WELLBROOK MEDICAL CENTRE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
3RD July 2012
1. Present: Chair: Ann Bennett, Vice Chair: Bob Illings, David Lindop, Clive Gerrard, Martin Cocker, Brenda Cowley.
2. Apologies: Joan Adams, Sarah Hough*, Tricia Pritchard.
*Sarah Hough has resigned from the group as she is leaving the area.
3. Minutes of May 1st 2012: Accepted
4. Practice Update: Staff Changes: Dr Mohammed has now left the Practice and interviews for his replacement have taken place. A partnership has been offered provisionally to a Dr Agrawal. As it is possible that he may not be looking to work full time the offer is dependent upon a suitable agreement being made regarding hours worked etc. A meeting of all the partners has been arranged to see how they may be able to bridge the gap if this should prove necessary. It is hoped that Dr Agrawal will be available to start at the Practice on 1st September 2012.
Prior to an appointment 2 locums will be helping to provide cover. Dr Fairbrother will be doing a few sessions and Dr Shah will be available for the odd day.
Post Meeting Note: In addition, Dr Fogarty and Dr Triggs (female) will also be assisting to bridge the gap.
Interviews have taken place for new reception staff. Susan Foster has been offered a post and formal acceptance is awaited and a further post is expected to be offered to another applicant. It is hoped that both appointees will start at the beginning of August but this is dependent upon length of notice required by their existing employers.
Interviews have also taken place for a Health Care Assistant and it is expected that one of the applicants interviewed will be appointed.
Post Meeting Note: Hayley Bosworth has been appointed and will officially start 11th September.
Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF): The outcomes for all Practices in the Country are posted in the report and Wellbrook received 988 points out of a possible 1000 points. Dr Ruddle gave credit for much of this to the work of the nurses and admin staff. The Practice achieved all the
steps outlined in the PPG Directed Enhanced Services document and received all of the money allotted for year one.
The proposed building of a Physiotherapy unit at the rear of the surgery is still expected to be carried out, however proposed changes to the Pharmacy are not now happening. Neither of these projects is being undertaken by the Practice but solely by the Practice’s landlord.
Cathy informed the group that planning permission had been requested for an ‘Aldi’ supermarket to
be built on the grass area between the Practice and the main road and she made it clear that this land did not belong to the Practice and that the Practice had no involvement. Some concern was expressed that shoppers may use the surgery car park but it was generally felt that Aldi were likely to provide adequate parking space.
Cathy made the group aware of the Derbyshire Health Referral Programme and Waistwise Programme.
5. A & E Survey: Dr Ruddle pointed out that the incorrect use of A & E departments is a national problem and the government is making it a priority to reduce unnecessary attendance.
a) GPs are being asked to carry out an audit of their patients to ascertain why they chose to attend A & E rather than use other services particularly during normal surgery hours. This has already been carried out for the period of March to May 2012 and it has shown to be a massive problem nation wide but less so for Wellbrook. Dr Ruddle suggested that the distance to the A & E department may be a factor.
b) What do we do about it, how do we change behaviour? Dr Ruddle felt that it was not ideal to contact patients directly but that it was much better to highlight how the Practice was in a position to help. Patients should be aware that the appointment system now guarantees that a patient will be seen on the same day if required. Also Drs are available for advice, by telephone if necessary, and would be happy to give advice for such injuries as sprained ankles etc. If it should prove necessary the doctor would refer for x-ray etc.
It may be necessary to target patients that attend A & E too often in order to educate them as to the proper use and procedure. At Wellbrook the highest usage recorded was 4 times per quarter.
6. Dr Ruddle explained to the group that following GP Commissioning the Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) will be inheriting all of the PCT debts. GPs taking over commissioning will be expected to do so on a much tighter budget. There is an overall drive to reduce costs which has led to a tightening of procedure and GPs can no longer refer direct but need a 2nd opinion, from a colleague. This can ultimately lead to a 3rd opinion as referral rates are monitored.
7. Choose and Book Update by David Lindop:
David gave anupdate on "Choose and Book system"followed by questions/answer session.
"Choose and Book"( followingreferral by your GP,)booking service has beenaround since about 2006, for those using this service,
A reminder of the benefits of the system:
The choice to go to any hospital in England which is funded by the NHS
Choice of date of appointment
Choice of time of the appointment
Greater convenience and certainty of the appointment
Direct contact by the patient around arranging the appointment
Less chance the information will get lost in the post because all correspondence takes place electronically
The Choose and Book process will create a unique reference number for the patients referral by their GP,and using this number and a password generated by the Choose and Book system, the patient can then make an appointment for a time and date convenient to them. If a patient rings Choose and Book appointment line and there are no appointmentsto choose from, with the patients permission their details will be passed to the hospital they want to go to and they should hear from the hospital by a specified date (Choose and Book will provide the date.) If by the date given the patient hasn't heard anything they will be advised to go back to their practice, (they do not have to make another appointment to see their GP). The patient’s practice will be aware of the local process in place to assist in getting an appointment. In the event of a patient losing their unique reference number,
they can contact their practice who will be able to help them. Patients are able to change or cancel appointments by ringing the Choose and Book appointment line.
8. Patient Networking Event June 21st: Ann attended the event which was devised as a way for the PPGs working within the Southern Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group to meet and exchange views. Although 90% of practices within the group have an active PPG, only about 10 groups had a representative attending. The morning consisted of a number of presentations and group discussions. Claire Haynes, Patient Involvement Manager SDCCG, gave a brief update on the Clinical Commissioning Group. She pointed out that the Southern Derbyshire Commissioning Group was the largest in Derbyshire with a population size of 524,747. The reason for the large number coming together is mainly because of the patient flow to the Derby Hospital, but also there is less financial risk in large CCGs and lower management overheads. The SDCCG should become a statutory organization by April 2013 following the application being submitted around June/September 2012.
A questionnaire had been sent out to all PPGs within the commissioning group and it was disappointing that once again very few responded. It was interesting to see how other PPGs were constituted and it was interesting that many groups attending seemed to be made up of a relatively high proportion of current or ex NHS employees rather than lay people. The problem of recruiting new members was a common one and unfortunately no-one was able to come up with any ideas that we have not already tried or are actively doing. Activities of the different PPGs varied but several were mainly interested in fund raising for apparatus etc. e.g. selling raffle tickets at flu clinics ( the group felt this was inappropriate), or issues specific to their particular practice e.g. campaign to move to better facilities.
Representatives were asked to post their comments and to complete a questionnaire the results to be forwarded at a later date.
9 Recruitment of New Members: Once again the group expressed concern over their diminishing numbers and the lack of younger patients within the group.
a) It was suggested that the group ask for the PPG to be advertised on the display board in the surgery waiting room again. Ann agreed to contact Cathy.
b) An invitation to join the PPG to be included in the newsletter.
c) It was agreed that the group should hold some meetings in the evening to try and encourage patients who find day time meetings impossible due to work commitments. Because the time of the meetings will extend beyond surgery opening hours the first of these meetings is to take place at 7.00pm on Tuesday 14th August in The Bowls Pavilion at The Frank Wickham Hall. Ann to book and pay for the Hall and to consult with Cathy re claiming expenses.
10 Any Other Business: Bob expressed concern that the editor of the Etwall Express had written a disclaimer after his last newsletter. Ann said that she had contacted the editor to ask that he ensured that the words Patient Participation Group were included in the heading as he had changed the title in the past giving the impression that the newsletter was coming from the Practice. No suggestion re a disclaimer was made. Ann agreed to contact the ‘Express’ again to clarify the situation.
Time and Date of Next Meeting:-
Evening
7.00pm 14th August at Bowls Pavilion, Frank Wickham Hall, Portland Street,Etwall.
Meeting Closed 16.45pm