Jan. 16, 2024

Agenda

Name of Meeting:    Guildowns Patient Participation Group Meeting

Date and Time:         16/01/2024      18H00 - 19H30

Venue:                       Microsoft Teams Meeting

Chairman:                  Nigel Heslop - PPG Chairman

Welcome and Intgroductions by attendees

Agree notes from the last meeting 10/10/2023

Issues arising dfuring the winter season that are of note

Guildowns business - New total triage system

PPG - other items of interest that PPG members would like to discuss

AOB

Future Meeing :   TBC

Minutes

Notes from meeting of Patient Participation Group

Teams meeting Tuesday 16th January 2024

 

14 people attended:

10 patients

4 staff

 

1. Introductions:      

Nigel Heslop(Oaks)              

Michele Lyon(Wodeland)      

Mandy Heslop(Wodeland)                                       

Ed Forshaw(Stoughton)                  

Evelyn Slavid (Wodeland)              

Nic Allen (Wodeland)            

John Trigg (Wodeland)

Nikki Hubbard (Wodeland)

Monica Bowen (Wodeland)

Claire Johnson (Wodeland)

Camilla Walker                      Practice business manager

Heidi  Delport                        Care co-ordinator, administrator for primary care network (PCN) and patient participation group (PPG)

Anthea Hay                            Operations manager.

Ros Lloyd                               GP partner

 

Apologies were received from

Val Goldberg

Stephen Jones

 

2. Notes of last meeting agreed

 

Matters arising

Nigel: No new developments re estates

No crucial issues to revisit

Nic: without a co-ordinated plan any piecemeal improvements may be wasted, though much needed

 

3. Issues arising this winter

Nigel: anecdotally many people have had flu, winter cold, covid this winter and been slow to recover.

There are reports in the press that GP practices are to get smaller proportion of funding despite increased demand.

We have an important opportunity to press needs of GP practices in election year.

Evelyn: and better pay for doctors! 

 

 

4.Guildowns updates

Camilla : reported on the expanded offer to meet winter demand.

Flu vaccine is still available.

The practice has provided Covid vaccinations to the housebound and nursing homes.

Quieter now but preparing the spring vaccine programme.

 

Camilla asked for feedback from PPG members to improvements and access to the website and the surgery. Also to the new ‘total triage’ initiative (see below).

 

Total triage 

ALL contacts will be reviewed/triaged by a doctor working all day– decisions and priorities will no longer be decided by untrained office staff. This should be safer and fairer, and no longer first come first served.

All requests will be dealt with via a website-based form but this can be filled in by practice staff. 

So contact via phone or in-person will also be also recorded on the website-based form

Evelyn: This is an interesting model. Can I ask to see my own GP?

Camilla: Yes you can request a routine appointment with named GP.

A buddy system is planned where a back up doctor can see you if your own GP is not available.

Triage system uses red/amber/green when evaluating urgency of request.

Patients are directed to a self book link to choose a suitable appointment.

Preferred means of contact for patient is recorded and used where patient prefers not to/can’t use website

Claire commented she has used link to self-booking – good.

She’s pleased by respect for personal choice. But will people learn ‘buzzwords’ to trigger urgent appointments?

Camilla: The new system aims to make access equal for everyone.

Shorter delays should mean fewer people going to A and E

Ed asked if this is linked to the updated website?

Camilla: It’s the same website but used in a different way.  In future everything will go via this system.

Patients will no longer be able to self book. This has caused wasted appointments and booking errors.

Website is now operating longer hours.

7-3 for medical issues, 24/7for admin queries, repeat prescription requests etc.

 

Nigel asked for individual responses/questions

Monica is happy with what she’s heard

John has had problems with Patient Access.

He got a parking ticket when attending an appointment at the University Health Centre.

Camilla: practice will need to forewarn patients re parking charges

Nikki said that when her uncle had health issues while visiting he received a helpful response from the practice.

She asked if it’s better to make repeat prescription requests via the NHS app or the pharmacy.

Camilla: The NHS app is better and you can request prescriptions for other people.

Evelyn: Given the older population using the practice, are there safeguards against difficulty using IT?

Camilla: the new system frees up the phone system for those who can’t manage otherwise and can also cater for those who call in.

Evelyn: How will ‘bad news’ be delivered?

Camilla: GP will always phone or arrange to see the patient.

Ros: GPs value personal contact and this system promotes this.

Nic: Feels v positive about what he’s heard. . The NHS app is good and better than Patient Access.

Will requests for e.g. routine blood tests be triaged?

Camilla: This depends on how requests are triggered. Some can be done by admin team.

Nic: Tests by practice and hospital are not always joined up -communication issues.

Ros: patient can contact practice to make sure information is shared.

Anthea: If blood test results have bad news, patient will be contacted. ‘Nothing to report’ results go on the NHS app.

Camilla: Some messages re blood tests (e.g. if a prescription is issued) can be dealt with by text.

Michele: Medication reviews by phone (4 hour window) are difficult to manage during the working day. If a call is missed can they be called again at end of session?

Camilla: A text message is sent and a second call made later.

Nikki: Suggests surgery use recognisable number as at RSCH to identify caller?

Camilla: Text message should cover this.

Evelyn is concerned new system may cause anxiety in some vulnerable people.

Camilla: The team is currently drafting patient information guidance about the new system, to explain the rationale and include frequently asked questions.

Information will be displayed in surgeries and available as hard copy.

Information will be sent out/publicised before the new system goes live on 19 February.

She emphasised triage goes on all through the working day and week across all the surgeries.

 

 

5. Items PPG members would like to discuss/comment on

Evelyn: appreciates new role of triage doctor

Claire: doesn’t ever have to complain about practice

Nikki: Tesco’s pharmacy is now open 8-8 and on Sundays.

Monica: reassured by practice’s approach

Nic: Impressed.

Time to push politicians in run-up to elections.

Can PPGs join and push for better funding in Guildford?

Michele: Thanks to all staff

Camilla: As one doctor on triage all the time leaves a gap the practice has recruited a new GP (Dr Earl).

Nigel thanked everyone for their contributions.

 

 

Next meeting

Tuesday 16 April, 6 pm. Face-to-face, venue to be notified.

 

 

For information : Future meetings

Agreed 4 meetings per year, 2 virtual, 2 face to face.

 Now Jan (virtual), April, (face to face), July (face to face), October (virtual)

Timetable to be adjusted according to developments.