LONG STRATTON & PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP

The Minutes of the Patient Participation Group meeting Held on Monday 11th January 2016 At Swan Lane Surgery

Patient Members Present: KA, JH, KL, SW, JW, SH, JS (minutes)

Apologies: RB, MH, TH, MN, MP, LP, SG (chair)

Surgery Staff Present: Dr Prashanth Prabhu, Sheila Curtis, Caroline Dear and Dawn Brighton

1.Welcome and apologies The meeting opened at 6.30. Due to Sue Gifford being unwell, Sid Heapy (vice-chairman) chaired the meeting. Sid began the meeting by wishing everyone a good 2016.

2.Minutes of last meeting The minutes had already been signed off by Sue.

Matters from previous meetings  Hypertension project award. The surgery have been in contact with the EDP and work is in progress. Further work is required in order to produce a good report. Action Sheila Curtis

 Did not attend statistics Need to alert patients more to the impact of this. The surgery have looked at attributing a monetary value but this is difficult as it impacts on so many areas. The surgery are not allowed to charge patients for missed appointments. Dawn & Margaret have come up with a better way of displaying the statistics which displays the totals in terms of doctor/nurse days. A sample poster was shown to the meeting and one change suggested.

 Car park Signs are to be erected to inform the public “park here at your own risk, patients only”.

 Medicine wastage Sheila explained that the surgery use a company called “Intercare”. They collect unused medication, screen it for what they can re-use and send it to third world countries.

 Changes to repeat prescriptions. There was a long discussion around how well the patient is informed when a repeat prescription has to be changed. For example, a 8mg tablet is not available so the patient is prescribed 2 x 4mg and therefore needs to take 2 rather than one tablet. It was agreed that the practice needs to do further work to create a better way of highlighting changes to patients. Action Sheila Curtis

 NCHC team A meeting is to be arranged with Tim O’Mullane, assistant director at Integrated Care at NCHC to discuss our concerns. Action Sue Gifford/Sid Heapy

LONG STRATTON & NEWTON FLOTMAN PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP 3. Practice News  Over 75 team The practice still do not know if this will be continued despite an excellent case being presented. The practice will continue to send letters in support of it. The PPG will write to Margaret Blackett with our support and concerns over funding. The PPG letter will ask for an acknowledgement and ask for a reply which gives a timetable for a full response. Action Sue Gifford/Sid Heapy

 New Telephone system No yet installed due to technical issues, the practice are pushing the CCG for progress.

 Discontinuation of travel clinics from 1st February. This is non NHS work and will free up nurses for other duties. Patients will be directed to 3 travel clinics in . The surgery will still offer free NHS travel vaccinations e.g. typhoid. Information will be on surgery notice boards and on the website.

4. Stacey Robertson Locality Leader from Careers Agency Partnership (CAP) Stacey’s job is to support unpaid family carers. She spoke about her work and said that her main role is one- 2-one emotional support to carers. Her organisation is a charity, partly funded by NCC but governed by the CCG. She is looking for more intervention by GPs in referring people to her service. Handbooks are already available in the surgery. Ideally she would like to be available in the surgery for pre-booked half hour appointments. Stacey was keen to find the “hidden” carers.

5. Health Evenings  Taking account of the forms completed at the flu jab days, it was decided that the first topic should be “Healthy Living”, to be held in the spring.  Sheila stated that the waiting room at Long Stratton surgery can be used.  A small working party of Sid, Ros and Julie has been set up to get on with planning the first meeting with the objective of having it finalised by the March PPG meeting.  The PPG will have to actively drum up support for the meetings and wide publicity is required. All PPG members should participate in these events.  It was suggested that we could do a doctors’ “question time”.

6. AOB  JW asked if we could spend a little money to smarten up the Newton Flotman surgery after we have done some fund raising.  JW wondered if as we belong to a national body of PPGs, we could use that very large body to look at making the NHS more non-political.  KA is very concerned about the cancellation of all referrals for exercise in South . She is concerned that since got rid of a specialist trainer and the leisure centre downgraded their trainers, there is nobody with any medical expertise to help older people exercise. KL thought there could be a session at on a Wednesday. Sid to make enquiries.  JH asked how many people took up the flu jab. Sheila stated that there were just 90 left of 2500 treatments and this does not include children. The practice do not have statistics on how many people attended from those who are eligible. Sheila told us that those most likely not to have a jab are those with chronic diseases.

LONG STRATTON & NEWTON FLOTMAN PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP  It was resolved that a bank account in the name of “Long Stratton and Newton Flotman Patient Participation Group” (LSNFPPG) be opened with Barclays Bank in . The signatories being Chairperson – Sue Gifford, Secretary – Jill Staines and Treasurer – Ros Bailey operating a “two must sign” procedure.

The meeting closed at 8.31.

7. Date and Time of next meeting

Monday 7th March 2016 at 6.30pm.