PPG Meeting Notes - 06 Apr 2022

 

Meeting notes Wednesday 6th April 2022

Welcomes, Introductions and Apologies:

Present: In person: Kevin Gannaway-Pitts (KGP), Gill Brook (GB), Zareen Ahmed (ZA), Kate Edgar (KE), Sandra Nicholson (SN) and Julie Hapeshi (JH)

Via MST: Fred Wood (FW), Steve Talbot (ST) and Bill Singh (BS)

Apologies: Christine Hart (CH), Andrew Wrightson (AW), Dr Sam Kwok (SK), Mary Haines (MH)

Resignations:  Eve Butler

Conflicts of interest:  None were declared

Notes for the last meeting:

Julie Hapeshi apologies omitted, to be added (KE). All other aspects of the notes were agreed as correct. 

Proposed by FW. Seconded by SN   

     b.   Actions updated; see meeting Action log

Revised PPG Constitution

The PPG Constitution has been circulated to all members of the PPG, having been considerably revised in line with revision agreed at a previous PPG development meeting. A few small changes were made in this meeting and further discussion was had:

ST highlighted due process with regards to organising the AGM and ensuring potential participants had at least 21 days’ notice of its date and time.

FW suggested that a clause could be added saying that the AGM will normally be held in June of each year, but no later than the end of July.

The recruitment process of PPG members to be added under section 4.1 with full process added as an addendum to the Constitution

ACTION: KPG to add

Subject to the identified changes being made as above, the group agreed that they were satisfied with the updated Constitution and thanked GB, specifically, for her considerable work on this.

ACTION: GB to make final changes to the Constitution including addition of recruitment process (KGP). 

Proposed by ZA; Seconded by JH

Working Groups - update

Communication, Engagement and Digital Group (CE&D Group.

The second meeting of the above group took place prior to this meeting (06/04 2022). The focus was on the digital aspect of the work of the group. The Primary Care Digital Transformation team from the CCG, through Kev as chair, attended the meeting to help the group understand the digital applications and websites available for patients to help support access to services and information on their health. 

This will include:

• How to access the Practice Wi-Fi
• Apps available and their purpose and how to download them in Android and Apple
• How to use the Practice website (including any changes required to help improve access and usability)

Ultimately the aim is to train PPGs (Aspen MC as a pilot) to support patients who may have questions or need support with using digital solutions for their health care. The discussion was around developing plans to take this forward in a way that is well promoted and achievable getting agreement & support from the Practice.

Several points were raised as below:

Connectivity (i.e. has the patient got the ability to connect to what they need to in the practice – 3G/4G, WiFi and how different populations of people can access this.

Patient Apps, with the focus on NHS App – particularly the verification process and app functionality.

Use of Practice website. The challenges of accessing. KGP informed the group that Notice has been served on e-consult. V6 of ‘FootFall’ likely to be used.  

NB ‘FootFall’ is the current digital aspect of the website that is used to help accelerate Practice productivity by encouraging patients to do more online e.g.  repeat prescriptions, e consult, leave messages information requests. 

Several ideas on the way forward were discussed: 

KGP’s clinical system team will run a pilot study with the CE&D group and others in the PPG to help achieve the 3 original objectives (see previous page) 

The wider engagement and involvement of other PPG members will be much appreciated in the program helping patients to improve their digital access to advice and consultation with health professionals 

Explore the use of resources from the County Council using ‘Hubs’ for more digital education).

The need to gather feedback from patients regarding the use of the Practice website and the NHS App.

ACTION: KPG to liaise with his digital team, and also GB, to agree the next steps forward.

Other matters

The draft terms of reference had been developed with an action plan (circulated with meeting papers), as the template for all other sub working groups to now use.

ACTION: All subgroup leaders to draft terms of reference and key areas of work for final ratification at the next PPG meeting. 

One of the purposes of the CE&D group is to review with the Practice, in consistent and regular way, all patient feedback.  Agreeing with the Practice key areas for improvement and celebrating positive experiences. GB asked the group if they were satisfied and happy to let the members of the CE&D group to do this review, feeding back in the main PPG group (rather than all members having all the available data). It was agreed that the CE&D Group would undertake this work reporting as suggested.

ACTION: GB to arrange review dates with SK for the review of feedback information

Armed Forces Veterans

FW provided an update.

First meeting of the group held with FW, KGP, and RB on 28/3/22.  Initial discussion of relevant issues for this patient group.

3 specific cohorts were identified:

• Older veterans for example, those who served in WW2, Korea and completed National Service
• Those who served in the Cold War, Northern Island, Falklands, and other conflicts at that time.
• A younger cohort who served in more recent conflicts, e.g. in Iraq.

Each cohort is likely to have a different set of needs based on their ages and their experience. There are approximately 300 veterans registered with Aspen – which constitutes 1% of the patient population. It is likely that this underrepresents the number of veterans in the practice. More work needs to be done to find and code these patients (and are there more female veterans who have not been coded) so that they can be flagged up and supported appropriately.

ACTION: RB will provide KGP and FW with more data re age groups and gender of veterans

There are two accreditation schemes associated with veterans in the health system:

• The Vet Friendly Scheme (VFS) – RCGPs 200 practices have this accreditation, only Quedgeley and Aspen have it in Gloucester.
• The Vet Aware Scheme (VAS) – mainly used by Hospital Trusts, including Gloucestershire. 

KGP shared the concept of ‘JUYI’ – ‘Joining up your information – a shared care record across agencies.

The working group is continuing to build its network – working closely with Helen Hurst in the North, also Gloucestershire County Council, and joining up with the Southwest Network

ACTION: RB will report back with date when next accreditation is due.

Mental Health

BS, KE and ZA have met and had initial conversations about their backgrounds and the rich experiences each brings to the working group.

Mental health is such a broad field, with much overlap with physical health, and huge scope for growth and improvement.

Importance of people feeling listened to and supported to find solutions that work for them. Problems with the current system were discussed and some ideal solutions considered. However it comes down to what can we realistically do to support patients and the practice given that demand for mental health support far exceeds supply?

Possibility of issuing a very short survey (i.e. 3 questions) to GPs to ascertain their views regarding how the PPG can support mental health provision.

Also conscious of the practice staff’s mental health, not just the patients’

Keen to have a MH representative from the Practice to help us work this through. SK had fed back that it would hopefully be easier after April to find a suitable person.

ACTION: KGP to speak with SK about identifying someone from the practice to work with the members as per Constitution (bearing in mind the current pressures on personnel). Following this, KE, BS and ZA to meet with practice rep.

Walk Talk Walk Group

Continues to run on alternate Thursdays between 11-12.30am, attendance varies – average of 6-10 people as the core group.

SN & GB arrange and facilitate the group walks with the additional vital support of JH.  This involves walking the walks beforehand and communication through the PPG email, social media, and the Practice (front desk, waiting area screens). Contact with Social Prescribers at Aspen MC is being explored plus the possibility of health professionals signposting people with a range of chronic illnesses to the group.

More PPG volunteers would be much appreciated to help sustain the walks, please express interest to SN and GB. This is becoming more important as time moves on, please consider if you can help.

SN &GB have shared this work at the Countywide PPG and following this with Rosebank Surgery who wish to set up a similar group. Social prescribers were particularly interested.

On April 26^th SN and GB are meeting with Millie Barnes to promote the group to the Eat Real Food members.

The ‘walkers’ continue to give positive feedback. The group are now venturing further afield, walking in different terrain, as confidence is gained.

Countywide PPG Update

Assuming all had read the update paper sent prior to the meeting, any questions to be sent to Gill /Kev, as time was short in the meeting. GB brought to the group’s attention two key priority points.

The Integrated Care Boards will be replacing Clinical Commissioning Groups from April 2022, assuming legislation is passed through parliament. ICBs will be part of Integrated Care Systems. The Kings Fund have produced some helpful information which can be found here

Registering with Get Involved in Gloucestershire (GIG) where further opportunities to get involved in shaping NHS services will be shared over the coming months as we move towards becoming an ICB. If you haven’t already registered then it’s not too late and you can do so here

Please follow the link  https://getinvolved.glos.nhs.uk/

Next countywide PPG meeting:  20^th May, 11-1300 Churchdown Community Centre (face to face). Please contact GB if you can attend with her at this meeting. It is important that we have 2 people as good representation of our PPG. 

Practice Update

As SK was unable to attend the meeting, a verbal update was provided to KGP. The key challenges were focused on the ongoing recruitment of staff (receptionists, nursing and medical staff) and also staff sickness and all the challenges that this gave to staff and patient experience.  There is a program of recruitment who is ongoing that is having some success. Staff need training and therefore the full benefit of the recruitment is not felt immediately

AOB

Subgroups providing summary reports on activity and achievements: GB stated that, in line with the Constitution, all Sub-working Groups are to be provide a summary report of activity and outputs & outcomes at each PPG meeting.

ACTION: A short annual report of all activity etc will also be required for the AGM.

Date of next meeting:  This will follow on from the AGM (date to be confirmed for June/July).