PPG: Latest Minutes

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10th August 2023

Attendees:

Practice: Dr Justin Charlesworth (GP Partner / Clinical Director, PCN) Dolina Reed (Practice Manager)

Patients: David Kelly, Philippa Hale, David Summers

1. Cranbrook Pharmacy

Seems to be going well so far. Not fully stocked up yet. No change to area of patients covered. No formal meeting between GPs and Pharmacy, but Dr Dineli did visit to introduce herself.

2. Patient Access

Currently required to look carefully at patient access. Includes appointment availability, cloud based telephony system, call back feature (soon to be in place), signposting eg to chemist, evening and weekend  surgery hubs. We are already doing very well with this so looking to maintain, not necessary better our scores next year.

3. Friends & Family Test/GP Patient Survey

Our GP patient survey results were as good as usual. Please see link below to search for our results and/or compare with other surgeries. Our monthly Friends & Family questionnaire results are also excellent. The noticeboard is updated monthly with latest data.

Visit the GP Patient website

4. First Contact Physio

Contract is with Hamish Starton [Cranbrook Physiotherapy]. Self-referral pathway – musculo-skeletal issues can be referred to physio by reception at patients request (which can be done via eConsult or telephone) and patients do not need to see GP first to access this service. Usually physio appointments are initially by telephone.

Physios do see patients face to face, but they book patients in themselves.

5. Flu/Covid

Cohort this year is over 65s and at risk patients and children up to year 7. Coadministration of Covid/Flu this year is very difficult as we are unable to do any Covid vaccinations before 7th October, but want to get  flu jabs done asap so patients’ are protected earlier. Would prefer patients had flu jabs at the surgery, rather than the chemist. PCN meeting Monday 14th August to discuss Covid vaccinations. Covid payments  have been reduced by 25%.

6. GP Letters/Private Work

Private letters are not part of our contract. We no longer validate passports or do letters supporting blue badges or housing. We have to do insurance letters, but there would be a fee for this. NHS work is  prioritised.

We are unable to offer private vaccinations for ones we can offer on NHS – conflict of interest.

7. Appointments

Discussed how best to convey issues to patients of multiple problems during appointments. Slots are 15 minutes and to deal with a problem properly GPs do need time. Too many issues raised at one appointment  means things may not be dealt with completely or properly. Reception are trying to address this issue to some extent at the time of the appointment booking. If patients say at the time of booking it is about several  issues, reception staff will say the GP will be unable to deal with all at once. It was suggested we put signs on TV screen or at reception and on website/eConsult.

8. Timings of PPG Meetings

It was asked if meetings could be in the evenings. JC explained that this is not as good for GPs who have already worked a very long day. Agreed we would alternate between lunch and evening meetings.

9. New Surgery/Merger

No real updates. Crane/Old School merger now not happening. A company was going to be taking over the Crane, but that is not happening now either. JC not sure what will happen. June Parish Council meeting  minutes outline where they are at with new building.

10. Staffing

Currently recruiting for a GPA (General Practice Assistant). Full time role but with study time. Our Practice Nurse is currently enrolled in Nurse Prescriber course (Masters), which means she will then be an  Advanced Medical Practitioner.

Next meeting – Wednesday 15th November at 6.30pm