West Hallam Medical Centre Patient Participation Group Minutes

West Hallam Medical Centre Patient Participation Group Minutes

Wednesday 17th January 2018

1. In attendance:

Steven Webster – Chair

June Hartley

Stuart Densley

Linda Stevens

Anthony Smith

Valarie Smith

Brian Woodward

Pat Woodward

Richard Page – Practice Manager

2. Apologies:

Liz Gibbons

Roger Allen

3. Pharmacy Assessment

RP confirmed that the NHS is promoting the use of clinical pharmacists in general practice. They can help manage medication queries, undertake medication reviews, deal with minor illness and manage long term conditions. Steven Cheung and Daniel Webb work in this role at the practice and have been a very successful addition to the team. They have taken significant pressure of the GP workload.

4. Bid to NHS for new practice entry doors

RP confirmed a bid was submitted to the local clinical commissioning group (CCG) to help fund new automatic doors to the practice entrance. There has been no update from the CCG. RP to chase.

5. Winter Pressures

RP advised the practice has been busy over winter. The last few weeks in particular. There being more cases of flu than previous winters. The wider NHS was also under intense pressure as reported in the news. Notwithstanding the practice was coping well. This due to the extra appointments that have been available from the winter pressures money the CCG has made available and the new ways of working the practice has adopted. For example the use of ACPs to manage minor illness.

Upon being asked RP confirmed the flu jab uptake was lower than last year. VS commended the practice for the efficiency of the Saturday AM clinic. RP thanking VS for the kind complement.

6. Staffing

With considerable regret RP confirmed Dr Scullard will be leaving the practice in the Spring.

RP to keep the chair aware of the process to replace Dr Scullard.

7. Working within Amber Valley or Erewash

RP provided background to the NHS policy of wanting all health and social care providers in one defined location to work together and create efficiency. Locally this was called ‘place’ based working. It was agreed this is not a useful term. Area working would be better. RP confirmed the practice had been put into a ‘place’ with the practices in Duffield, Belper and Horsley Woodhouse.

The future of ‘place’ based working is uncertain. However RP confirmed to the group that if it leads to services, currently available within the GP practice or the Hospital, being provided at a ‘place’ level then the management of the practice fully understands that patients will want to access such services in Ilkeston.

8. Extended Access

The government is progressing with its policy to see GP practices open 8am-8pm seven days a week.This is an enormous challenge to ALL GP Practices as simply there are too few GPs to manage the existing GP Practice opening hours. As this policy develops RP to update the group.

9. Sharing of Core Practice Data

RP confirmed that the practice is a high performing practice on all indicators both clinical and non-clinical. For example the practice scores above average both nationally and locally on all except one of the many indicators with the National Patient Survey.

RP wishes to share more information with the PPG on such matters and to seek permission from the Partnership and the CCG to do this.

10. Any other Business

SW confirmed the sad and unexpected passing of a PPG member. RIP

11. Date and Time of Next Meeting

Wednesday 11th April 2018 @ 6.30pm

PPG-Jan18