MINUTES OF PATIENT MEETING Wednesday 15 th February 2012 CHAIR: GINA-MARIE PECKITT (GMP) VICE-CHAIR: PENNY STEPHENSON (PS) MINUTE TAKER: HELEN REDSHAW (HR) PRESENT: DR M FOULDS (MF) TRICIA PARKER (TP) THOMAS FOULDS (TF) ELIZABETH STOREY (ES) LYNDA CHRISTTMASS (LC) JACQUELINE SHAW (JS) MANDY MILNER (MM) LINDA VERHEYDEN (LV) ALBERT ROBBINS (AR) PAUL HOLLAND (PH) SUSAN MARKHAM (SM) ROBERT GOLLEDGE (RG) BRIAN SKOYLES (BS) MARY LOFTHOUSE (ML) DENISE PULLEN (DP) APOLOGIES: KEITH WOODMAN VALERIE WILLIAMSON WENDY WRIGLEY JANICE BLACK SUSAN WOOD JOHN EASTER MARION SPIVEY VERONICA SLEE BARBARA STEVENS CAROLINE WILSON (CW) 1 INTRODUCTIONS ACTIONS GMP thanked everyone for attending and introductions were made amongst the group. GMP explained her role as chair and Penny Stephenson as vice chair. She passed on the apologies for those unable to attend.
2 MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING/MATTERS ARISING GMP discussed tonic cards and that she had been in contact with the gentleman who enquired about them at the previous meeting. Instead of tonic cards the surgery has got leaflets for the Active Lifestyles service. The leaflets tell patients how to access lifestyle information and they will be displayed in the GP, Nurse and HCA rooms. GMP explained that the new build had previously been on the agenda for today. However, there had been no new developments so the decision was made to take the topic off the agenda. It was agreed that the previous minutes correct. 3. PATIENT QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS GMP explained that the patient questionnaire is undertaken each year to check what patients think of the services Sydenham House offer. Once the results are back the Business Manager writes a plan on how to improve this service in response to the results with the recommendations from the group as discussed today. GMP reported that CW believed that the results show there has been an improvement in access, but that many patients still say they are unable to see a GP within 48 hours. GMP felt that patients are able to see a GP within 48 hours, but not always the GP of their choice. GMP checked the system today and there were around 20 appointments still free on Friday. She suggested that the problem was perhaps with patient education and people not understanding that they can see any doctor. LC agreed that when some patients call they do believe they can only see the doctor they are registered with. GMP reported that CW proposed blocking a few more CW/LC
appointments on the day. The group gave general agreement to this. Action 1: More patient education and more on day appointments ML asked if there was any response from the patients who said they were dissatisfied with access? GMP replied that generally there was not. TF stated that there was a section for comments on the questionnaire. GMP explained that the questionnaires were randomly given out, focusing on the waiting room as it was easier to get them back once completed. They were also emailed to the virtual patient group. DP asked if the patients knew they had to ring at certain times for appointments? GMP said there are not any strict rules on times that patients can call for appointments, although the appointments are given on a first come, first served basis. JS explained that she starts work at 8.30am so finds it difficult to call for an appointment on the day. RG stated that the issue was not solely down to patient education, but also patient choice that they may want to see a particular GP. LC said that if it is an acute problem it is the patient s choice if they want to wait and see a certain GP, but they are offered earlier appointments. BS explained that he is recently retired and finds the service for retired people excellent. However, when he was working he found ringing at 8am very difficult. He wondered if it was possible to implement some sort of telephone stacking system? TF answered that they had recently looked into this, but that at the moment it is not financially viable, although the new build may be different. Action 2 : New telephone system in new build to be planned BS felt that it should not matter which doctor the patient sees,
unless there is a continuity problem. LC said that most people say when they ring up if this is the case and that reception do try to accommodate these wishes. LS highlighted the usefulness of the online booking system which allows her to manage which doctor she sees. It was asked if this system is widely used? LC replied that it is not used as much as we would like. ML highlighted the fact that a lot of people are still without computers and wary of online security. TF JS asked why she was able to get an appointment online earlier than in person. TF explained that this needs looking into as the online system is showing appointments it should not be. PS stated that there is a Sydenham Surgery in London which appears first when you search for Sydenham House on the internet. GMP said the TF is working to get ours at the top of the list. GMP highlighted the fact that 30 people in the survey would like the surgery to be open over lunch, again showing that more advertising may be needed to let people know we already are open over lunch. JS asked if there could be a late surgery as her husband is unable to make the daytime surgeries due to work commitments. GMP replied that we have looked at opening times before but it would be hard to open late as the doctors often start at 8.30am and it would cause issues with reception staffing as well. MF said that the surgery chose to offer the Saturday morning surgery instead of a late night. LC also said that there are now more surgeries over lunch as well. GMP said that it would be hard to please everyone, but we do GMP/CW
always try to accommodate patients. PS stated that overall we need to push the online booking service/prescriptions more and educate patients regarding the doctors they can see. GMP said that we will change the information on the boards and strip more. Action 3: promote the online booking appointments service 4. COMMISSIONS GROUP PS started by asking the group if they were all members of NHS Hull and HEY. She explained that Dr Tony Banerjee is the chair of the Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and that the board meets once a month. They are educated by the staff at the PCT regarding finance and commissioning. GP s are currently going along with the plans as the bill is expected to go through Parliament. Christopher Long is in charge of the Humber Cluster Group which oversee the CCG. Some GP s on the board are not happy that the Humber Cluster are having a say in the running of the CCG, which has lead to 2 GP s resigning from Hull s CCG board, leaving 8 GP members. Each of the GP s on the CCG have taken on 3-4 practices across Hull and are currently working with them and going through what the changes will be. RG commented that the media is portraying the fact that not everyone involved in the changes is happy and wanted to know more about how it will affect people in Hull and East Yorkshire. PS advised that the NHS Hull website gives the minutes of the CCG meetings and has a lot more information on it. Website & Tel needed
MF commented that Chris Long has always done well for Hull. PS said that restructuring was needed as the PCT was top-heavy with staff, but those that are left are good staff. 5. PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EVENTS PS reported that there are 2 events being organised for the general public to attend. There will be someone from the CCG there to discuss the planned changes. The events are run by the PCT and the CCG jointly. She invited everyone at the PPG to attend. AR said that the event on 17/02/2012 had been cancelled. 6. SUMMARY CARE RECORDS JS was concerned about what exactly will be included the in the summary care record and when they are due to start. GMP passed leaflets regarding the summary care records around and explained that some practices have started operating summary care records already. The PCT wants every practice to be doing so by March 2012. The summary care record will mainly include information on a patient s medication and allergies. JS was concerned as she had experienced a sharing of information that she was not happy with and which caused the health professional she was seeing to focus on an old health problem instead of listening to the reason she was there. MF advised her to contact the service regarding this. GMP confirmed that only NHS healthcare workers would be able to access summary care records and that letters would be sent to patients giving them the choice to opt out. They are mainly
for emergency situations where the patient may not be able to explain their medications or allergies themselves. 7. FUTURE MEETING DATES GMP said that they had agreed to 4 meetings of the PPG per year; one Saturday meeting, one evening meeting and two during the day. The meetings will be: Saturday 19 th May at 12.30pm Tuesday 11 th September at 6.00pm Wednesday 21 st November at 12.30pm Check tues time Everyone agreed they were happy with the dates and times chosen. 8. AOB PS asked if everyone could reply as soon as possible to say if they are attending the meetings or not as it helps with setting the room up and catering. GMP thanked everyone for attending.