The Wellington Health Centre

Patients Participation Group

Notes of Meeting 17 January 2012

Present

Saral Anand (Dr) John Darley Patricia Rawlinson

John Buchanan Peter Hodes Barbara Stevens

Carole Challen Seymour Popeck

Apologies

David Hogarth Angela Stafford Ruth Starr Amia Raphael Jane Moss Monty Moss

1.  Peter Hodes as Chairman opened the meeting, welcomed those present and the Apologies were noted.

2.  Peter then gave his report for the year (copy attached). In it he gave his thoughts about the future of the PPG and this was followed up in the discussion on Item 6 on the Agenda.

3.  Dr Saral in her report expressed the thanks of the practice to the PPG and to Peter in particular for all the help given to the practice. She felt we were still at an exploratory stage but was hopeful that it would develop further. The practice was developing the use of text messages and this might be a useful method of communication for the PPG to reach practice patients.

Westminster was an area where a trial was taking place of relaxing practice boundaries and it would be important to see how it affected new patients and existing patients.

They were still concerned about the availability of appointments and while the number had been increased demand was also rising and continued to give concern.

A new partner (Dr David Bivona) was expected to join the practice in April.

4.  Carole Challen started her report by thanking the PPG and Peter in particular for their assistance during the year. She had a number of items that she would like to mention. The first was a secure e-mail project to link the NHS and Social Services in Westminster. Each service had it’s own secure link but they were not interlinked and this caused difficulties and delays at times.

The practice was in the early stages of developing a risk management analysis of patients’ histories and how this might be used to predict future requirements. They were also looking at an integrated care scheme for the over 75s and for diabetics.

A Register for End of life/Palliative care was being developed that could be used to improve services to those patients by linking A & E, ambulance and GP. The practice wanted to produce a guide for patients to point them in the right direction when urgent clinical care was needed.

A major area of concern was the operation of the IT system in use in the practice. It was very slow at producing information and this was very frustrating for the staff and for patients who might be waiting on the telephone for the information. In addition the on-line appointments system was far from satisfactory. Exploratory talks were being held with another supplier who appeared to have a more suitable product and they may be looking for a patient representative to join the working group.

A new website has opened “My Health London” which is a local version of NHS Choices.

Other developments include students sitting in on patient consultations (with the consent of the patient) which helps them get a feel for what general practice is about.

NHS Health Checks are under way for the 40-74 age group and batches of patients are being offered these at a time. The provision of contraceptive inplants is now being offered within the practice.

A trial was being planned with a “walk-in clinic” initially on Friday mornings as one approach to coping with the demand for more appointments. This increased demand per patient for appointments was proving very troublesome and the practice was watching it closely but it was proving difficult to meet expectations in the current general climate of cuts and changes.

5.  Elections. Barbara Stevens indicated that she did not wish to continue with the PPG as she was more interested in a volunteering role. This was noted with regret by the other members. After some discussion it was generally agreed that Peter Hodes should continue as Chairman and that John Buchanan continue as Secretary.

6.  Future. After some discussion it was agreed that the frequency of meetings be reduced and that members meet to produce a “Mission Statement” to define the purpose and activities of the PPG over the next year or so. This meeting was set for Tuesday 7 February at 9.30 am. at the surgery. This statement is now attached and we would ask members to read it and give it their consideration.

7.  Next Meeting Tuesday 15 May at 6.45 pm. at the Surgery. (Note change of date.)

John Buchanan