South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (STCCG)

Patient Reference Group (PRG)

Notes of Meeting 4 April 2-3.30pm Monkton Hall

Present:

Maureen ElliottArthur WhitfieldJoy Curry

Brian AndertonDoreen McAllisterTerry Blackburn

Howard BeckeClare AllomToni Sambridge

Pat SnowdonMick LyonsAnn Lyons

Theresa RobertsonJeff Gosling (STCCG)Kim Teasdale (STCCG) Helen Smith (STCCG)

Apologies:

David GreenhalghBrian WrightBob Wilson

Jeff welcomed Toni to the group and gave a general welcome to all. Jeff stated that STCCG is now officially authorised. Jeff also mentioned that Healthwatch is now set up in South Tyneside and Joanne Luther from the Carers Federation, who have the contract for South Tyneside Healthwatch, has been invited to the June meeting.

1Notes from previous meeting

2) information about CQUINN was available for members

3) a new rep from East Wing Surgery has joined the group

4) there was a discussion about how much interest practices show in feedback from this group with some members’ practices showing great interest and some showing very little interest. It was agreed that information from this meeting can be offered to be included in the practice newsletters

7a) Dr O’Donnell has not contacted Brian

Action: Helen to contact Dr O’Donnell again

7b) there was a discussion about health tourism and how this impinges on STCCG, how much does it cost STCCG, what is the system and what are we recovering. It was suggested that this could be the subject of a Freedom of Information Request.

Action: Jeff to raise this with the Governing Body

2Shared Decision Making (SDM)– presentation from Kim Teasdale, Commissioning Manager STCCG. If you would like a copy of the presentation please contact Helen.

Kim introduced SDM, beginning with an exercise for the group to think about how they make decisions. Kim then gave a presentation.

QIs time available for SDM consultations?

AA conversation begins in a ten minute consultation and the patient is given information; the conversation is then continued in a further consultation. It was noted that it is possible to book a double appointment.

QDuring the training of GPs did they ask lots of questions?

AIt depended on the groups. GPs develop their own way of conducting a consultation but SDM may change the way some GPs work. The training was mandatory; STCCG know this is best practice.

QHow do we stay ahead of the game with this?

AWe are embedding SDM and we need to maintain the momentum. We are now looking at housebound and more vulnerable patients and building on what we have already learned. There is also lots of work going on with the hospital around emergency readmissions.

One of the group talked about friends who were admitted to hospital for tests and then sent home. Both were told by their GP that the hospital consultants are only looking for one condition and not looking at other areas. It was suggested that this could be taken forward through the complaints procedure by the patient which can be accessed through PALS for the hospital concerned.

3Patient Stories – Helen has collected six patient stories to date. Some of these have been via members of the group and some through other channels. Requests for patient stories have been raised at the Local Engagement Board and HealthNet and contact made with Age UK, the Carers’ Association and the Learning Disabilities Partnership Board. One member of the group is going to the May Quality, Patient Safety and Risk Committee to give his experiences. Jeff, Helen and Christine Briggs are developing a process for handling patient stories and the actions required.

Action: Helen to contact Brian to discuss his story.

4Date, time and venue of next meeting – Thursday 6 June 5.30-7pm at Monkton Hall.

5AOB

a) Diabetes services – Clare read out a letter she sent to the Shields Gazette about the five new sessions at CleadonPark and how concerns about diabetes services have been transferred from the PCT to STCCG.

b) Francis Report – it has been shown in the report that feedback from patients and carers was totally ignored. We need to encourage patients and carers to share their experiences. A discussion took place around this.

c) Care Homes – there is heavier involvement in care homes through Dr Nixon and the CCG. Through patient forums we want to gather experiences of care homes.

d) GPs’ private interests – there was a discussion about the private interests of STCCG GPs. Jeff assured the group that GPs have to disclose any interests and that there is a register of interests and a conflict of interests policy.

Jeff thanked members for attending and closed the meeting at 7pm