Download PPG Minutes - 06.10.14

Ettingshall Medical Centre
Patient Participation Group Meeting (PPG)
Monday 6 October 2014 - 5.00 pm
PPG - Minutes
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Present
Mrs F Whittingham (Patient)
Mr S Whitingham (Patient)
Miss S Warren (Patient)
Mrs J Stallard (Patient)
Vicky Arbenz (Practice Manager) (VA)
Mrs C Williams (Patient)
Mr C Williams (Patient)
Miss Clark (Patient)
Mrs S Blaze-Manly (Patient)
Apologies
Dr H M Hibbs (GP) (HMH)
Ms D Morgan-Smith (Patient)
1
Matters arising from previous meeting
Door signs
Request made for the practice to ensure the door signs are displayed by
clinicians at all times, as they have been omitted on occasions.
VA will remind admin and clinical team to display door signs at all times to
guide patients to the correct location.
2
Practice Team – Update
The practice has been unsuccessful in recruiting an additional GP at the
current time, demand for GP’s currently out strips the number of GP’s
available.
We are looking to progress the status of the practice to become a GP
training practice which will bring additional access to patients. All trainees
are highly supervised and their consultation constantly reviewed.
We have appointed Lynne Ward – an experienced practice nurse who will
join the practice in mid-October, she will support and manage patients with
long term chronic conditions, vaccinations and smears.
The appointment of the new practice nurse will free up the advanced nurse
practitioner Lisa Davis to see patients as first contact treatment to support
the request for GP appointments. Lisa is a highly trained practitioner with a
special interest in diabetes she is able to prescribe a wide variety of
medications and initiate medication for a number of conditions.
The patient group discussed the use of the Advanced Nurse Practitioners,
and it was surprising that some patients felt they were being offered less of a
service when an appointment was offered with an ANP. In truth ANP’s are
highly trained in a wide range of areas and specifically in managing patients
with problems associated with their chronic diseases. They do prescribe
widely and initiate antibiotics although there is a general move away from
these being prescribed due to the national campaign to limit usage, due to
drug resistance becoming an issue. Patient booking with and ANP will also
have a longer consultation than they would with a GP.
If a patient presents with symptoms outside the ANP competences they
would always refer to a GP.
The group felt it would be helpful if information was made available
regarding the role of the ANP and what medical consultations they can deal
with. Patients can always ask reception if they are unsure, and they will
signpost them to the most suitable clinician.
3
Speaker – Barbara Clark – Health Walks
Information was provided on the availability of health walks which operate in
and around Wolverhampton which are free to join.
The walks are suitable for all patient groups and can accommodate able
bodied and disabled patients. The health walks aim is to encourage us all to
become more active. They are short walks of 1 to 3 mile and some are a
little longer, they are taken at a gentle pace to accommodate everyone
capabilities. The walks operate in all areas of Wolverhampton and a list is
displayed in the practice waiting room. New leaflets are being printed and
when available will be displayed the waiting room for anyone who is
interested.
4
PPG representation of the practice
We are keen to ensure that all practice groups are represented at the
practice. We are particularly looking to recruit those in the younger age
group 16-24 the group felt that a text message may be the best way to
approach this group. It was agreed to specifically target this group with a
personalised text message near to our next meeting.
Similarly we are seeking to recruit those patients from the Eastern European
group and again it was felt a text message may be the way forward to those
who speak English to encourage those through community groups where
English may not be their first language to get involved.
5
Membership form
No changes the current form will continue to be used to recruit members to
the group,
6
National Survey
No additonal results availalbe since are last meeting to review.
7
Waiting Room Facilities
The waiting room seating has been reconfigured which has generally been
well received.
The members raised the issue of the children’s play table being too close to
the front access door and suggested that the play table be relocated to the
rear seating area. This is an excellent idea and will be implemented.
Access for wheelchair users was also raised and an increased opening in
the seating at the front would be made larger to accommodate wheelchair /
pushchair access.
Overflow seating by the door to the consulting rooms is there for patients to
sit quietly. This seating is not used very much due to the location as
patients cannot see the call screen.
The seating has been left in this location as there is no space to
accommodate it elsewhere and is only used as an overflow.
The practice is looking to introduce a radio to the waiting room as back
ground music only. The group agreed that the choice of station would need
to be something easy going as patients who are not well would not want to
listen to loud overpowering music. The practice would have to purchase two
licences in order to play the radio and this would need to be paid even if the
practice played CD’s so we cannot avoid purchasing the licences, The music
will also ensure greater confidentiality when patients are speaking to the
reception team at the front desk.
The practice is also looking at an option of a TV monitor to display health
messages. This facility would be supplied free of charge to the surgery and
would be funded by advertising which the practice would have full control
over to the types of advertisers. Usually advertisers are local businesses
although it was agreed we would not advertise companies promoting no win
no fee services. Mainly it would be pharmacies, funeral directors, florists,
hairdressers.
The adverting message screen is split between advertising and the health
message the practice want to promote. Vicky will review further the split
between advertisers and health messages. The company offering the facility
only allocates one per area so we may not be in a position to proceed.
There is no music with the TV so the radio would an additional facility.
8
Flu Campaign 2014
The flu clinics for 2014 have started and a number of clinics are operating,
all patients over 65 are eligible including those with long term chronic
diseases, pregnant women. NHS England are also extending the children’s
nasal flu programme which now covers 2, 3 and 4 year olds.
It is important that all eligible patients are vaccinated and everyone is urged
to book their appointment at the earliest opportunity.
9
Any other business
Woodcross Health telephone number displayed on the NHS choices website
did not go through to Woodcross. This was highlighted during a recent flood
at the practice when we had to relocate to Woodcross Health centre for a
few days.
Post meeting note – having reviewed the telephone number it gives the
Parkfield practice number which is where all incoming calls are directed as
Woodcross surgery is a branch surgery of Parkfield Medical Centre.
This did not help our patients recently when the surgery had to implement
contingency arrangements and relocate to Woodcross to continue our
service. There were a few issues with the telephone system which we have
learnt from and are much better prepared for a next time, hopefully this will
not happen again.
10
Date of Next Meeting
Monday 12 January 2015
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5.00 pm – 6.00 pm