PPG Minutes January 2024

Quote / Testimonial:
Where: Oaklands Surgery, Stade Street, Hythe, Kent 
When: Monday 22nd January 24 at 1.00pm 

Attendees:

  • Present: [Chair] Caroline Armstrong CA 
  • Claire Hewson CHe [Oaklands Practice Manager] 
  • Barbara Moscrop BM 
  • Claire Field CF 
  • Gill Bond GB 
  • Yvonne Savage YS 
  • Carol Honey CH 

Apologies:

Louise Thorgrimson LT 

Paul Hope PH 

Sarah Marshall SM (Since Resigned) 

Penny Snow PS [Oaklands PA]  

CA welcomed YS to the Group. YS gave a brief summary of her medical career.  

The following action updates were noted:  

Downstairs toilet repair – CA confirmed this has now been repaired and is fully operational. Action to close.  Noticeboards – CHe noted work around improving the current display was still ongoing but was not a priority of Cathy (administrator) due to other work commitments.  Carry forward.  

Blood tests not appearing on Patient Access medical records –CHe confirmed that this had now greatly improved and patient visibility was now within a day or so depending upon the type of testrequested. Action to close. 

CA noted the website change around deleting reference to a PPG coffee morning had still not been deleted.  It was agreed CHe would action removal.  Carry forward.  

CA to contact PCN about  leaflet progression – update provided at the meeting.  Action to close.  CH to obtain contact name to find out further details on the Age UK Health Service. – carry forward.  CA to include leaflet review as a standing item on the agenda. Noted: Action to close  

CA to circulate the letter from the PCN detailing this campaign to the group.   Completed. Action to close.  

Minutes

Surgery Update and introduction to new staff members 

CHe gave the following update:  Administrators were currently working through the backlog of consultant letters to ensure they were registered on the system.  The backlog has arisen due to coding issues, but this does need to be completed by the next CQC inspection.  The last inspection was in 2021 and resulted in a positive result.  The current backlog stands at 20k with 200/300 items received each day. New software to help with the registering of results would be a future consideration.  

GPs have been increased as follows: Dr Banik is now a locum and will be working two days a week from February. Dr Lata Limbu is now a permanent salaried GP. Dr Jahard – locum. Dr Swann- locum working 3 days a week. Dr Malasi – locum.  The shift pattern around GP availability is currently being reviewed as a result of the resource increase. An internal restructuring is underway to review GP assistant support and a new care navigator has recently been recruited.   

The Covid vaccine programme was successful with clinicians carrying out over 1k inoculations a day.  An 80% take-up was seen from the over 65s.  There will possibly be another campaign in Spring and then in September.   

EConsult remains the best and quickest way to get in contact with the surgery.  Response time remains within the 48-hour period.  

ICB funding has been given to improve communications. Communications around verbal abuse has been revisited to protect staff/patients and aligns with advice on how to deal with mental health issues.  A minor illness clinic is currently being set up.  

Communication

GB commented that the current telephone message around prescriptions was too restrictive in relation to request timeframes. 

CHe noted it had been necessary to create a rule to stop repeat requests when they were not required.  However, she would revisit the rule wording on the message.  

PCN PPG meeting 

CA advised that the PCN had agreed to take on the roll out of the 8 information leaflets produced by Oaklands PPG to other surgeries. These will be slightly amended to make them generic for all surgeries. A leaflet about the work of the PCN has also been produced by the Lyminge PPG and this will go into the Lyminge Surgery village newsletter to start with. The PCN hope to put this in other local publications asap.  

Parkinsons and MS leaflets will be forwarded to the PCN in due course. BH noted it would be helpful if the surgery could provide some suggestions on what areas to cover when considering further information leaflets.  

25/35% of all E-Consult enquiries are now dealt with by the PCN. They have advised  that the link to their website from Oaklands be reciprocated. CA noted the PCN now employ over 40 staff at Osborne House from where the E-consults are triaged. They are currently interviewing for a new Ops Manager, have recruited 2 further paramedics, an MDT coordinator, a new Digital Transformation Manager and a Cancer Care Coordinator.  

AOB

CA noted it is with regret that Sarah Marshall has resigned from the PPG due to work commitments restricting her attendance – CA thanked her for her help in the past.  CA asked the Group to consider future ideas to attract new members.  

CHe agreed to ask the clinicians to signpost any patients they thought might potentially be interested in becoming a member of the PPG to the PPG handbook and application form on the website.  

CHe noted that she would now be concentrating on completing the work required prior to the next CQC visit and she would shortly be undertaking CQC training courses. Work was underway with the team to get respective policies in place and to clear any administrative backlogs. 

PS will be taking on CHe’s workload to allow CQC focus.   

Date of the next meeting:

The next meeting will be held on Monday 25th March at 1pm.