Patient Participation Group Meeting

December 2nd 2021, 13:00. Via Zoom

 

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Present:

  • Victoria (PPG member)
  • Tony (PPG member) - expressed his apologies as could not stay for full duration of meeting
  • Peter (PPG member)
  • Dylan (Practice Manager)
  • Gule (Administrator)

Surgery Update

Discussions are continuing about plans for the development of the Surgery. SGS application has been decline, but the surgery has been advised to re-apply. The practice has now outgrown the building which was built in the 1980s to cater for about half the patient population it now serves. 66% of the funding is to be provided by the Government for specified improvements.

While Surgery Staff are working on the plans for the major improvements, they would welcome input from patients on what they see as priorities, for example providing for in-house walk-in blood clinic, space for social prescribing etc. The meeting brainstormed some ideas on getting patient ideas: PPG meetings; questionnaire to patients; soliciting ideas from a selection of patients. 

 

Recruiting more PPG members

We will have a drive to attract more patients into the active PPG up until January. 

Ideas include:

  • Poster for the surgery waiting room. This should say what PPG is and roles/activities people can get involved with.
    • ACTION: Victoria to design, Gule to provide feedback on the poster design, Dylan to arrange printing.
  • Facebook posts as well as posting on the SGS website using the same poster content.
  • Texts to patients but this to be discussed as don't want to overload patients with unwanted texts.
  • First point of contact from people wanting to join will be through the generic surgery email cahccg.stathamgrove@nhs.net
    • ACTION: Gule will be looking out for emails from prospective members after the recruitment drive up until January. 
       
 

Face-to-face/Telephone system

The Practice is trying to adjust to get more face-to-face appointments.

There is a lot of demand and it is difficult to meet the need.

Whenever a new government announcement is made about Covid restrictions etc, there is a surge in telephone calls to the surgery. Most of the queries could be answered via government sources. Ideally patients should first be sourcing guidance and information online from NHS and GOV.UK so that the lines are kept open and available for those unable to access information digitally or who need a GP for any other reason.

  • ACTION: Victoria to design a carefully worded FB post to encourage use of digital information sources rather than calling the surgery. Peter warned that this should be framed in a way not to discourage people in need from contacting the Surgery. Post to be checked via Gule. 
 

Digital services

Dylan asked if anyone had experience of using the NHS app.

Victoria has used it to book Flu jab but cannot access patient record. Currently patients need to request this from the surgery. In future the plan is that all new registered patients will be able to access their records via the app. Another feedback was that using the online registration form was easy to use.

 

Bike shed

Establishing the bike shed is taking longer than anticipated due to supply chain issues.

 

Practice walk

The practice walk is continuing every Thursday at 2pm. Mostly staff but some patients join from time to time. This can be promoted as part of the drive to increase PPG participation.

 

Next meeting

Thursday 27 January 2022 1pm

To be held sooner than 3 months since attendance at this meeting was sparce.

  • ACTION: Dylan to look into the possibility of have a face-to-face meeting in the Surgery reception area as well as a ZOOM link.