Heswall and Pensby Group Practice - Patient Participation Group

HESWALL AND PENSBY GROUP PRACTICE - PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

MINUTES OF MEETING 17th July 2017

Members Present:16 members attended

From Practice: Dr Sophia Nelson; Alison Williams, Practice Manager

Apologies: 3 apologies received

Declarations of Interest: none raised

Welcome: The Chair welcomed to the meeting the local resident who produced the Heswall Directory and is willing to help with our PPG development meeting (agenda item ‘National Association for Patient Participation’). She is also a patient at the practice.

1. Minutes of Previous Meetings:

The minutes of 20.03.17 meeting were ratified for placing on the website; the draft minutes of 15.05.17 were accepted without amendment.

2. Matters Arising:

Patient Voice: It was reported that Patient Voice has been wound up. Our representative has heard nothing about any successor organizationbut will let us know if this happens.

3. Web Week:

The Chair drew attention to the note received from the Assistant Practice Manager, thanking PPG members for their help during Web Week. Alison Williams confirmed that it was too soon to say how far the interest shown in on-line services during the week had led to new registrations.

There was feedback from those members who had participated. One reportedfinding her first session very busy with a number of young mothers among those interested as well as older patients. A second helper during that session would have been particularly helpful. The second session was not so busy. Next time she would bring her own tablet so that she could show patients how the site worked.

A second felt that she had spent too much time getting organized and that the reception staff had not been well briefed, so didn’t expect her. There was a lot of paperwork to become acquainted with. However all the patients that she had spoken to had been receptive, although some of the older patients did not have access to the Web. She wished that somebody had offered her a cup of tea during the session! Alison Williams advised that when the surgery was busy it was not easy for staff to break off to offer refreshments, but that PPG helpers should not hesitate to ask if they needed a drink.

A third reported that a couple of patients, one older, one a young mother, had felt that they could not register because they could not produce photographic ID. Reception staff were not aware of a way around this. Alison Williams confirmed that it was possible for a doctor to vouch for a patient in those circumstances. It was suggested that this should be included in the information for patients produced by the practice.

A fourth member expressed surprise at how much paperwork was involved with the process, but his session too had gone well. He drew attention to the published data about sign-ups to web services, showing that we still had some way to go to match the best on the Wirral. Alison felt the size of our practice and some features of our local demographics (i.e. the numbers of over-75 year olds, and the number of patients in care homes) will affect our performance.

Another member expressed surprise that the practice did not offer wi-fi connection in the reception area. Alison confirmed that this was probably on its way once the local NHS had agreed funding, hopefully by the end of the year.

The Secretary asked whether the practice had received many paper slips asking for their help in showing patients how to access web services. Alison agreed to have a look at this and at whether they had been able to respond.

4.Merger with Silverdale Practice: Dr Nelson was invited to brief the group on the current position with regard to the proposed merger. She confirmed that the submissions from the two practices were with NHS England and further progress depended on getting their go-ahead. They are still aiming for a start date of 1st October. In reply to a number of questions from the floor, Dr Nelson confirmed that a merged practice would number 11 GP’s and 17,000 patients; there was enough space/capacity in the Telegraph Road premises to accommodate this team; there were no proposals to increase the hours of service; there were no plans to change the numbers of staff; there were no new proposals with regard to car parking for patients. The merger was in part a response to the government’s drive for bigger practices, and should result in the combined practice having more influence.

The question was asked whether the Silverdale practice had a PPG. Alison Williams had some evidence for this from the Silverdale web site and offered to ask her fellow practice manager there for contact details. If there is a PPG then work will be required to look at respective constitutions and practices, so that the groups can be brought together.

5. Proposal for Extended PPG Meeting in September:

The Secretary reminded members of the previous discussions that had taken place around a development meeting that would give all members a chance to speak about their motivation for joining the PPG and about the skills and knowledge that they might be able to offer the group. The hope was that this would help members get to know each other better and maybe identify some issues on which the group could work constructively with the practice.

The Secretary explained that a small group had met to see whether the help of a facilitator might be useful for this special meeting. As a result our guest had asked to come to the present meeting to meet members and to answer questions about how she might assist.

Our guest then spoke briefly explaining that she saw her brief as helping people to communicate – from the basics of learning each others’ names to learning more about each others’ skills, experiences and passions, so that we formed a stronger, more effective group. She felt that at least 2.5 hours would be needed, hence the proposal for a longer meeting.

A discussion ensued in which the following points were made:

• 2.5 hours might not be long enough – should it be a whole afternoon? – not possible for some members
• Could some preparatory work be put in speed things along – e.g. members writing a short personal statement?
• Would small groups be used in the meeting? General feeling seemed to be that this would be counterproductive
• This was an opportunity to immediately build links with Silverdale PPG so decisions about how and when to proceed needed to incorporate their members

In a show of hands members showed their support for the principle of an extended special meeting, as did the representatives of the practice, with the details dependant on the outcome of the Silverdale merger. The September meeting would be a normal one i.e. starting at 6.00pm with a business agenda.

6. Reports from Task Groups:

Patient Survey: Alison Williams confirmed that the practice would like the next survey to take place in March 2018. It was noted that the results of a national GP Patient Survey had been reported in the Wirral Globe on 12th July. Conducted by NHS England through random telephone contact the responses of 6,000 people were obtained across Wirral. It was reported that the survey asked for views about waiting times, care quality, opening times, making appointments and out-of-hours services. At 90%, satisfaction with Heswall and Pensby Group Practice was above the national averageand in the middle of the ratings for Wirral practices; Silverdale rating was 81%. Alison confirmed that the practice had no direct input into the survey.

Carers Support: it was reported that information about local services and support can now be obtained by texting CARERS 87007.

7. Any Other Business:

Heswall Directory: it is hoped that this be put onto the Practice website. Our guest explained how members can let her know of activities or services that should be added to the directory.

Next meeting: Monday 18th September 2017, 6.00 – 7.30pm.

Further dates for 2017: 20th November

John Foster, Secretary