would be passed to the Group as and when it becomes available.

BP noted that a pilot of a similar scheme in Birmingham had been successful, at least in part because of geographically close locations for local hubs etc, and advised members that he is due to meet with the PMCF project team on Monday 17th August.

The Group considered the funding of the project and noted that the Evesham, Bredon, Broadway & Inkberrow locality had been allocated a sum of £150,000 to set up and run the local hub. However, RA indicated that ongoing funding was of concern as the PMCF funding is for 1 year only, following which it becomes the CCG’s responsibility to fund the project (or not) for the 2nd year onwards. TW expressed the view that, given the financial pressures on the CCG, it is by no means certain that the money will be found to fund the project beyond the first year, which obviously will then require management of a potentially difficult situation if the service proves popular and is then suddenly withdrawn.

Trust Fund Report

DC reported that the Patients’ Trust Fund had recently purchased a paediatric pulse oximeter for use within the Practice and 2 electronic tablet devices to run a mobile version of the Practice’s clinical software which allows patient records to be viewed in real time during the course of home visits etc. In addition, the Trust Fund had agreed to purchase replacement cryotherapy gun as the original one (purchased by the Fund many years ago) had become unserviceable. These purchases had depleted the Trust Fund’s accounts and the Trustees are therefore considering further fundraising activity with Jenny Langley.

Funding in the order of £245 had been raised via the book stall and DC confirmed that a supply of decent paperback books is always needed.

E-Group

DC had nothing to report as far as the e-Group (formerly the Virtual Group) is concerned.

Evesham PPG Forum

BP reported that 3 out of 5 Practices had groups who had signed up to a locality forum following his making contact with them to assess interest levels.

He confirmed that Healthwatch Worcestershire are willing to support the forum, which aims to allow local PPGs to act in concert on common issues and areas of interest.

Any Other Business

Worcestershire Royal Hospital

DC reported that she had recently visited the new Oncology unit at WRH and found it to be a very impressive, well-equipped unit. 8 Oncologists are supported by a very good team of staff and the unit is on the verge of being a Centre of Excellence. The unit also has expansion room for future growth.

However, WRH continues to suffer from a major problem in terms of a severe lack of adequate car parking and BP confirmed that this issue had been raised at the PSAG. WRH officers had acknowledged that parking is a problem and plans are being developed to improve matters.

Community Grant

EM tabled a paper which she had received from NHS England which offered community groups the opportunity to bid for grants of up to £1000 to allow work done in respect of patient/citizen engagement to be widely publicised. Criteria for bids include being able to demonstrate good work done to involve patients/members of the public which resulted in improved services. Closing date for applications is 28th September 2015.

Screen Content

BP referred to the earlier conversation regarding the Evesham PPG Forum and asked about the possibility of generating some content for the waiting room screen which would allow common messages to be shared around local Practices.

TW confirmed that screen content can be changed once information is developed to an appropriate level.

Next Meeting

The next scheduled meeting is on 23rd September 2015 at 6.15 p.m. in the Practice Conference Room.