Notes from the PPG Workshoporganised by West Suffolk Community Engagement Group- March

Notes from the PPG Workshoporganised by West Suffolk Community Engagement Group- March 2017(DRAFT)

Introduction

A PPG Workshop took place on 31st March in response to a request by local PPGs for their members to have the opportunity to connect with each other, share good practice and discuss common issues.

The open format gave participants the opportunity to find out how other PPGs work and to talk about topical subjects and success stories. The final session of the day (see notes below) concluded that a local PPG Network would be valuable and participants left with at least one positive and helpful idea to take back to their GP practice.

Subject sessions included:

How Hardwicke House built up an interactive PPG group (see notesbelow)
Maintaining an active PPG and combining two PPGs into one (see notes below)
How GP practices can benefit from PPG support(notes to follow)
How can the West Suffolk Community Engagement Group (CEG) develop a supportive relationship with local PPGs (see notes below)
Communications(see notesbelow)

Session notes

1. How Hardwicke House (HH) built up an integrative PPG Group
By Phil Worsley, Secretary, Hardwicke House Patient Partnership Group

Patient Partnership Group – Timeline

Joined group 2012 - As a member of the WSCCG CEG I felt I needed to get a better feel of what the healthcare needs in Sudbury were.
Contacted HH Practice Manager to ask if HH had a PPG group. I told him I had an interest in Cancer. I was told the group was not for “single issue” patients!!
1st meeting - Attended first meeting with Practice Manager (PM) and 2 other patients.
PM chaired meeting.
Next Meeting – No further meeting convened for another 6 months and only after I asked when the next meeting would be!!
Meeting Structure Needed - After a couple of meetings, I decided to contact another 3 people who were on the PM’s distribution list but had not attended any meetings.
Meeting convened in August 2013 with 5 patients including me. No Drs or PM in attendance.

Appointed a patient as interim chair
Drew up Terms of Reference.
Developed promotional leaflet.
Agreed frequency of meeting (2 monthly).

Slow increase in membership - Since 2013 the group has slowly built up membership which now stands at 11. Most recruitment done at annual flu’ clinic where group members handed out group leaflets.
Successful 2016- Lots of progress made despite communication difficulties. Chair refused to use email. Slow response to actions.
Take Off 2017 - With the appointment of a new chair, and proactive new members we are confident our group will drive move to a new level.

Key Issues

New Groups - In starting a new group it would be ideal if a group of people who know each other forms the core. Although care needs to be taken to avoid Cliques, which can be very off putting to new members. One difficulty with the HH group was we did not know each other so it took some time to gel.
Sources of Members - Approach local health interest groups, Parish Councils, Churches to send representatives.
Virtual Groups - Some groups are virtual groups. We feel a face to face meet group is better if it at all possible. We must however, consider using email, and social media as a second tier to allow patients who cannot attend meetings to give input.
Meeting Day / Time - it is important to select meeting days / times to be as inclusive as possible. Our old chair insisted we met on Friday afternoons. This does not suit everyone, particularly those with work and educational commitments. We are looking to change and considering alternating between day time meetings and evening meetings. What we must not do is alienate existing members.
Patient Chair - To be a true patient group the chair needs to be a patient. PM could be vice or co-chair. We feel it is important the patients set the agenda.
A PPG is not a conduit for complaints- there are more appropriate channels for complaints. Making this clear I feel was a major turning point for our group and made the PM and GPs more receptive to our group.
Practice Minute Taker - We insist a member of the practice staff takes minutes as an indication of the practice’s commitments to the group.
PM / GP presence at meetings- Our PM is present for whole of meeting. GPs tend to be there for part meeting. We need to discuss whether there should be a patient only section in our meetings.
More GP attendance-We would like to see more GP presence at meetings as only occasional GP presence now. Could there be a rotation of GPs so all GPs get to know about the group.
What does a PPG get involved with - The HH PPG not only gets involved with Practice issues, but also issues which influencethe practice e.g. Phlebotomy service, Patient Transport, Support Groupsetc.
PPG Budget- We need to establish a PPG budget, to avoid having to go cap in hand to the PM, and avoid the risk of patients feeling obliged to cover expenses from own pockets. A PPG budget could cover such items as stationary / postage, travel expenses, room hire for educational events, National Association for Patient Participation (N.A.P.P) conference costs. etc.

Activities 2016

Phlebotomy service - Concerns raised with WSCCG about inadequate Phlebotomy service Sudbury Health Centre, and failure to adequately inform patients about new computerised booking service.
Annual Patient Survey - PPG members assisted patients to complete patient survey.
PPG Newsletter- 2 editions per year May and September.
Local Press - Contacted local newspapers to reinstate Sudbury Pharmacy Opening times.
Lobbying-Our PPG lobbied members of Babergh Council re: new premises.
Sudbury Watch- a delegation attended a meeting of Sudbury Watch to discuss how our groups could work together.
WSCCG Patient Revolution-attended by 5 members to raise Sudbury Issues.
Electronic Information Sharing Initiative - assisted with sharing patient information project.
Joined NAPP.
Supported WSCCG PPG Initiative - aimed to increase patient involvement in PPGs, and cross fertilisation of ideas between PPGs.
PPG Notice Boardsinstalled in all 5 HH Surgeries.
Healthcare Transport Schedule drawn up
Members Participated in CQC interviews.
Flu’ Clinics - Distributed PPG promotional information at Flu’ clinics.
Local Support Group Awareness – Cancer, Cardiac, Epilepsy etc.

Aims for 2017

All the abovewhereappropriate.
Increase membership, particularly unrepresented age group.
Investigate use of email / social media to expand hard to reach membership.
Organise a Health Education event e.g. Exercise and Lifestyles, Diabetics.
Greater GP Involvement.

What can be achieved by networking?

Greater understanding of the issues patients can get involved in.
Cooperate and Support each other on common issues.
Add weight / voice to patients concerns.
Propagate Good Practice.
Share ideas.
Avoid “re-inventing the wheel”.

2. Maintaining an active PPG and combining two PPGs into one
By Sue Spittlehouse, PPG Chair, Haverhill Family Practice

Merging two PPGs with very different patient groups and sizes

Both groups have “face to face” meetings
A lot of changes – an opportunity to review aims and objectives of PPGs.

More involvement with practice – change attitude from “Them and Us” to “Critical Friend”
Improve processes/productivity – agenda and control of minutes by PPG.
Willingness to listen.
Building trust.
Address patient/practice issues but be realistic about the time scale for change. People take time to adjust to change and need time to think about how things can be done differently.
Build on the suggestions by the group; don't be put off because they didn't work in another time or so some say.
Liaise with local agencies CCG.
Be willing to think outside the box and try things that are new.
Take ownership of the group and accept that rights bring responsibilities as well.
Seek to represent the whole patient community not just the people present.

3. How GP practices can benefit from PPG support (notes to follow)

4. How can the West Suffolk Community Engagement Group (CEG) develop a supportive relationship with local PPGs

By Dave Taylor, Independent Chair, West Suffolk CEG
& Michael Simpkin, CEG member and Haverhill Family Practice PPG member

Link members of the CEG with members of each PPG
Open communication systems across PPGs
Encourage visits between PPGs
Ensure CEG newsletter goes to each PPG
Create a PPG area on the WSCCG website
Create a PPG column in the CEG newsletter
Ask PPGs to let the CEG know what support they would like
Issues for CEG:
Blood tests at home
Dementia
Funding for PPGs

5. Communications
By Isabel Cockayne, Head of Communications, West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group

Recruitment
Encourage local people to get involved by communicating the benefits of joining through a variety of channels including:

A prominent notice in the practice waiting room
Highlighting the PPG on the website HOME page + link to the PPG page
A recruitment drive at flu clinics and other practice events
A regular notice in the local parish newsletter(s)/magazine(s)

PPG communications to patients

Engage with patients at flu clinics and other practice events
Produce a regular newsletter and distribute by:

Asking the practice to add a pdf of the newsletter to the practice website and, if possible, email it out to patients who have signed up to receive information.
Print copies and leave out for patients to pick up in the practice waiting room

See if it is possible to write a regular column in the local parish newsletter(s)/magazine(s)

Communicate with other PPGs

Join the PPG Network that is being supported by the West Suffolk CEG and make the most of the opportunity to communicate with other local PPGs to swap ideas, agree best practice and find out how other PPGs have overcome common issues.

Final thoughts/comments of the day session

Participants’ response to the question “What did you find useful/interesting today”

A PPG Network is good idea
Making contact with other PPGs. Find how they function and get ideas for setting up a new group
Finding out what differs between a virtual and face to face group
Comparing size and make up of other PPGs
How to communicate with patients – Flu clinics/Newsletters
How passionate people are about having a PPG and being part of it
Sharing best practice
How the CEG and PPGs can communicate and support each other
How people went about setting up a PPG
Sometimes people want to become part of a PPG through the need to address a particular concern
How you can turn a complaint around to become a positive action for the practice
To have a set of positive objectives when going to a GP or Practice Manger to ask to start a PPG
Reassurance that there are many good PPGs in the county and beyond
Making sure that PPGs represent all of the practice patients – young/old etc.
Communications are key to help patient expectation and education
The CCG can help to put out the wider message
Funding ideas for supporting a PPG
PPGs are not only about supporting the practice but also to influence decisions made about countywide services through the CEG/CCG
Highlighting issues to other groups to see how others have dealt with the same ideas/issues and to find out what has worked for them
We need to support volunteers – they are vital
It was good to learn about COPE (Create Once Publish Everywhere)
Good if CEG and PPGs could work together as one group
It would be good to know the Chairs of all the local PPGs
If PPGs work together on common issues/goals – we will have more influence. We become a wider group of more people rather than just being small individual groups
One PPG is good – collective is even better – more strength/influence
PPGs can be a great support to their practice with the potential to help their community to improve services, spread messages and help people
Fundraising – Botesdale named as an active PPG who have done fundraising successfully
There was a good energy in the room today
CEG are there to listen and to take forward issues/thoughts to the CCG
Funding may be available for community groups via the council
One PPG member is interested in writing the first proposed regular PPG Network column in the CCG Newsletter

Useful information

Building Better Participation:a resource developed by the National Association for Patient Participation (N.A.P.P.) with support from NHS England. It provides a guide to help PPGs and their GP practices work well.

Altogether Better:a project developed in the Yorkshire and Humberside region that develops volunteers to work with their communities linked with the local general practices with an aspiration to achieve community centred general practice.

GP Engagement Guide: to help GP Practices engage with patients when making changes to services.

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DRAFT ACTIONSFOLLOWING WORKSHOP WITH PPG MEMBERS ON 31 MARCH 2017

These have been drawn up from the notes made at the meeting. These notes are attached.

THEME / DETAILS / ACTION PROPOSED
Setting up a PPG / Attendees wanted to know how to set up and maintain a PPG and covered subjects such as member recruitment. / Share best practice at meetings, including gains of having PPGs; CCG to suggest how to maintain members and provide links.
Role of a PPG network / Generally an idea that was supported by attendees and CCGs / Meet again; identify support/resource without the local commissioners; identify membership; suggest ToR; clarify PPG and what West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Group can dotogether.
Improve communications / How can we share news between PPGs, between PPG/CEG / Share good ideas for communicatingeg Trello; ask PPGs to discuss/suggestwho they can communicate with within their communities; include a column in newsletter for PPGs;create a PPG Network email contact list includingparticipants/apologies of the workshop, all practice managers, andany other names given in recent ring round.
Awareness of NHS language; structure; policies and plans / Very complex issues and confusing decision making system / Ensure plain English style; glossary of terms to be shared/made clear on websites etc; share any clear structure materials which have been drawn up by reputable organisations/NHS.
PPG Network area on the WSCCG website / A specific area where people can share information / This could contain; future event details; Notes from this workshop and future events; Sign up to email list; Useful links; Useful info/hints & tips.

Captured comments

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