Sunderland Health Forum
Tuesday 23rd June, 6-7:30pm
Stadium of Light, Sunderland.
Dr Val Taylor began the session with a warm welcome and thanked everyone for attending.
Breast Services engagement
SCCG are in the process of developing a new breast service. As part of this, SCCG plan to undertake comprehensive engagement with all areas of the community. The engagement will include surveying patients who have been through the service through a survey, both paper and electronic. Following this, there will be targeted interviews to look at what the service could look like, to further improve. Results from this exercise will influence the service specification for the new service.
Over 90% of the approximate 3,000 patients that are seen yearly, through our breast service unit are non-cancer patients so, while breast cancer patients are key respondents, it is vital we have feedback from people who have had any treatment, including men.
The following questions were asked, and answers given in response:
Q ‘Are routine mammograms still undertaken?’
A Yes. The breast screening is currently done at Gateshead Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to women aged 47-70 years of age.
Q Has there been any research into why women don’t attend their screening appointment?
A Some people just don’t want to attend. Through the clinical forum, teams are looking into how they can improve attendance rates. Breast services see all patients within 2 weeks. Nationally, lots of marketing and promotion takes place, some of which is amended for certain cancers.
Other comments:
- Information needs to user friendly
Primary care strategy
As of April 1st, there have been changes to primary care. SCCG will have a greater involvement in primary care co-commissioning and will be working closely with the Area Team to ensure that decisions taken about healthcare services are strategically aligned across the local health economy. SCCG are working towards the development of a primary care strategy and will work hard to ensure that high quality and consistency is a part of this. SCCG acknowledge that engagement is very important and are therefore keen that people sign up to My NHS. By signing up, people have the opportunity to get involved in the work SCCG do to develop and improve local health services. They will also:
- Receive regular updates about the work of NHS SCCG
- Receive invitations to events
- Have opportunities to give views about areas of healthcare that interest
- Be able to participate as much or as little as you like
To sign up to My NHS simply fill in a paper My NHS form or go to the Sunderland CCG website - or click here
Draft engagement code of conduct
The group were given time to read through the paper and had the opportunity to feedback their initial thoughts and suggestions.
Key points:
- General agreement it is a good idea - particularly all the organisations joining up to do joint surveys and events to engage local people (some people on the table were members of similar groups for different organisations and - while effectively conduits - felt if pointless sometimes they discussed the same things)
- It’s important to say where and when reports will be shared.
- Remember/consider people with needs, such as BSL etc..
- Acronyms need to be explained.
- The paper could be made shorter and simplified.
- Being open and honest.
- Feedback is really important – being kept up to date about what has happened and if something can't be done or is not practical, explain why. This will help give understanding and assurance.
- Awareness of events and meetings - better promotion to increase attendance / participation - one lady found out by a friend of a friend - (the woman who didn't get the MY NHS info - opted for all info but by post) NOTE the majority of people in Sunderland on MY NHS want postal info!!!
- One saw the ad in the Echo but 'needed a magnifying glass to see it'
- Take the meetings out to communities
- Plan ahead - what is to be discussed based on important issues for local people. Feedback and information are really important.
- Use different ways to involve people - not just websites - Face to face meetings
- Work more with charities and voluntary groups.
Urgent Care
Presentation attached for information.
Dr Tracey Lucas began by highlighting the best place for patients to go, in order to get the most suitable treatment. Sunderland’s Urgent Care Centres, formally known as Walk-in Centres, are staffed by GPs and nurses, who can see and treat patients of all ages from birth upwards. This would be the best place to visit for patients who have a health issue which is not life-threatening but need to be seen on that day. Patients can still walk in to an Urgent Care Centre.NHS 111 can also help if you’re unsure of the best place to go for treatment. All of the urgent care streamlining is about getting the patient seen at the right place, at the right time.
The Urgent Care Centres are open Monday to Friday 10am to 10pm andfrom8am to 10pm, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.
- Washington Primary Care Centre, Parkway, Washington,NE38 7QZ
- Bunny Hill Primary Care Centre, Downhill, Sunderland,SR5 4BW
- Houghton Primary Care Centre, Houghton-le-Spring,DH4 5HB
Patients can also visit their pharmacist for quick, confidential advice on a range of common illnesses.
During this part of the forum, interactive voting took place; the group were able to vote with their hand-held voting buttons, on questions relating to media. Questions and responses are included within the above imbedded presentation.
Key comments/suggestions:
- Change the name from Urgent Care centre back to Walk in - 'urgent care' confused people and they didn't think their [appropriate] issue was 'urgent'
- Promote the change that Walk in / Urgent care centres will see babies / children under 2 years now (as GP on site)
The following questions were asked, and answers given in response:
Q How easy is it to get a thank you to a clinical person, in particular, ambulance staff?
A IF this was to thank ambulance staff, the patient could send a letter of thanks to the North East Ambulance Service, including the date and time of the incident; a message of thanks can then be forwarded.
Q Is the GP out of hours service changing?
A SCCG have just completed awarding the contract to the new provider, who will be based in Leechmere, which should mean easier access.
Key points re the Urgent Care Centres
What was good?
- Skilled staff
- X-ray facilities on site
What was not so good?
- Being offered an appointment – isn’t this a walk in service?
Dr Ian Pattison re-assured the group that the Urgent Care Centres still offer a walk-in service, as well as the 111 service, where you have the option to sit and wait to be seen. SCCG have held meetings with providers of the urgent care centres to re-enforce this message further work is planned to enhance this.
Planning a new urgent care campaign
Presentation attached for information:
The new urgent care campaign will focus on being an all year round campaign. Results from scenarios will feed into the developmental work, towards designing a new campaign. The groups were given a few scenarios of different situations where they may need medical attention as well as a selection of choices of service they would use.
Scenario questions attached for information:
The group were split into 2 groups. Results as follows:
Scenario 1
You have been suffering from hay fever
What would you do?
Book an appointment with your GP?
Book an appointment with your GP practice nurse ?
Go to a walk in centre?
Call NHS 111?
Visit a pharmacy (Chemist)?
Go to the A&E department?
- 5 people chose, ‘Go to Pharmacy’
Recommendation – If you are normally healthy then you should either buy hay fever tablets at a supermarket (costs around a £1) or visit a pharmacy for free consultation with a pharmacist.
Scenario 2
You have nail extensions; you’ve recently had them re-done by a new nail bar. You have been experiencing pain from under one of the extensions, and you finger is red and starting to get inflamed.
What would you do?
Book an appointment with your GP?
Book an appointment with your GP practice nurse ?
Go to a walk in centre?
Call NHS 111?
Visit a pharmacy (Chemist)?
Go to the A&E department?
- 5 people chose, ‘Look after it yourself, opting for the urgent care centre if it worsened.
Recommendation: Look after it yourself by soaking the nail off with acetone, treating the inflammation with antiseptic and keeping it clean with a plaster. If it does not get any better then seek some medical help.
Scenario 3
You are a parent, and you have a 18 month old son who has ear ache for over 24 hours. You have been treating with paracetamol, but he does not seem any better. He is running temperature, and he’s getting upset. What do you do?
Book an appointment with your GP?
Book an appointment with your GP practice nurse ?
Go to a walk in centre?
Call NHS 111?
Visit a pharmacy (Chemist)?
Go to the A&E department?
- 1 person opted for ‘Walk in centre’
- 3 people would call 111
- 6 people would go to A&E
Two people said in reality (but not an option) they would just to their GP and wait until seen and another said they would call and wait for phone consultation from their GP (offered by their practice and used effectively before)
Recommendation: After 24 hours and he is no better, then it may be best to see your GP who can look in your son’s ears and assess if antibiotics are needed. Most ear infections are viral and do not need antibiotics, however checking his ears will assess if further treatment is needed. Book an appointment with your GP
Scenario 4
You have just come back from Spain on holiday where on your last day you were bitten by an insect. You feel fine, but the bite has blistered and feels itchy. What do you do?
Book an appointment with your GP?
Book an appointment with your GP practice nurse ?
Go to a walk in centre?
Call NHS 111?
Visit a pharmacy (Chemist)?
Go to the A&E department?
- 5 people would,’ go to Pharmacy’
Recommendation: Look after yourself, keep the area clean and consider buying antihistamine tablets (hay fever tablets do the same thing unbranded medicines cost as low as £1 per pack)
If it gets worse, looks infected or you start to feel unwell or run a temperature then consider further medical help from your GP or practice nurse.
Scenario 5
You were sick last night, and the vomit looked like it had coffee grinds in it. You look some indigestion mixture but still have severe indigestion – so what do you do?
Book an appointment with your GP?
Book an appointment with your GP practice nurse ?
Go to a walk in centre?
Call NHS 111?
Visit a pharmacy (Chemist)?
Go to the A&E department?
- 3 people would call 111
- 2 people would go to Pharmacy
Recommendation: The coffee grinds could indicate digested blood, so it would be best if you got some medical advice either at your GP or your walk in centre. You may need further investigation to rule out any serious causes such as an ulcer.
Dr Val Taylor highlighted the important of patients always going to AE if they think they need to.
Other key comments
- change the name from Urgent Care centre back to Walk in - 'urgent care' confused people and they didn't think their [appropriate] issue was 'urgent'
- Educate the public so people feel confident that they are taking their child to the right place.
- promote the change that Walk in / Urgent care centres will see babies / children under 2 years now (as GP on site)
How much do you think an NHS service costs?
Each time you use an NHS service, we (the CCG) need to pay for these services. A small exercise took place; the group had the opportunity to estimate what the costs of NHS services are to the SCCG:
- An appointment with your GP
£25 per consultation
- Appointment with your GP practice nurse
£10 per consultation
- Walk-in centre
£55 per consultation
- Call NHS 111
£6 per consultation
- Visit a pharmacy (chemist)
£3.50 per consultation
- Looking after yourself
Nothing
- Going to A&E
Starts at £57 and goes up to £235 depending on treatment
Dr Val Taylor thanked everyone for attending and taking part in tonight’s Health Forum. Future evening meetings will run for 2 hours.
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