The Lakes Medical Centre
Patient Participation Group
MINUTES
Thursday 19 November 2015
Attendees: / Apologies:TR (Chair)
VP (minutes)
AA
PW
GF
CW / KP
MT
Dr Khan
Dr Roberts
Moira Kinnear / Dr Shakanti
Dr Hayes
Dr Walton
GH
AD
Item / Minutes / Action
New Member
PW was welcomed as a new member of the group.
1 / Apologies
Listed above.
2 / Minutes of last meeting
The date of the diabetic support group was incorrectly reported and should have been Monday 19th October 2015.
Otherwise these were agreed as a correct record.
3 / Matters arising/action list
3.1 Matters arising
-Carly Hodges is no longer the Health Improvement Service (HIS) contact, this is now Teresa Tocher. Teresa has been invited to a future meeting to discuss the role of the HIS at the Lakes.
-The official report on Telephone Consultations had still not been produced.
-Moira Kinnear had been asked to display posters advertising the group at the Saturday flu clinic but this had not been done. Moira agreed that in future if one of the group wanted to print and display posters in the waiting room then they could do so. TR agreed to do this.
-VP agreed to design a small flyer containing the group details and to ask for these to be displayed on reception. These could also be used by practice staff and the Health Improvement Team.
-Moira Kinnear also agreed that the PPG notice board could be moved to the wall under the TV screen but that a PPG member would have to do it. PW agreed to investigate.
-Vision Online services are still having problems – unfortunately the surgery only know if the system is down if patients tell them. PW enrolled for this service but then received information containing another patient’s details. PW to give Moira Kinnear full details and Moira to investigate.
-The Twitter account is generating some interesting links with other PPGs. VP to summarise these and send a report to the group.
3.2 Action list
-TR had been provided with the NHS England contact details but was still trying to contact them.
-DNA figures had not been provided so could not be posted. Moira Kinnear to provide figures monthly to the secretary for TR or VP to post.
-The Healthwatch details had been posted on the Facebook account and Healthwatch are now sharing items on the account timeline.
-Contact details for the PPG lead for Silverdale have been provided and TR and VP are to meet with PPG representatives on 4 Dec 2015 to discuss common themes and co-operative support. Moira kindly agreed to allow use of the Lakes meeting room for this. Feedback will be given at the next meeting.
-Contact details for Brian Wroe were not available but Diane Critchley from the Engagement and Communications team at Salford CCG had replied to VP and was willing to hear our comments on the long-term condition patient contract. VP to send out request to all members for comment and to feed these back as an anonymised summary to Salford CCG.
-No action had been taken over amendment of the practice website re prescription drop-down options. Dr Roberts to action. / TR
VP
PW
PW/
Moira Kinnear
VP
Moira Kinnear
VP
Dr Roberts
4 / Review of frequency of meetings from once every two months to quarterly
Various comments were tabled during this discussion from the group’s patient representatives.
-How effective are we as a group?
-What has really changed because of our involvement?
-Would meeting less frequently mean we become even less effective?
-Why aren’t we being as effective as we want to be in driving change?
-We seem to table ideas that are relevant but if it’s not changed, we give up and don’t follow things through.
-We don’t seem to be having an honest two-way dialogue with the practice – sometimes changes or more information are promised but they never materialise (eg we posed the question to the GPs on how we could become better patients, and this was never answered; and we were promised an explanation of the prescription process and this was never delivered).
-When we make suggestions, it is actually being very brave on our part as we are afraid there may be negative personal impact if we speak up.
-We are volunteers who freely give of our time and want to help. However we don’t know what the practice wants our help with as they do not seem to have told us.
-We do want to improve the practice but the practice management does not seem to be engaging with us.
-We just don’t seem to be communicating effectivelywith the practice and our communications seem to be full of misunderstandings.
-The feeling is that the group is simply something that exists to “tick the box” of the contractual responsibilities of the practice.
-We are not sure where the PPG sits in the practice’s priority list.
-The action log was criticised as currently only containing small items rather than larger projects, or any sort of future plan.
-We don’t seem to get any complaints fed into the group for discussion or identification of themes.
-We may have to break away from looking at the practice for guidance and start to do direct patient-centred work (such as forming support groups, running patient education sessions).
The practice representatives responded:
-They appreciate our volunteering.
-They understand our frustration at things not changing.
-They suggested we look again at the purpose of the group, perhaps looking at the NAPP site for ideas.
-Confidentiality is an issue in tabling complaints, so only general themes can be discussed.
-The action log needs to show projects and identify a “lead” who would drive the project.
It was agreed that meetings would remain at once every two months for the time being. VP to produce a list of dates on this basis for 2016.
VP to recirculate NAPP information. All members should consider the group direction and make any comments for suitable projects to . These will be discussed at the next meeting.
The practice should also consider if there is anything specific that they want us to address or that they need our help with. / VP
VP
All practice reps
5 / Practice complaints procedure
Moira Kinnear gave a brief overview of the complaints procedure.
There is a written complaints procedure which was shown to the CQC as part of the recent audit.
Complaints are best raised either verbally or via letter to the practice manager: email is not recommended. A letter of receipt of complaint is then sent to the patient. The complaint is investigated and a response usually sent out within 10 days of the original complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved easily the patient is kept regularly informed of progress. Complaints can be escalated to a more formal procedure.
A lot of items are dealt with in an informal manner. It was suggested that these are however logged centrally so that any common themes can be identified.
Significant events have to be reported to the CCG and are also discussed at practice meetings.
6 / Any Other Business
6.1 CCG Citizen and Patient Panel
Dr Roberts tabled a leaflet regarding the Citizen and Patient Panel. They run some interesting events for patients and members may wish to join the panel. This leaflet is attached.
Visit more information and to enrol.
6.2 Living with a long-term condition
Dr Roberts also tabled a leaflet about living with a long-term condition which the CCG has produced. The leaflet is attached.
6.3 Suggestions Box
Items from the patient suggestions box were:
-Consider new carpets and chairs. Moira advised that a deep clean of the existing ones would be done shortly. Some members of the group felt that the rather scruffy appearance of the waiting room and access corridors did not give a good impression of the practice.
-Change the radio station currently being broadcast in the waiting room.
-Provide a “blood-taking chair” for the phlebotomist. This has support arms which would help in taking blood (rather than just using a cushion) and for support if the patient felt faint.
6.4 NHS Choices website
A poor review of the practice had recently been posted on the NHS Choices website. It was suggested that the practice should at least post some response to indicate that the comment had been read and was being acted upon. Anonymous comments are however hard to challenge and complainants needs to be encouraged to report concerns directly to the practice.
6.5 Retirement of Drs Hayes and Walton
A retirement event is being held at the practice on Wednesday 25th November 2015 from 1pm to 3pm where patients can say goodbye to Drs Hayes and Walton.
The practice was asked about their replacements. Dr Pemberton (female) is a salaried GP who will be working 4 days a week. Other GPs are being interviewed shortly for the second post. / Moira Kinnear
7 / Date and Time of Next Meeting
Tuesday 19 January 2016 6pm
The Lakes Medical Centre, 21 Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 4AF
Tel: 0161 727 5241
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