Minutes of the Huntingdon Road Patient Participation Group
Date & Time of meeting: Wednesday 14th November 2012 – 18:30 to approx. 20:00
Venue: Huntingdon Road Surgery (HRS)
Present: Maureen Cundy, Ingrid Pryor, Michael Woodisse, Alison Pegrum, Jo Hall, Roger Hall,
Jenny Knights, Jackie Sanders, Patrick Shamdas, Peter Teich, Yvonne Higgons, George Webb, Veronica Becke, Alex Mathieson, Celia Lindsay (Chair), Robert Sanders (Temporary Secretary).
HRS Staff – Julie Steel, Dr Peter Connan
Apologies: Brenda Kent, Alistair Kent, Sue Gardner, Julia Kemp, Mary Kaloo, Gill Catchpole, Tony Bateman, Doreen Rees, Jo Lovegrove, Janet Webb, Jackie Grimshaw, Carole Trosch,
Pippa Temple, Jean Morrison.
Agenda
1. Minutes of last meeting: Agreed.
2. Matters arising: The acronyms list from PCT as mentioned at the last meeting will be forwarded to PPCG members who had not received it. Action Robert
3. Survey: The survey has started in the surgeries with the volunteer deliveries to go ahead in the next few days. Dr Connan responded to a number of questions about the survey, in particular the reason for targeting certain areas. It was hoped to offer people who might not attend the surgery very often the opportunity to make comments or suggestions. A target of 300+ completed surveys is hoped for. Dr Connan said this would be good, and that there was no hard and fast end to the survey period – around 2 weeks. The survey is primarily feedback from the patients to the surgery, to make sure it is going in the right direction. There will be paper copies of survey forms in the surgery and it can also be completed online via the surgery website.
4. Group feedback from the AGM and the surgery core values: Celia mentioned that the feedback from the AGM was positive and that if any questions arose from the AGM or come up at any time, then there are PPG boxes in the surgery for patients to leave comments or questions. Dr Connan was keen to hear about the Surgery Core Values feedback. Alison mentioned that LINK had done a survey where continuity of care was brought up by patients as very important to them. This is something which HRS is also committed to, and which is not easily available in all surgeries.
5. Confidentiality: Members delivering surveys should sign the form for the surgery with regards to confidentiality and delivery of the survey. We should all keep in mind confidentiality when talking to other patients within HRS and the NHS area generally. Dr Connan at this point stressed the importance of confidentiality for all parties as a very important principle and gave some examples. The Caldicott Principles (Dr Connan is the Caldicott Guardian at HRS) are what the NHS work to. Dr Connan explained the 6 points and the confidentiality form the surgery requires the PPCG and other members to sign, as they could possibly come into contact more readily with other patients. Confidentiality in relation to medical records and the Summary Care Record were discussed. The Information Governance Toolkit which the HRS is signed up to protects patients’ notes, etc. The new computer system ‘System One’ was mentioned as the new upgraded computer system and what that system will give in the future with confidentiality as a core value. It was agreed that patient empowerment is very important in all this and all patients must feel that their information is treated with the utmost care and attention.
6. Membership: Celia said there are now approx. 70 members in the PPG (and growing) including 7 members of the PPCG. Patients are all generally interested in the PPG’s involvement within the HRS, but cannot always be available for meetings. It is possible to belong to the PPG, receive information and minutes by email or in the post and thus remain in touch without attending any meetings. Patients are welcome to send comments and suggestions by the same means. The current survey can be completed via the website (http://www.huntingdonroadsurgery.co.uk) where newsletters are also available. You can contact the PPG on the website by clicking on the Contact Us Tab.
Information is never very far away. Spread the word!
7. AOB:
A) Student registration: Dr Connan said that students should register as soon as they are in the catchment area of the surgery, not to wait until they are ill! The individual colleges try to encourage their students to register. Foreign language students are included in this ideal and would normally register with the same GP as the family they are staying with, dependant on length of stay.
B) Newsletter: A black and white copy of the current newsletter is being included with the survey forms being hand delivered as the patients concerned might not otherwise see it. Yvonne, the newsletter editor requested that if we have any information which we feel would be of interest for future newsletters, please let her know via PPG.
General AOB:
i) Alison mentioned that the Cambridgeshire Community Services (employs the district nurses, health visitors and other staff in the community) had been refused foundation trust status and wondered what would be the consequences. There was no immediate answer to this. Local GP Commissioning Groups will have responsibility for the services currently provided by CCS. There are a number of changes likely over the next few months. District nursing services will be arranged differently. The Practice will no longer have a nursing community support worker, but she had been funded on a short term pilot basis. Celia suggested we all keep an eye on future developments.
ii) Dr Connan said that further meetings have gone ahead with regards to the redevelopment of the surgery (4 new consulting rooms downstairs, etc.) Plans are moving forward very fast as the funding allocated has to be spent by the 31st March. More details are available.
iii) Celia said that the problem with emails for the PPG through the surgery website had resolved but were slow. A patient had contacted her to express concern he could not email the Practice directly for results of tests etc. Dr Connan and Julie Steel said that the HRS is looking into this as there are issues which need to be considered (confidentiality, etc.).
iv) Maureen Cundy asked about HRS putting information in local village newsletters for their local patients e.g. Flu clinic dates etc. Dr Connan expressed concern at the risk of being seen to advertise for new patients. He thought maybe the surgery newsletter could cover flu clinic reminders. This will probably be discussed again in the future.
v) Correction of error in AGM minutes. Section 4. Dr Kevin Webb is the City Locality Group Chair of CATCH and not the Chair of CATCH as a whole.
Dates for next meetings:
PPCG -12th December at a member’s home. 6.30 p.m.
PPG 24th Jan 2013 at HRS 6.30pm – 8.00 pm