PPG Minutes, Toolkit and Survey Analysis

Liberty Bridge Road Practice PPG Meeting 19.01.2021

Attendees

1. NSB (Chair)
2. MS
3. EE
4. KJ
5. TAE
6. AK

Opening Remarks

NSB: opens meeting and welcomes PPG members, as chair is absent NSB asks if any other member wants to chair, NSB to chair meeting in Chairs Absence, agenda drawn up by Chair prior to meeting

Introductions of PPG members and discussion of what is positive about the practice

EE: impressed by the E-consult system for triage to get advice and next steps without being face to face with doctor during covid

MS: practice going well, complimented e-consult form, easy to follow, good information available for patients through the practice

TAE: healthcare assistants and nurses were really good

KJ: once past the internet issues, very professional staff who work with patient

AK: nurses are fantastic and GPs go the extra mile to help you – outside of medical help

Current affairs at the practice

• Covid vaccine roll out
• Online consulting, reducing footfall in the surgery
• Labour party visit to the surgery
• New staff and maternity leave
• Flu campaign – very successful this year
• Cervical screening pilot study

NSB takes questions about the current affairs at the practice

EE: discussion of staff moral and pressures on staff during pandemic

NSB: morale is high but there are pressures with staffing and covering those ill

EE: clarification of the role of social prescribing or behaviour change interventions

KJ: discussion on how the surgery is coping with increased population and appointment access, lack of accessibility for those with additional needs and accessing e-consult, staff being impatient or failing to understand the patient

NSB: practice is working to find other methods to see patients who can’t access e-consult, use of discretion for use of e-consult, training for staff regarding accessibility and routes for patient to access appointments. Reducing footfall through surgery.

MS: importance of staff being patient with staff and really listening to their problem, to not dismiss them, training to ensure they are compassionate

KJ: very difficult to get through to the phones, people may come to surgery to speak to someone

EE: suggestion of dedicated telephone channel or option at the beginning of the call to make aware of the individual’s difficulties with e-consult, or a very basic thing on e-consult e.g. text message or short message to let staff know struggling with e-consult, but would need to be monitored regularly.

Discussion of things to improve at the practice

TAE: management of people with covid- ensuring support is available for those who are self-isolating and ensuring they don’t deteriorate (particularly if they have underlying health conditions).

AK: awareness of disabilities and particularly autism awareness in the surgery, double appointments, chaperones, access to appointments, autism trained practitioner, more awareness in staff, lack of knowledge makes experience more stressful, more support with healthcare plan (EHCP).

KJ: discussion of staff training for awareness of autism, increased signposting

NSB: to circulate document published by the BMJ about autism-friendly general practice

AK: also problem with lack of support for parents for children with autistic children, training, and peer support.

MS: discussion of prioritisation of vulnerable patients and ensuring they have regular contact with healthcare professionals, consideration of time demands on staff.

NSB: clarify time pressures on GPs and also that GP is not for emergencies, consideration of other support available to patients such as peer support which could be established and maintain by the practice to provide support and also reduce time demands on staff.

KJ: diagnoses over the phone, can be mistaken, ensuring they get adequate information through photographs, video consultations etc.

What the PPG wants to achieve

AK: autism support groups, do exist but not well attended, and could use expansion, or establishing ASD group for surgery and expand

NSB: for covid patients, we have medical students volunteering who could make contact with those testing positive

MS: medical students could make contact with vulnerable patients to give consistent care and then act as link

EE: could also use medical students to speak to those refusing covid vaccine, also to create community session within surgery in café for support network and befriending to reduce isolation, some difficulty with building management and access to space in building.

NSB: specialist events for specific conditions, peer support to benefit patients and also reduce GP workload.

AK: also support and greater awareness of the menopause and support groups, also asked about vaccine and availability for clinically vulnerable

NSB: vaccine update

Frequency of meetings

KJ: every quarter reasonable

MS: every other month may be better to keep updated

EE: most important consideration is notice (1 month) and ensuring consideration of appropriate time

Other business

MS: recruitment for PPG and awareness of meeting

TAE: notice and reminders essential

NSB: advertising in surgery, new members, and on website, word of mouth and through staff at practice.

KJ: how to contact NSB and availability

NSB to write up minutes, create actions list and circulate to PPG members.

Meeting closed and thanks for attendance

Actions from meeting

• Speak to practice management about autism awareness and how to make the surgery more autism friendly
• Discussion regarding telephone systems and accessibility for those with difficulty accessing e-consult
• Provision of support for those with positive COVID-19 tests
• Discussion regarding using medical students for those with long term health conditions and COVID
• speak to staff about establishing community and support groups using space available in the practice.

If you require previous PPG minutes please contact reception