Patient Participation Group Minutes – 9th December 2015 at 6:30pm
Attendees: Hannah Lawrence, Keith Lawrence, Graham Deaves, Keith Melhuish, Kyle de Ronde, Visu Suppiah, Tracey Nyilas, Barbara Betts, Ruth Norman, Peter Timms.
Apologies: Sheila Long, Barbara Maun and Caroline
Minutes: Claire Hamill
- Matters arising from previous meeting
GD’s prescription leaflet wasn’t sent to the group to review. The group are happy with the idea of the leaflet but feel the leaflet needs to be condensed , only the vital information needs to be included, the group would like one page handout instead of the four page leaflet. The information needs to be simpler and easier to read for patients. VS suggested asking the pharmacies for their input into the leaflet.
ACTION: GD to circulate the electronic copy of the Prescription Leaflet
- Prescription Leaflet
GD explained that when he met with the pharmacies in order to create the leaflet, he learned that by directly requesting medication via the pharmacy generates a lot of waste as patients order medications they do not necessarily need to order specific medications but automatically order medications because of habit. VS wondered what happens to the medications when returned to a pharmacy, it was confirmed the medications are destroyed, VS pointed out that if the medications get destroyed it would be better to keep the medications at home rather than waste the medications by allowing them to get destroyed. VS also stated the reason most people order medications they don’t necessarily need, because of the fear of not ordering medication may lead to the GP stopping certain medications and the difficulty obtaining a prescription after this. TN confirmed the medications would remain on repeat until needed.
HL requests her medications by telephoning the pharmacy and requesting what is needed, the pharmacist checks a review is not needed etc. and requested the medication for her, she collects the medications a few days later. PT orders his and his wife’s medication online via SystmOnline and felt the system worked well for them. The only concern he had was it allows you to order medications using the tick box whilst under the medication it states you cannot order this until a certain date, he felt requesting medications early should be tightened which would in turn lower the waste of medications.
HL also mentioned many years ago, the surgery were sending medications that were going to be wasted to third world countries and wondered whether that was still happening. TN agreed this was discussed but there were many hidden charges but that was only with the one charity and it was definitely worth looking into again.
ACTION: CH to look into SystmOnline and how early patients can order medications & TN to look into sending wasted medication to third world countries.
- Diabetes
TN met with BB in the week, BB expressed interest in the Integrated Community Diabetes Specialist team attending a PPG meeting to discuss diabetes and what we could do to help patients with diabetes and create awareness.PT wondered what the group would do with this information as we already know patients do not read notices etc. BB felt that with the knowledge gained, a dedicated noticeboard could be placed in reception with simple self-explanatory leaflets for patients to take away.
ACTION: TN to book the ICDS team
- Website
CH asked the group if they could all have a good look at the website as the surgery were currently in the middle of updating the website, ensuring the information was correct and everything patients needed to know was available on the website.
HL suggested having direct links from the website to Diabetes UK, Bowel and Bladder Society etc. for patients to access helplines and more information they can read from the comfort of their own homes. The group all agreed this was a good idea.
ACTION: Group to have a look at the website and feedback to CH CH to update the website with direct links
- Telephone Triage
TN asked the group what they thought about telephone triage. An idea the surgery has been looking into. One GP in the ‘on-call’ doctor each day, once all the other GP’s are booked and the emergency clinic is the only clinic left, the suggestion is, a GP will ring those patients back who feel it is urgent for the day, the doctor will assess the patient over the phone and decide whether they need to come in, whether the GP can help over the phone or the patient can see a minor illness nurse. This GP would be responsible for booking these appointments.
The group were unsure about the idea; the main concern was about whether reception would be carrying out the investigation i.e. what is the problem? TN explained the receptionist would simply ask is it urgent for today, can a nurse help etc. and then book this with the GP; the GP would then telephone the patient and assess over the phone.The group also felt this would create more work for the GP’s. PT suggested auditing the appointments and working out what percentage of appointments a GP has a day where the GP felt it could have been dealt with other the telephone. TN mentioned the triage idea was in the very early stages but this would be a good way to audit the appointments.
HL was concerned as some patients express how much pain they are in and that they have been up all night and will get seen but some patients who are asked is it urgent for today or can it wait and they would wait because they don’t want to cause a fuss, but it is these people who may be overlooked and something awful may happen.
KDR mentioned that receptionists ask patients whether a nurse could help, they also inform the patient what a minor illness nurse can deal with (sore throat, cough/chest infection, urine infections etc.), that way a patient can say whether or not they can see a nurse without having to disclose any information.
- Any other business
DNA’s – PT queried whether we do actually deduct patients after several DNA’s. It was confirmed patients were deducted after 3 DNA’s.
Child Play Area – PT wondered what happened to the play area. TN explained that due to the CQC and infection control reasons the play area was no longer suitable and was removed.
Magazines – PT regularly brings in magazines for the waiting room but has noticed they have disappeared and he wondered whether he should continue to bring them in. TN had a clear out and threw away the old magazines but was happy for PT to bring in magazines. PT said he would throw away the older magazines when he brings the new magazines.
Time with a GP – PT was concerned that when his wife saw a GP, the GP was constantly typing and rarely looked at the patient. He wondered whether the GP’s were overworked. GD explained how busy the surgery is and that is why they type as they go. HL also mentioned that she worked on SystmOne before and it requires the information as you go so you have to complete during the consultation plus if a GP was running late throughout the morning, they have to type as they go to consult the patients more efficiently to move onto the next patient once the patient has left the room rather than typing out the notes, which also means all information will be documented and not forgotten or missed.
- Date of Next Meeting – 20th January 2016 at 6:30pm