Meeting Notes: Wednesday 30 June 2021 / 18:00 – 19:00PM
Meeting Details: Online Zoom Meeting
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Welcomes,
Introductions and Apologies
Chair: Kevin Gannaway-Pitts (KGP) - Interim Vice Chair
Attending: Dr Nicky Wilson (NW), Georgie Kemp (GK), Ashley Bowkett (AB), Mary Haines (MH), Andrew Wrightson (AW), Steve Talbot (ST), Christine Hart (CH), Kate Edgar (KE), Gillian Brook (GB), Eve Butler (EB), Bernie Fishpool (BF), Fred Wood (FW), Salina Wathen (SW), Bill Singh (BS),
In Attendance: NIL
Apologies Received and Non-Attendance: Nick Osborne (NO), Zareen Ahmed (ZA), Michele Bonner (MB), Katherine Holland GCCG (KH), Sandra Nicholson (SN), Julie Hapeshi (JH), Linda Matthews (LM)
Resignations
Judith Morris – Change in family circumstances, Pauline Mitchell – New commitments, Georgie Shaw – Chairing a Local Academy Trust.
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Conflict of Interests
The following Conflict(s) of Interest were raised prior to the meeting taking place:
- Kevin Gannaway-Pitts – Declared his role at the CCG
with his employment.
Notes
from the Last Meeting
Paper 1 – 202105 – PPG Notes 30 Jun 2021
Note: The July meeting was not held due to apologies received and therefore the last notes were reviewed as a standing item of the meeting.
Points
raised by the group members:
AB – raised appointment figures and types of appointments. NW explained that figures are available and noticed an increase where patients are struggling especially with onward referrals into secondary care and the increase of mental health illnesses due to lockdown and isolation. NW also explained the pressure on the practice due to staff illnesses, self-isolation and staff leaving the profession has also impacted on times to treat patients.
GB – asked how the PPG can support the practice with accessing services. The group discussed empowering the patient through understanding the routes to booking appointments through technology, phone or by making an appointment face to face with the front desk receptionist. KGP discussed when appropriate it would be good to have a PPG presence at the surgery with a dedicated area for the PPG to engage with patients to help with messages and sign posting.
BS – asked about the increase in Mental Health related illness with appointments. NW explained out of the 18 slots available a third will be taken up with mental health issues, which is also providing to be challenging when referring into a community mental health service. Children’s MH services are experiencing long wait times for appointments including the let’s talk therapy services.
NW – covered the pressures in secondary care which is also having impact on patient’s mental health along with additional problems reported about the reduction of blood test due to the national crisis on availability of blood bottles.
Proposed
by Kate Edgar and seconded by Christine Hart
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Actions
from the last meeting
Paper 2 – All actions and updates from the previous meeting were carried over to the next meeting.
Proposed
by “Not Required” and seconded by “Not Required”
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Focus
Groups
Review of groups and Leadership
KGP gave the group an update on the work groups which now
includes assigned leadership from the practices. Groups need to start meeting to discuss
leadership of each group and working on plans for KGP to share this with the
practice leaders so they can start to engage with the PPG.
ACTION: Groups to discuss leadership of the group and
appoint leaders to then work up the next stages.
Update on Digital Front Door Research
BF updated the group and reported that the front landing
page demonstrated as part of the research looked friendly. The aim of the Digital Front Door has been
commissioned by the CCG and looks at the impact of digital services on GP
practices. The aims are to look at
understanding what practices need to embed a digital approach, through
understanding their existing processes. KGP explained how important the PPG is
involved in these studies, to allow the patients voice to be heard as part of
the research. A full review will be
published in due course and KGP will keep members updated.
Constitution Review and Governance
KE requested at each
meeting that the group reviewed a role or responsibility from the constitution
and think about how we could enact it to help members focussed on being
constructive and proactive.
KGP agreed that
this is a good idea especially as the groups starts to form and see where this
aligns to the constitution. KGP was also
mindful that the constitution should mature with the group as primary care changes
its operational model, ensuring we are aligned to the practice operating plans.
Clinical Coding for Armed Forces Veterans
MH, FW, SN and GK have volunteered to support the coding of
veterans once they have been identified.
NW will look at the training requirements and notify individuals when
the campaign to identify veterans is launched.
ACTION: NW to liaise with the Aspen to IT manager to
set users up and oversee the coding once replies are received.
PPG
Walking Group “WalkTalkWalk”
GB briefed the meeting on the progress
setting up the WalkTalkWalk group. The
group is offering walks to patients as part of the healthy lifestyles and offer
the opportunity for PPG members to connect with patients who take part. This activity can support patients who have a
long-term condition such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiac, mental health etc,
who may enjoy exercise and the company.
GB and SN are organising the walks and would like to encourage practice
nurses and GPs to signpost patients to the walking group as well as the practice
advertising the activity through social media channels.
Some of the routes that they have looked
at are as follows:
- Barnwood Arboretum
- Plock Court
- Armscroft park area
- Saintbridge balancing pond
Carers Group
EB reported that it has been quiet with the group and had nothing else to report at this stage.
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Armed
Forces Veterans Focus Group Update
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Armed Forces Veterans (AFVs) There are a few domains within the UK (Government
departments, Charities, etc) that give valuable information for AFV’s
covering a multitude of areas, including all relevant aspects of health. GK has listed but a few that she felt would
be a good starting point at creating a useful tool to share with those
patients with AFV status. Going
forward, the PPG maybe able to meet face to face sharing views and
information within focus groups, in which we can signpost veterans to
services they may be unaware of, plus share information across other focus
groups that will be relevant. KGP
has made connections with other practices in the country who have shared their
work to capture the information from AFV patients, by means of a question on
both patient application forms and inclusion within the patient survey. KGP
has also made a link with a Project Lead at Bloom Social Housing based in
Liverpool who provides housing across the country to people with social needs
and homeless veterans. This included current social housing information for
Gloucestershire. Other areas GK has researched to date are as follows: The
Aged Veterans Fund - this was launched in 2015, due to run for
5 years to 2020. She has communicated with the relevant team to find out if
due the Pandemic the end date has been extended, if this is the case we may
wish to see if there are any eligible patients in the practice. Veteran
Trauma Network - this is hosted by NHS England there are 10
major trauma centres across England Hearing
Loss and Tinnitus Services - there are various
charities linked to helping veterans in this area: www.veteranshearingsupport.co.uk Mobile
Equipment Support - the Royal British Legion has a Veterans
Mobility Fund which can assist with items such as specialist wheelchairs,
orthotic equipment and other mobility related items. Blind
Veterans UK - helping ex Servicemen and women of every
generation to rebuild their lives after sight loss. GK explained that the title Armed Forces Veteran covers
those who served in the Navy, Army and Air Force and includes reservists,
anyone who completed National Service and members of the Merchant Navy if
involved in a conflict. There is a large mapping exercise for this group to carry
out and GK is looking forward to getting together with the group to achieve
the challenge. .................................................................................................................. Practice Update NW reported that Saintbridge has now become a green site and is open for patients along with Aspen. Tuffley has now taken over as the Red Covid site and reported an increase in Covid numbers rising. NW also briefed the group about the Covid virtual ward which is used to refer patients to for monitoring oxygen levels etc from home. This is being used to prevent admissions unless patients’ oxygen levels drop, and they need to be admitted into Gloucester Royal. NW reported that vaccine levels maybe dropping, and the practice will be delivering boosters and Flu jabs, which will take the same approach as before with vaccinating the venerable as the priority group. As reported earlier in the meeting, there is a national shortage with blood bottles and NHS England have issued guidance for urgent blood tests to be taken and routine blood tests will be put on hold for now. .................................................................................................................. AOB GK enquired if there was any further information regarding the data opt out? KGP reported that the withdrawal of the data provision notice has been withdrawn and no action is needed by the practice. The CCG is working on communications and will be releasing more details in due course. KGP has requested the group to think about nominations for the leadership positions in the PPG which includes the following: PPG Chair PPG Vice
Chair PPG Secretary – Note KE stepped forward for this position if no one else volunteers
Nominations
to be presented at the September meeting with appointments taking place in
October 2021 |
Wednesday 22nd September 2021 18:00 – 19:30.
KGP thanked everyone for their attendance and closed the meeting at 19:30hrs.
