CHD & STROKE MANAGED CLINICAL NETWORK (MCN)

UNAPPROVED

HEART FAILURE SUB GROUP

Minutes of meeting held at 2.00pm on Tuesday 25 April 2006

Meeting Room 5, NHS Grampian, Summerfield House, Eday Road

Present:

Chairperson: Dr Karen Simpson, GP, Insch Medical Practice

Mr Tony Collins, Member of Public Representative

Ms Roberta Eunson, Service Manager, Aberdeen Collective

Ms Linda Juroszek, Lead Pharmacist, NHSG

Ms Caroline McNiff, Heart Failure Nurse Specialist, Aberdeen City

Ms Eleanor Murray, Clinical Nurse Manager, ARI

Ms Roz Odwyer, Heart Failure Nurse Specialist, Aberdeen City

Mrs Karen Secombes, Heart failure Nurse Co-ordinator

Ms Audrey Stables, Heart Failure Nurse Specialist, Central Aberdeenshire

Mrs Christine Gray – Secretary CHD/Stroke Office

Item / Actions
1. /

Welcome and apologies

Apologies – Alison Forrester, Jan Henderson, Mr Sandy Reid and Dr James Black
2. /
Notes of previous meeting held on 7 March 2006
Agreed.
3.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g) /
Matters Arising from previous minute
Cards for HF Patients “Do not stop medication” – Karen confirmed these have now been printed and were ready for use.
“Do not stop medication” – for hospital notes – Karen confirmed these stickers were now printed and ready for use.
PLT – see under main agenda.
CHD MCN Seminar – 29 March 06 – Thainstone Hotel, Inverurie –
Briefly discussed. The majority felt that the Seminar was a bit rushed at the end regarding Workshops and no time for discussion. BNP and Echos couldn’t be discussed. (see under AOCB of this minute regarding BNP and Echos). To await formal CHD Seminar Report.
Patient Hospital Discharge Letters and wall lists for Ward – Karen Secombes had dealt with this matter. The wall lists were in use.
HF Nurse Diploma Course – It looked likely that Caroline McNiff would be accepted for a place in September 06. Roberta to take the matter forward regarding costings and identify where funding would come from.
Course cost £660.00 plus one week accommodated needed. The cost of travel would be covered out of the HF Nursing Service budget.
“Flyers” – it was noted that the draft flyers were distributed at MCN Seminar. Roberta would take an example to the Nurse Manager Group.
The matter was being explored regarding printing costs by Reprographics and placing a copy of the NHSG intranet website. / RE
RE
Item / Actions
4. /
Workload
Aberdeen City – Roz stated that Kincorth was her only clinic set up to date. She had a few patients in Torry and therefore Roberta would enquire via Helen Smith to see if it was feasible to set up a clinic in Torry. Another possibility discussed was Mastrick Clinic. Her workload was busy but steady.
Caroline had been working with Karen Secombes initially and was now taking over some new patients from the hospital.
Central Aberdeenshire & Kincardineshire – Audrey reported that Glen
O’Dee Clinic did not work out well - one reason being there were transport issues. She was now organising clinics at Banchory Clinic (next to the Health Centre). This should solve some transport problems as there was a regular bus service. Once clinics commenced she would monitor whether clinics were needed monthly or 6-weekly. It was hoped that her new patients from Aboyne would be able to attend Banchory Clinic. Audrey had a few patients in Inverurie/Kemnay/Kintore. It transpired during discussion at the meeting that there might be possible clinic availability in Kintore Surgery. Audrey would explore this matter further with Elizabeth Squires to see if this was feasible.
ReferralsKaren Secombes had recently given a further talk at Woodend Hospital – there was a large attendance and she left them a lot of referral forms and lists of HF Nurse contacts. She had mentioned that she did not appear to receive many referrals from Woodend Hospital but no one volunteered any reasons. Still to date there are hardly any new referrals coming from them. Generally however, she had received a few new referrals, which were not from Woodend. / RE
AS
5. /
Guidelines Update
Karen Simpson reported that 15 months have now passed and still the HF Guidelines have not been finally approved. The guidelines were approved subject to final approval of a two page summary document. The problem was around this summary document which had got “lost” by the Guidelines and Policy Group. Another copy had been forwarded on to them.
It was agreed that Karen Secombes would copy the two-page summary to Linda Juroszek and Linda would endeavour to chase the matter. Also Karen Simpson possibly to contact George Downie. / LJ/
K Simpson
6. /
Intranet Development of Heart Failure Site
Karen Simpson had produced a paper which was circulated to the group for their comments regarding her plans for how the Intranet Website would look. Karen proposed that the two-page summary document would be on the front page and there would be side tabs, which would cover all flow charts so it would all link together. All agreed that this was a good idea.
Item / Actions
6. / Intranet Development of Heart Failure Site (cont.)
It was unfortunate that this matter could not be progressed until the final approval of the Guidelines. There was funding available to get the website up and running and Jim Black had organised who would undertake this work.
7. /
Education both nursing team and practice based/PLT Education
Karen Secombes stated that a proposed City PLT session had had to be cancelled due to only 4 people as possible attenders. The session was re-scheduled for April 06 but this was too close to an evening drug sponsored PLT. Therefore currently she had postponed the City PLT until later in the year.
With regards to PLT in the Shire – it was a bit disjointed owing to not all GP Practices being involved with PLT. However, Karen had carried out a session along with Rehabilitation in Banff. She was now looking at possibly doing a session in the Central/South Aberdeenshire and Moray.
It was suggested that Karen concentrate on the City PLT at the moment, as no one knew what would be happening with the Shire. To concentrate on special interest groups – to link with Chronic Disease Service (Alison Rae) etc. It was suggested going to individual GP Practices in City – 1-hour lunchtime sessions.
Big Event – Heart Failure Awareness Day
Karen Secombes described her plans for holding a Heart Failure Awareness Day and sought views. She proposed possibly to hold it on a Saturday (as more family members might be available also). To offer the invitation to current patients and their carers/family. To involve possibly the charities e.g. British Heart Foundation and Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and Pharmaceutical companies, dieticians for obesity management and Medtronics. The logistics were still to be worked out. The possible venue in mind was Thainstone House Hotel, Inverurie. There would not be a lot of speaking but more tables with leaflets etc.
Comments included:
·  Be wary of using Pharmaceutical Companies, especially when members of the public would be involved – possibly look to help with funding from Charities instead.
·  Suggested possibly Inverurie Town Hall instead of a hotel venue – could have an open door approach where people could walk in from street
·  ? BP testing
Action: Roberta would take the matter to the Nurse Managers Group to see whether any help would be available for Karen in the organisation of this event. / RE
Item / Actions
8. /
Administration Support Post
Karen Secombes reported that the post had been offered to an applicant subject to suitable references. The applicant's Occupational Health Screening was okay. However there was a hold up in HR obtaining a reference from the applicant’s current employer, which needed to go through the Head Office in Wigan. Karen was going to make it clear to HR that if she did not hear soon then she was going to go ahead and give a start date anyway. There was a danger of the applicant changing her mind if she was left too long and had no formal start date.
Elgin admin help had still to be resolved also. / K Sec
9. /
AOCB
BNP and Echos
Further to item 3(d) above. As stated earlier there was not a chance at the CHD Seminar to raise this matter. The current waiting list for Echos (and exercise test) was 11 weeks, which was unacceptable. If a patient were referred to the Chest Pain Clinic they would automatically get their Echo and exercise test done then. It was currently a quicker way of getting a patient through the system but if everyone started referring this way then it would up the Chest Pain Clinic waiting times. To note that Jim Black was currently carrying out an audit of Echos and no one in the group knew the outcome of this.
Action: Karen Simpson would contact Jim Black and see what stage he was at with the Echo audit. Karen Simpson to raise the matter at the next CHD MCN Project Board to be held on 4th May 06. Karen Simpson to submit a written report for submission to the meeting. All agreed they wished Karen’s report to be read out at the meeting. Christine would see Sandy Reid regarding this matter.
Combined Diuretics and ACE Inhibitors
Linda raised this matter. It was clarified that the HF Service were aware of any of their patients on this prescription. / K Simpson
CG
10. /
Date of Future Meetings
Tuesday 27 June 06 at 2pm at Inverurie Hospital in the Small Conference Room. (venue booked by Christine on 8th March 06).
Tuesday 29 August 2006 at 2pm in Meeting Room 5, NHSG Summerfield House. (venue booked by Christine on 25 April 06)

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