Notes on ‘Three PPGs’ Representatives Meeting 3 February 2015

Present:

Michelle Corsi, Tudor Practice Pat Rees, Tudor Practice

Veronica Docherty, Four Oaks Med Centre Steve Four Oaks Med Centre

Shirley Bull, Ley Hill Practice

We reprised topics we had discussed at our first meeting, on 15 Jan. Those topics included:

  • Overarching agenda- working together for our three sets of patients; building on the successful Carers Event; identifying topics we have in common; taking up leads from our Patient communities, Practices and PPGs. A cautionary note was sounded that we should start small and move forward steadily.
  • The needs that patients -and professionals- have expressed for signpostingto sources of information, help and support, for example in feedback at the Carers Event. What can wedo to assist this within and outside surgeries? Possible need to survey patient/professional needs? Our own need to avoid duplicating or making feint imitations of others…and to keep our ambitions small and manageable.
  • Further eventssimilar to that for Carers and those they support- raised in their feedback. We discussed different approaches to such events, according to which patient groups/ issues are the focusand also the different forms input can take- from stalls to speakers.
  • Provision for lonely, isolated people in our community- raised by GPs. We had come across various approaches in the media. Perhaps PPG members might offer informal drop-in sessions in surgery? Again we also need info about what is available locally.
  • Info exchange: we agreed to exchange ideas and examples of our Newsletters; and shared information on the various inspection bodies and about the National Association of PPGs.

We then began to consider some of the ideas further.

1. Events Agreed that further similar centrally held events should be proposed to PPGs. Agreed we should address those issues raised at the last event (eg transport, physical difficulties) and to vary the focus of info, stalls, speakers so they are of especial interest to particular patient groups and their supporters. Again various patient groups/needs were discussed, though not settled, as possible focus on different occasions(younger 25-40; Carers, specific medical issues). Social needs can be addressedas before, with opportunities to talk privately and to sit and chat over a tea/coffee- a bigger venue, againat the Mere Green Centre, would enhance this by facilitating groups of seats, etc. Access could be by advertising in all 3 practices and open to all.Agreed that two events a year would be manageable, say in May/June and October. We noted how beneficial it is when medical staff support and visit the event.

2. Lonely, Isolated people who seeksocial contact via attendance at surgery. We agreed two approaches by which PPGs could make a contribution:

  • By seeking informationand by locating local groups – large or small- that offer welcoming social contact. We could then provide a source list to help practice staff guide people to relevant groups or sources of support.. Central lists may also be found. Other possible sources include: a member of Four Oaks PPG who has researched an extensive list and may be willing to share on a mutual basis; Practice staff and PPG members; Little Aston Community Association (LACA); leaflets at the Treatment Centre at Good Hope.
  • Bearing in mind that facing a new group or society may be a big step when one is alone, we could explore small group, informal approaches, such as offering PPG ‘tea and chat’ sessions in –house during surgery time; and we could investigate those approaches seen in the media …eg.? ’Sunday Tea Groups’?

3. Information exchange. We discussed-

- Items in the news, Eg about the CQC criteria report; the ‘Don’t be lonely’

campaign launched with TV adverts this week;

-Different forms PPGs take elsewhere;

-The National Association of PPGs;

-Leaflets available at the Treatment Centre, Good Hope- an especially topical one to us just now on ‘Making the Most of 10 Minutes with the GP’

-Info about our Newsletters. Copies of Ley Hill’s last issue were distributed.

Actions Agreed

1Events- Discuss ideas with our PPGs and at our next Reps meeting to refine the focus and arrangements for a secondevent.

2Lonely, Isolated People

-Veronica agreed to ask her PPG colleague if she is willing to share from her list of local groups and sources of support.

-To enquire through our PPGs about information that may be already held in Practices and also groups that are known to other PPG members.

-To suggest through our PPGs the formation of, perhaps electronic, lists of ideas to help Practice staff guide people to relevant groups or sources of support .

-To ask views and ideas about how such lists might best be constructed, accessed and maintained…

-To explore further the types of small supportive social gatherings we have ‘seen on tv’.

3Information exchange- Veronica offered to circulate an electronic version of a Four Oaks Med Centre newsletter.

4Next Meeting Wednesday 4 March.Time and place to be confirmed.

Shirley Bull 13 Feb. 15