Coggeshall Surgery
Minutes of the Patient Participation Group Meeting
held on Wednesday 23 January 2013 at 6.30 pm
Coggeshall Surgery
Present: Ann Cullum,Keith CullumJohn Dann, Dennis Gray, Stanley Haines, Helen Lewis, LynPrice, Editha Tebbutt, Jill Ward, Les WildandSueWilson.
Apologies for absence were received from:Vanessa Dann,MiallJames,Chislaine Little,FrankShearmanand Miles Woodcraft.
Representing the practice: Dr Barkham, Jackie Cornell, Dr Johnson.
1Minutes of the previous meeting
The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 October2012were confirmed.
2Matters Arising
The take-up for flu injections was good with follow-up calls made to those who had not attended. Although the Group had arranged Community Bus transport this had not been needed, so private cars were used instead where necessary.
Decisions were still awaited from the Parish Council about the state of the public gravel car park just outside the surgery area; concerns were expressed that it may be designated as a private parking area in the near future.
It was noted that patients attending the surgery still continued to park so that their vehicles were overhanging the footpaththereby impeding the passage of wheelchair users and elderly or infirm patients.
3News from the Practice
Two sets of automatic doors to assist easy access to the building had been installed but were awaiting final completion (expected to be at the end of the week). A small grant had contributed towards the cost. The drainage problem just to the side of the main door is to be dealt with in the very near future.
The outcome from the recent random patient survey was distributed. The Practice was congratulated fora very positive outcome indicating that, on the whole, patients were very happy with the service that was being provided. The excellent report will be published on the website. Dennis Gray offered to distribute publicity information about the results in the locality. Action D Gray
Both Dr Barkham and Dr Johnson voiced their considerable concerns about the publicised changes that are about to be made in the NHS. There were difficulties in knowing who to contact and who was accountable for the various issues as there were so many changes being made. The deluge of unachievable targets placed on the Practice was in danger of having a severe impact on the responsibility of the team to treat patients as individuals with discrete medical and social needs. The doctors’ clinical judgement was in danger of being subverted; increasing the potential for unsafe patient decisions being made. A great deal of time was taken away from clinical care to deal with national data returns which did not necessarily apply to the Practice and it was anticipated that the situation would continue to deteriorate. It was noted that Essex as a whole is historically under-funded.
It was noted that from 1 April 2013, the new telephone number for NHS Direct will be 111. This information will form part of the Surgery’s out-of-hours answerphone message.
PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS FOR 2013
A considerable effort had been made to try to arrange a topical and interesting range of medical matters for bi-monthly open meetings in the village hall. Contact has been made with CHUFT (Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust) who have provided a list of suitable topics and speakers. The first of these meetings will be held on Monday 25February 2013 at 7.30 in the village hall, Coggeshall when Dr Bodmer will speak about diabetes. Posters will be provided by CHUFT and once these are available they will be sent out to members of this Group for distribution in the hope of attracting a large number of attendees. Future topics include: Strokes, Bowels and Bottoms, and, hopefully topics under the umbrella of Essex Cares*. *Action Lyn Price
The next meeting of this Group on Wednesday 6 March 2013 at 6.30 pm in The Surgery will include the opportunity to talk toIan Stidston, Director Primary Care & Participation, NHS North and South Cluster.
It was agreed that the local MP, Mrs Pritti Patel, should be asked to attend an open meeting in Coggeshall where the growing concerns about the reforms to the NHS and the impact they would have on patients could be voiced. Dr Barkham and Dr Johnson agreed to liaise with local surgeries to see if they would like to participate in a meeting if it could be set up. The plan was that the Group should be well-prepared for such a meeting in order that the best could be made of the opportunity to voice concerns at a higher level. In the meantime, SueWilson agreed to check out the availability of the village hall and to check Pritti Patel’s diary with her so that arrangements could go ahead as soon as possible. Action S Wilson
Any Other Business There being no further business the meeting closed at 7.45 pm
Date of next meetings:
Monday 25 February 2013, at 7.30 pm in the village hall - open meeting on Diabetes.
Wednesday 6 March 2013, at 6.30 pm in the Surgery - Coggeshall PPG meeting.
Patient Participation Group Meeting – 23 January 2013Page 1