BOROUGH OF POOLE
REPORT TO THE HEALTH SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
11TH OCTOBER 2005
REPORT ON PATIENT & PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH & HEALTH SERVICE ISSUES
1. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
1.1To provide the Health Scrutiny Committee with an overview of mechanisms for patient and public involvement in health / health services issues.
1.2To provide a review of data already collated through these mechanisms to identify health priorities.
2. ACTION REQUIRED
2.1Members are asked to note the report.
3. BACKGROUND / INFORMATION
3.1On the 20TH June 2005 the Health Scrutiny Committee agreed:
(i)the priorities for the Health Scrutiny Committee for 2005/6;
(ii)that a working group be set up to examine health inequalities in Poole; and
(iii)the draft work programme.
3.2Knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms for patient and public involvement will assist the Health Scrutiny Committee by informing it’s priorities and work programme.
3.3Poole Primary Care Trust is committed to redesign health services in order to ensure that services:
-are designed around local residents needs and choices;
-are delivered in ways that they have decided;
-have a demonstrably positive impact on the health of the community and on the pressures of its partner organisations;
-demonstrate value for money.
3.4 Appendix 1 details current approaches to patient and public involvement in Poole.
APPENDIX 1
PATIENT & PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICE ISSUES IN POOLE
1INTRODUCTION
1.1The NHS Plan (2000) outlined a strategy to make health services more responsive so that patients, public and front line staff have a greater say in how health services are managed and provided.
1.2Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is concerned with the involvement of local people in decisions about health and health services. Effective PPI is central to improving health outcomes, improving the quality of health services and reducing health inequalities. It is also a central tool for the Health Scrutiny function of the Local Authority.
1.3The following outlines a number of national and local mechanisms used by Poole PCT to actively seek the views and aspirations of the local community.
2THREE LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT
2.1Individual patient / member of the public level.
By involving people in decisions about their own care, promoting individual health and influencing behaviour through the provision of good health information and messages. The PCT aims to learn from the ‘patient experience’ in order to develop as a PCT eg Patient Advisory and Liaison Service (PALS); Expert Patients Programme.
2.2Service Users / Carers / Interest Groups level
At this level the focus for involvement is on particular groups of patients / service users. This is achieved through activities such as patient questionnaires eg Patients Forums, GP Practice Surveys, ‘Speak Up’ for older people consultation, Lifestyle Research, Involvement in service for Children & Young People.
2.3Community level
The focus at this level is on local people as citizens with a stake in local health services. This approach is used to get a general view of health services and what local people think the priorities should be eg Poole Opinion Panel; ‘Your Health, Your Say, Your Care’; National Patient Survey.
3OVERVIEW OF PPI APPROACHES AND EMERGING HEALTH PRIORITIES / ISSUES
3.1Patient Advisory and Liaison Service (PALS)
PALS have four key functions:
- Contact point for patients and public. Facilitates the resolution of individual concerns about the PCT’s services and provides advice and support.
- Ensures details of patients experiences are widely disseminated across the Trust to inform the development and improvement of services.
- Lead on ensuring patients and the wider community in Poole have access to high quality information about the Trust, health services and the wider NHS.
- Encourage and support the involvement of service users in the work of the PCT and the development of patient self help and support networks.
Contact: Dianne Poulton, Poole PCT, 01202 688883.
3.2Expert Patient Programme (EPP)
EPP is a six week self-management course for people with a long-term health condition such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, endometriosis, depression, and osteoporosis. The course aims to give people confidence, skills and knowledge to better manage their own condition, increase control over their own lives and improve their quality of life.
Contact: Janice Beaven, Poole PCT, 01202 688880.
3.3PPI Forums
Both the hospital and the PCT each has an independent PPI Forum to monitor the quality of health care and ensure that the public are involved in influencing the decisions of the organisations.
A wider group called the Poole Involving People Group has also been set up. Members can give their views on GP services, hospital services, Social Services, voluntary groups and other services for carers.
Example of priority / key issue identified
- Difficulty in accessing an NHS Dentist. Action plan drawn up to increase the number of NHS Dentists.
Contact: Janice Beaven, Poole PCT, 01202 688880
3.4GP Practice Surveys
For the third year running Poole PCT asked patients in the area for their views on the care they received. The Pickering Institute sent out a questionnaire on behalf of the PCT to 850 patients registered with GP’s across Poole. Just over half the forms were returned, giving opinions on things such as GP surgery waiting times, medicines and their side effects and dental care.
Local GP’s also undertook their own annual practice surveys to get direct feedback from their patients.
The survey showed that the PCT was significantly better than average on 14 questions, in line with others on 52 questions and significantly worse on 2 questions.
Example of priority / health issue identified
Changes to surgery and appointment times. Home visits.
Contact: Janice Beaven, Poole PCT, 01202 688880
3.5‘Speak Up’ for older people.
‘Speak Up for Older People’ is a PCT led consultation with the intent to redesign Older People’s Services in Poole. The data collected is being used to develop a ‘10 Year Strategy for Older People’s Services in Poole’.
Methods:- Questionnaires to users of existing services and staff groups
- One to one questionnaires to isolated older people
- Large scale public consultation event.
Priorities / key health issues identified
The consultation has provided the PCT with 18 proposed work streams that have been ranked in order of priority based on the frequency of their recurrence, the potential for running pilot schemes, their financial implication and time scale to implement. The table below identifies the priorities of work within the first year.
Priorities for year 1 / Action1. Being treated with dignity and respect /
- Create training programme for all PCT staff.
- Implement ‘mystery shopper’ scheme.
2. Having adequate information. /
- Create an information pack.
3. Work on preventing admission to hospital. /
- Make links to existing work groups.
- Identify specific pilot projects.
4. Pilot over 75 Health Checks within existing community settings. /
- Identify project lead and pilot site. Evaluate pilot.
5. Pilot ‘Community Watch’. /
- Identify project lead and pilot site. Evaluate pilot.
6. Provide care that is needed not just what is available. /
- Full implement single assessment and evaluate.
7. Maintain independence /
- Create training programme and provide through Elderly Resource Team.
8. Improve transport using volunteers /
- Work with existing service providers to expand service.
9. Protect and support the particularly vulnerable. /
- Identify project lead and pilot practice to provide proactive NHS services to vulnerable older people. Evaluate project.
Contact: Marianne Lambourne, Head of Adult & Older People’s Services, Poole PCT, 01202 307685
3.6Lifestyle Research
In partnership with the Borough Poole Strategic Planning Department early research work into breast feeding; smoking in pregnancy; and obesity in four year olds, is underway. The findings from this research will inform service planning.
Contact: Sharon Taylor, Borough of Poole,
3.7Involvement in services for Children & Young People
Consultation with parents, children and young people.
Contact: Tina Smith, Poole PCT, 01202 710234
3.8Poole Opinion Panel
Poole Opinion Panel is one way the council keeps in touch with the views of local residents. Panel members are invited to take part in 2 to 3 surveys each year and discussion groups on specific topics that affect the town.
This mechanism is also available to Poole PCT as a consultation tool with local people. The Trust is currently reviewing access to Community Health Services and where these should be sited in the future. A number of questions will be included in the next survey in this respect.
Contact: Heather Kitching, Borough of Poole
3.9‘Your Health, Your Say, Your Care’
This is a national consultation exercise taking place this autumn designed to find out what people want from health and social care provided in the community and their own homes. Questioned asked will include:
- What sort of services do you need?
- How would you like to use them?
- Who do you want to provide them?
The views gained will help to shape the Government’s plans for the health and social care.
How will people be involved?
- On-line survey
- Some people will be invited to one of a series of regional events
- Local consultation events
Progress
Poole PCT are currently finalising proposals for the local consultation and results are expected by the end of October 2005.
Contact: Sarah Elliott, Pool PCT, 01202 710234
3.10National Primary Health Care Survey
Provides a general picture of primary health care in Poole.
Contact: Janice Beaven, Poole PCT, 01202 688880
Karen Stratford (Specialist Support for Health Scrutiny), Borough of Poole, 01202 633203