Minutes of

The Andover Health Centre Medical Practice

Patient Participation Group Meeting (PPG)

Monday 9th May 2011

Present: Dr Will Liddell (GP Partner), Lydia Higginson (Practice Manager)

Doreen Denton, Debbie Tyrrell, Jim Hanson, Jim Tuckwell, John Rose, Karen Jenkins, Pam Prince, David Beeson and Zander Greig.

  1. Apologies: Katie Denton
  1. Previous Minutes: The automatic front doors have now been fitted and Lydia thanked the group for their support in writing to WEHCT. Mrs Denton wrote to thank WEHCT for the doors and has received a nice acknowledgment letter back. The group are concerned that the new double doors which have been fitted to the Practice are heavy and stiff; Mrs Denton will write to WEHCT regarding this. The rest of the previous minutes were agreed.
  1. Developing a Patient Reference Group (PRG): Lydia explained that all Practices had now received a document from the Government asking for the Practice to develop a Patient Reference Group (PRG). The main aims are:
  • Develop a structure that gains the views of patients and enables the practice to obtain feedback from the practice population, eg a PRG
  • Agree areas of priority with the PRG
  • Collate patient views through the use of survey
  • Provide PRG with opportunity to discuss survey finding and reach agreement with the PRG on changes to services
  • Agree action plan with the PRG and seek PRG agreement to implementing changes
  • Publicise actions taken and subsequent achievement
  1. Agree areas of priority for the PRG: The areas to by agreed jointly are:
  • Patients’ priorities and issues
  • Planned Practice changes
  • GP Patient Survey issues

5. Results of Treatment: David Beeson said he wished to raise two issues,

firstly how do patients feed back if the advice/medication given during

a consultation has not been successful. Dr Liddell explained that the

patient has to take a certain amount of responsibility and all doctors

impress on patients if they don’t get better or indeed their symptoms

get worse the onus is on them to contact the doctor again. The second

issue related to how could patients feedback regarding the care they

have received in hospitals. Dr Liddell explained that this was a hospital

responsibility; but did accept this feedback would be useful when GP’s

begin to commission services from hospitals.

6. Reply Letter from the PCT re buildings: John Rose said he has received a

reply letter from Debbie Fleming, Chief Exec at the PCT which he feels is basically just an advisory letter. John will give the PCT 6 months then he will write again for an update. Dr Liddell explained that he still feels the best outcome would for this building to be knocked down and a new Health Centre built on this site, however in this time of political uncertainty it is unlikely this will happen.

  1. Surgery News:
  2. Dr Scowen is now back from maternity leave
  3. Our two trainee GPs finish at the Practice in July and a new trainee GP will start in August
  4. The Practice is looking into the possibility of opening a pharmacy on the premises
  1. AOB: Zander Greig highlighted to Lydia that when patients make

appointments at the Front Desk they are given a computer print out which is a ¼ of A4 paper and the font is too small for patients to read. Dr Liddell thanked Zander for bringing this to the meeting and Lydia will investigate.

Doreen Denton asked what the group would like on their information board in the waiting room. It was agreed that the Minutes of Meetings would be useful as would the achievements of the group. A section to say the group would welcome new members would also be appreciated.

Date of next meeting Monday 12th September 2011 at 6pm.

Since the meeting Lydia has received an email from David Beeson wishing to resign from the group.