Bradford on Avon and Melksham Patients’ Participation Group
Minutes of General Meeting
Tuesday 10 March 2015 at 7.00 pm
The Health Centre, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1DQ
1. Welcome and Introduction
Sue Walters, PPG Chairman, welcomed everyone to the March 2015 general meeting of the Bradford on Avon and Melksham Patients’ Participation Group. Then Sue talked briefly about the agenda and offered apologies for the alterations to the agenda items which were due to unexpected circumstances.
2. PPG Business
2.1 Previous Minutes of PPG Annual General Meeting of 9 December 2014
The minutes of the last PPG general meeting in December 2014 were accepted.
Proposed Alan Fox, seconded Marlene Nolan. All agreed that the talk about prostate cancer had been excellent and gave many thanks to the expert patient speaker.
2.2 Update on finances
Jen Andrews, Hon Treasurer, gave an update on the PPG finances. The balance of the PPG fund at present is £2394.08. There are some items of equipment to be paid for in the near future when the invoices are received from the practice.
2.3 Ideas for equipment purchases by the PPG
Discussion was held about items considered useful for the patients, especially new information screens in the surgery waiting areas. These this will investigated by the Practice for costs and feasibility. The Practice will also produce a list of suitable equipment to buy.
2.4 Suggestion boxes in waiting rooms - update
Mike Nolan, PPG Committee, provided an update on the suggestions given by the patients.
The Friends and family response test, a UK wide initiative, being implemented at the practice. A new “Friends and Family Test” form combined with the patients suggestions form is working well. The Friends and Family Test results will be published on the website each month. There have been many complementary comments given by the patients about the very good service and advice received from the practice clinicians and staff. Copies of the Friends and Family Test results for January 2015 were circulated to those present and discussed.
Suggestions about various items have been received, examples include: telephone answer times, making an appointment, waiting room music; information about any delay in start time of appointment; etc.
All suggestions are being considered by the practice. Details about the suggestions from the patients and practice replies concerning these will be given at future PPG meetings and also information will be posted in the waiting rooms.
2.5 Outside Organisations - news
Senior Citizens Forum
An update about the Senior Citizens Forum was given by Mike Darlow. The open meeting held on 3rd March about dementia care in the area was well attended and many different organisations including the CCG, Swan Advocacy; Alzheimer’s Support etc were at the drop-in event to give advice to local people.
There was discussion about the proposed sites for dementia care in Wiltshire being considered i.e. Trowbridge, Devizes or Salisbury. All agreed that the place chosen must have good transport links and also that sufficient beds are provided; the numbers suggested so far are considered insufficient for local needs.
On Friday 20th March the Forum meeting, in St Margaret’s Hall BoA, will be a discussion with the parliamentary candidates. It will be helpful if patients send questions for the candidates to Mike Darlow for this “Question Time” style meeting. Questions especially about the provision of dementia care in this area will be welcome.
HealthWatch
Derek Glover told the PPG about the discussions that are being held about the proposed withdrawal of the Hopper hospital bus service by Wiltshire County Council. All agreed this was a very valuable service for the patients in this area and expressed their concern about losing this means of transport.
2.6 Future PPG General Meetings
Discussions were held about the topics for the next 3 general meetings in 2015.
It was agreed the talks will be as follows:
Tuesday 2nd June - disorders of the feet;
Tuesday 22nd September - successful treatment of cancer;
Tuesday 8th December - the ambulance service.
The September 2015 meeting will include the AGM. Sue Walters mentioned succession planning and asked the patients to consider volunteering for the committee and to send in their nominations to the PPG Secretary, Denise Ramsay in the near future.
2.7 21 Ways to Thrive - Consultation
The many good ideas and responses received from the round table discussions have now been analysed. The top 5 items have been chosen by the patients to help the PPG prioritise the areas to concentrate on in the near future. The committee will discuss these items in greater detail and update the patients at future general meetings.
3. Practice News
3.1 General Practice News
Amanda Brookes gave an update of practice news on behalf of Michelle Coleman who sent her apologies. Topics included:
- The practice in Bradford on Avon is included in a demonstrator site based in the town for the new Hub of integrated social and health care. Details were given about the operation of the Hub and the various clinicians and social care professionals involved.
- All patients can get an assessment under the new Care Act from April to help with the provision any adult social care package required.
- The Leg Club is doing very well with 256 members and 6 nurse stations. Amanda is working closely with the Leg Club Foundation and has recently been awarded recognition by the foundation for all her hard work.
- Fall prevention clinics are taking place involving occupational therapists, physiotherapists, foot care practitioners and GPs to help with reviews of people prone to falls to assess their condition and provide treatment including exercise classes.
- A Dementia Club is planned in the near future that will be of a more social type to help patients.
- Risk factors of people who may be liable to go into hospital are being looked at to help with early identification and prevention.
- The increasing number of patients not attending their appointments is being investigated; reasons and appointment times are being assessed.
- A Nursing home project is being conducted with a nurse attending every Monday at the nursing home.
- Health Checks are being conducted at the practice with a range of tests being carried out, including blood pressure and cholesterol, for patients under 74 years now but looking to provide this for older patients in the future.
There was general discussion about these items above by the patients present along with Dr Wyatt and Amanda Brookes who were both greatly thanked by the patients for their time, involvement and contribution to the PPG. Dr Wyatt especially praised Amanda for all her hard work for the practice and the patients then gave a vote of thanks for Amanda.
3.2 Patient Survey Results
Amanda then talked about the results of the waiting room patient questionnaire that had been handed to the patients attending the practice in January 2015. Copies of the results summary and action plan were circulated to the patients present and these were discussed. The 8 areas of the proposed action plan by the practice were discussed in turn i.e. repeat survey; speed and flow of patients at reception desk; information about facility for confidential conversation; cleanliness of toilet facilities; reading materials in waiting rooms; purchase of additional waiting room TV screens; facilities for children; notification of delay in start time of appointments.
Meeting closed at 8.25pm
Dates of General PPG Meetings: 2 June 2015; 22 September 2015; 8 December 2015
Minutes BoA&M PPG General Meeting 10 March 2015 Page 1 of 3