BURDWOOD SURGERY
PATIENTS’ PARTICIPATION GROUP
Minutes of the Meeting held on Saturday 14 May 2011
JA - opened the meeting by welcoming the new patients to the Meeting and explained the purpose of the meeting was for relevant health / NHS matters – rather than personal issues!
Patient Panel Meetings:
JA is still Chair for 2011 and explained that the 6 weekly meetings are for the 11 surgeries of West Berkshire to discuss with other groups and raise issues to the PCT. Recent speakers have been the Chaplain of the RBH, and Dr Jimmy Lennox from Chapel Row, who is the outgoing Chair of GP Commissioning at their AGM. There was much discussion concerning the radical changes being implemented to the health service in general, so much so, that their next meeting will be to discuss the items raised at that meeting! Dr Abid Irfan from Northcroft Surgery will take on the Chair of GP Commissioning for this area.
Changes include:
Generate a consortium (within the local area / GP Clinical Commissioning Group) which will have direction from the government and be guided by the general public of what is wanted / necessary to run an efficient health service. This sounds idealistic, but with limited guidance and advice from professional input, it could be challenging to perform. People’s perceptions of what is required could make it an exciting way forward, but they would need to be led by doctors / professionals who obviously have greater experience. It will be an opportunity to ‘educate’ the public, especially as there is general inertia throughout the population on the whole. The consortium covers 110,000 patients which is small compared to the national programme around the country.
How can surgeries be individually represented?: Will this become political?
Patient Panels are not in elected positions. These challenges could be extensive.
PPG groups have always been in West Berkshire (which is an advantage compared to Reading), which would be good ways of reaching to all and discussion followed about spreading information / availability of health services to younger people with issues that relate to them. ?Connect via e-mails. ?Advertise in the NWN (as a group rather than individual surgeries = more economical way of transmitting information). Or perhaps by writing a letter to the NWN – which would be free. ?Advertise by local radio with discussion(s) from healthcare professionals. Many ideas to keep awareness up discussed.
Keeping the viability of the WBCH (West Berkshire Community Hospital) is the most important concern. It is a very precious commodity for the local population and has been threatened and it is not used to its full capacity. There are other Consultants from other areas who would happily have their clinics there, but as it is currently run from Reading, this is being undermined to its full performance abilities. Being such a gem for everyone, it is important this is kept at the top of the priority list of supported issues. It needs a lot of funding to run and has a very strong support group and active League of Friends – which is cherished and there is a lot of passion for its survival. Dr Lennox has had a meeting with Earl Frederick Howe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Department of Health.
This proved very revealing and the changes will happen.
There is a huge argument about budgets – West Berkshire is considered a ‘healthy’ area to live, therefore the budget is not as high as some ‘not so prosperous’ areas. This immediately sets up problems to cover all services are accounted for, especially as there is a high percentage of elderly people living here. Chronic disease care was also a question raised – and money available for treating rare diseases.
An answer was to ‘join up’ geographical areas to incorporate care for these services,
for which tertiary care is being planned.
Rural practices were also discussed – eg: Lambourn which is geographically closer to Swindon than Reading. This can cause a problem of overspending because of distances involved for
District Nurses / Health Visitors etc!
Unfortunately different services : Local Authority / Berkshire / Wiltshire do not communicate too well.. therefore there is conflict which the patients feel is against them. There is a contract under the new regime, which should be able to influence this logical argument – which Dr Lennox feels will improve.
Health & Well Being – are the new buzz words! Still unclear exactly how it will all resolve, as there are different agendas for the sections : public health / community health / primary care.
Hence the importance of having patient representative groups to request a broad enough spectrum of better healthcare with the focus on how healthcare is offered.
PH - cross boundaries have been around – is it just inventing another wheel again. Important to have effective arrangements for social care within Berkshire / Wiltshire.
The GP consortiums will not be able to sort this.
An example is NECAAP – set up to observe patients at risk of being admitted / frail or unwell which included a Social Services representative – but no longer have this.
There is a National Pause throughout the Health Service while topics and the way forward
are debated thoroughly by all concerned within the Government!
The outgoing Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, Professor David Haslam will be the Chairperson communicating with the Government during this time of turmoil..
Staff are leaving already because of the upheaval of the Service –
which should be set up in 2013 with the new scheme.
Money will be very tight, in spite of the obligation to balance the accounts.
MS - commented that she approved of what the Government is trying to do, having been involved with health situations and that patients do need a voice to state what they require.
She had found that PALS (Patients Liaison Office) in Reading had not been at all helpful.
Also not happy that patients are given treatments regardless of their will.
She felt that emphasis should be more on therapy accessibility rather than medication route.
JA - responded that patients should have more of an influence, but it would be complicated to allow this and with a lack of guidance, very difficult to achieve. There is a lot of apathy and when ill, one does not have the strength to fight with bureaucracy, therefore it is hard. PIP (Patient Information Point) at WBCH is helpful, but they are understaffed in Reading.
JA - had also received a document about Patient Participation Groups as a Direct Enhanced Service (DES) to ensure patient are involved in surgeries participating with £1.10 per patient.
PH - commented that this document is one of many already produced – please see attached specification.
The current Health Care bill was not in the Manifesto; this also led to debate about the
current / future plans for the Health Service.
KB - felt we should not lose hope. The local consortium should be a success, but it is a small one and its main aim is to keep the WBCH viable and ‘use it or lose it’.
Important to think about how to maintain efficiency and smooth running of the Burdwood Surgery, regardless of the White Paper. This needs to be our main focus.
PH – felt it is important for the Patient Panel Meeting to take on board Dr Lennox’s issues –
re patients’ decisions / thoughts. Perhaps a representative from the Panel should sit on the consortium –
especially whilst in this state of flux! ?PPG should be present also.
Need to address: Portray what we (PPG / Surgeries) want to do. How to be contacted.
What is of interest to all. Database update.
JA – there is now a hypothetical ‘virtual area on the internet for PPGs to promote their facilities – with ways of contacting patients, etc. KB asked that Jo raises this at the next Patient Panel Meeting – eg: via e-mails / flyers.. Discussion that there may be money available in the Prescribing Incentive Scheme for promoting the PPG. Also, KB will talk to one of the nurses who has a Brownie pack who may distribute the publicity for a set fee.
Physiotherapy Service:
This is one of the 4 budgets being managed by GP Commissioning Groups.
Now has a new set-up of NHS Physiotherapy under ‘Any Willing Provider’ –
ie: private organisations can bid tenders to offer physio.
Burdwood Surgery uses: WBCH / Premier and an individual Phillip Harris as their providers.
However, patients are encouraged to go to the WBCH for obvious reasons.
(Premier will use the Health Visitors’ room)
Changes at the Surgery:
KB: The Health Visitors have now had to move to Thatcham Medical Practice
(since 12/5/2011), to be centralised with other surgeries.
Patients will be seen at Park Lane School and Parsons Down School.
Many patients are not happy about this.
Dietitians no longer visit the Surgery.
Again, centralisation is the key issue, so all patients are now seen a the WBCH
(although they still visit Thatcham MP and Falkland, which is bizarre)
However, diabetic patients are still seen here.
Extended Hours was terminated at the end of March.
Costs were reduced from £3.29 to £1.90 per patient.
The Partners are looking at alternative ways of covering this facility.
Perhaps half an hour each GP each week.
It has to continue because the Out of Hours Service has to be compacted.
Patient Appointment System:
This is a continual hot topic – as patients want to see particular doctors at specific times
which is not always possible, but we do try to give a good service.
KB realises that being asked to call back is frustrating.
If anyone has any ideas for improvements – all are welcome.
JA – here is much better than many surgeries she hears about!
MMcL – Excellent here!
The suggestion that sending mobile phone texts of forthcoming appointments was approved –
although this would not be applicable for all patients.
Website bookings were considered not practical as many patients do not have access
to computers / mobiles.
KB – there are increasing numbers of phone call appointments taken nowadays
(which although saves consultation times) are still time consuming and intensive for the doctors.
BP – moved from Thatcham Medical Practice to here and she is very happy with
the friendly atmosphere here – a totally different attitude!
Did Not Arrive - DNAs:
KB: These are also a tricky issue to resolve.
If someone misses a Diabetic appointment this is an hour wasted. Hard to manage it.
AOB:
BP - the Thatcham Volunteer Bureau is going well and have been given a grant from the Council
for this year so costs are still half price for all journeys including an escort when necessary.
£15.00 to Reading and return trip. Can be used for shopping trips as well.
Many patients offer to pay the full price.
A form is available for patients on benefits to complete - which is then credited to the TVP.
MMcL - Crookham Common uses them for visits to the Surgery and elsewhere.
KB – had been in communication with The Travel Manager at the PCT and promoted the
TVB services, which is now included in the Transport package from the PCT!
DW – also mentioned that the British Legion offers transport for people
NO - notified the meeting that the Kennet School is now offering up to 12 families with deaf
children a place with special education (since September 2010) – a rare source in secondary school.
He would be happy to offer advice to other parents about hearing disability.
ES – there is no resident doctor at the WBCH. Could not more day surgery be carried out there.
PH replied that the League of Friends is powerful and could increase the hospital’s capacity of use.
If the Commissioning Group can balance the books, then the WBCH can be utilised further,
but it is connected to the RBH Trust. But the Commissioning Group have the power to
commission other consultants from other hospitals.
MS – a final word: to be more lenient and appreciate that people can help when needing
advice and guidance.
Date of Next Meeting:
Saturday 26th November 2011 at 10.30am
We look forward to seeing you there.
We are holding a Flu Clinic that day –
so the meeting will be held upstairs in our Meeting Room,
if climbing stairs is going to be a problem for you, please could you let me know,
but perhaps you may consider helping to recruit new members from the Flu Clinic!
Mrs Kamal Bahia
01635 292600
kamalbahia@nhs.net
