PPG: Meeting Minutes 14th November 2023

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Members/apologies

Apologies

Received from Cameron Cater, Shirley Beer, Jan Craig and Sadie Clarke.

Minutes of last meeting

Agreed

Matters arising from the Minutes

Westbank Report from last month

A separate supplementary report from Amanda had been circulated with the October meeting minutes.

Complementary Therapy Sessions

Carried over.  David to follow up with Dr Wong.

Patient Experience

Claire reported that the Practice reports every month on patient experience. Text messages (Friends and Family Test) are sent out after an appointment at the surgery inviting feedback on the experience.

Unfortunately, not all phones are compatible to allow response by the link provided in the text but alternative paper forms are provided in the surgery. Responses are anonymous and so the Practice is unable to respond to any specific issues. However, the feedback received is generally positive. Claire to arrange for Cam to give presentation on the Friends and Family Test.

Amanda sees feedback data from a number of service providers and she will find out if she is able to share the data.

Practice Updates

The new phone system went live today and will improve service to patients.

Three options are given to callers:

1. Appointments.
2. Test Results and
3. Other Enquires.  

While on hold patients will be given information about the online service that is also available. Callers will be told where they are in the queue and will be given an option to request a call back if they are 10th or later in line.

Two GPS were currently off sick but were being covered by locums who had regularly covered at the Practice.  Other doctors and paramedics were all taking on extra work to help cover.

Cam was currently drafting the next Newsletter for the Practice.

The Reception team had been shortlisted in the top 10 for the Practice Reception Team national award.  

The new reception apprentice was doing very well.

Neuro Diversity

The Practice had a Neuro Diversity policy and a Learning Disability Specialist nurse. The Practice had also been recognised as one of the top 10 practices that had improved in this area. A presentation by the Specialist nurse will be included in the December meeting.

News from Westbank PLC

The NHS App training sessions will   begin in January 2024.  They will be open to carers (unpaid) and family members as well as the patient themselves as it was recognised that other people often helped with prescription reordering, appointment bookings etc.  It will be trialled and adapted as necessary to improve effectiveness.

The Community Cookery School will begin in January and is targeted at 4 groups of people: those experiencing loneliness and isolation, to build confidence of those with low levels of mental health, young people 14-18 years and families with young children.  Aiming to show people how to eat healthily and that cooking is not as hard as it may seem.  The kitchen is a community asset and so could be available to anyone that can deliver a programme to other groups that would benefit from healthy eating and cookery skills learning.

Warm Well had restarted and was open to anyone in the community.  People can go to a warm space at WHLC, have tea, coffee, soup, use wi-fi and socialise.  It’s open 10am-4pm every weekday.  Opening on a Saturday morning from the New Year was being considered.

PPG Updates in Village Newsletters

To be discussed at the next meeting for input into the February issues.

This was due to copy submission dates for the January issues likely being before the December PPG and that there was no January issue in Starcross.

Neuro-diversity and disposal of unused medicines are the topics to be covered.

Computer link to enable flu bookings to be made online

Cam had previously said that for bookings to be made online (via a computer as opposed to clicking on a link in a text message on a smartphone) the Practice would have to have email addresses for everyone, which was not practical. In addition, flu vaccination was by invitation to a particular cohort and so could not be addressed by a broadcast email.

Discuss ideas for topics that we may wish to feature/include at future meetings

Amanda would ask for someone from Healthwatch to come and talk to us about what they do and how they support patients.

Correspondence

David had received details of someone interested in joining the PPG but who may not be able to attend many of the meetings.  A discussion followed about inclusion/exclusion and how the PPG could seek wider input from people unable to attend meetings - due to mobility issues, being a carer or being at work.  Should the PPG consider accommodating online participants (via Teams?)?  Should meetings be held in the evening?  It was generally agreed that people did not have to commit to attend every meeting, just attend to raise an issue and contribute to how it is addressed.  There would be an Agenda item next month to discuss more widely.

AOB

Dates for 2024 meetings: Claire asked if the PPG felt it needed to meet every month and if evening meetings could be included.  Both Claire and Amanda both had other meetings that often clashed with the PPG.

David proposed, and it was agreed, that the meeting due on 9th January be cancelled given it was so close to the traditional break over Christmas and New Year. Following on from the discussion, dates and times for meetings in 2024 would be an Agenda item for the December meeting as would a review of the PPGs Terms of Reference.