Statham Grove Surgery Patient Participation Group Minutes

Statham Grove Surgery Patient Participation Group Minutes 19.05.2011 1pm

Present: Patients: Esla Cathline, John Dervan, Marian Fielding, Daphne Kemp, Linda Kelly, Susan Pike, Victoria Francis

ELIC: Jaime Bishop – Public Representative

Staff: Louise Robinson – Practice Nurse Ruther Silverman – GP Claire Lister – Practice Manager

Apologies: Patients: Stanley Merchack, Irene Bateman, Elsie Dines, David Pike

1. Discussion about NHS changes: DK asked about views of proposed changes. There are varying views as individuals regarding the proposals. RS explained that the majority of GPs as surveyed by the Royal College of General Practitioners did not think that the changes would be in the best interests of their patients. The ‘pause and listening’ exercise by the government continues, however the outcome is likely to be an amended but relatively unchanged Bill.

http://www.rcgp.org.uk/news/press_releases_and_statements/gp_concerns_over_nhs_reforms.aspx 2. Patient Survey Statham Grove would like help with the annual patient group survey. We discussed what the group might do  Looking at the proposed survey to make adjustments and amendments  Handing out the survey and getting informal opinions  Reviewing the externally analysed results and the informal opinions expressed and  Propose changes the surgery could consider

We had a discussion about the most appropriate way patients could be approached - location eg in the waiting room, with a stand outside the door, using the health care assistant’s room in the afternoons to allow privacy, how to identify themselves eg to wear badges, have info on a stand and timing eg during normal surgery hours, baby clinics, ante-natal clinics, flu vaccination clinics. Some expressed concerns about asking patients to do a survey when they feel unwell / distressed.

It was suggested that this may be a good opportunity to recruit more members.

3. Acting as feedback to ELIC via Jaime Bishop Jaime kindly joined the group to explain about his role as public representative to ELIC (East London Integrated Care). He is also a governor of the Homerton University Hospital. He explained that ELIC as a not for profit collaborative organisation have now been granted ‘pathfinder status’ which means that they will take over commissioning from the primary care trust in 2013. He would like to represent views from the patient groups throughout Hackney and be able to disseminate information to them. He will be accessible via an ELIC email address soon.

4. Group organisation It was agreed that a core group needed to be established, but that others would be interested in joining and contributing even if they couldn’t attend a meeting on a Thursday lunchtime. We also need to actively recruit members. VF offered to improve the patient participation group notice board. We will ask our Turkish advocate if she could translate some of the information.

5. Next steps CL to distribute minutes to all by 1.6.11 CL to forward copies of approved patient surveys to volunteers for comments (this will be done at a later date) When the group is better established a secretary or small group of participants could take over some of the running of the group.