Establish a PRG comprising only of registered patients and use best endeavours to ensure PRG is representative:
The local PPG was initiated in 2011 following advertising via posters and invitations to join the Group within the practice, on the Practice website and advertising virtually. Terms of reference, aims and objectives and confidentiality agreements were introduced and agreed and the first meeting took place on 22nd September 2011. This was attended by 4 male and 3 female members. 4 meetings took place within the first year and 4 meetings have taken place since March 2012. (Minutes of these meetings are on the websites). Subsequent meetings have taken place in 2013.
The practice is open between 8am and 6:30pm, Monday to Friday for patients. The staff leave the premises at 7pm and the practice does not close for ‘lunch’. As a result of a suggestion by patients, benches were installed within the enclosed porch area for patient comfort if weather inclement and for patients less able to stand easily. Staff open door before 8am if a queue and raining or snowing. Patients can be seen ‘routinely’ on the day in ‘open surgery’ from Monday to Thursday morning aswell as urgently on the day when clinically necessary, they can book on the day appointments and patients are able to prebook ‘routinely’ one month ahead, although if prebooked DNA rates do increase.
GP recruitment has been an immense challenge to the practice this year. The practice always strives to provide continuity of care within a safe environment, with patients given the opportunity to ask for the GP of their choice when making appointments, although this can never be guaranteed. At the beginning of the year we advised the group in the Practice that we were planning our next annual survey and asked them for their feedback on key priorities. Access and appointments were a priority. In response to this, despite the difficulties in GP recruitment that we were experiencing following the departure of 1 GP in 2012 and the retirement of another in March 2013, the remaining 2 GP Partners ensured additional and improved access for patients by providing GP locum cover on a regular weekly basis, covering sessions that were previously available for specific medical procedures i.e. vasectomies, sigmoidoscopies, acupuncture and minor surgery. Some feedback was received regarding lack of parking facilities for patients, but it was explained that many of our registered patients live within walking distance of the practice and for those who drive, parking is available in residential side streets nearby. Public transport is also reasonable within the area. There is no scope within the practice to increase parking facilities for patients. However, this level of provision is unsustainable with just 2 GPs. Regular meetings have taken place during the current year with NHSE and LMC. A meeting with our local MP, Sir Bob Russell took place in March 2013 to discuss our concerns.
There is a range of skills available and access to different professionals including GPs, nurse practitioner, practice nurses, healthcare assistants, midwife, GPCA, in-house counselling for adults (18+) and counselling for children and adolescents (3 -18).
The practice provides a choice of modes of contact which currently includes face-to-face, telephone and email contact. The practice has a website and a dedicated prescription request email address. We are in the process of piloting SMS texting to remind patients about appointments, but only with their consent. We are also looking at the possibility of providing online appointment booking for patients.
The practice leaflet and the nurse practitioner express clinic leaflet are available in 4 different languages – Arabic; Chinese; Polish and Turkish in order to assist patients whose first language is not English. These are also posted on the websites.
Discussions continue to take place with members to try to ensure that we reach as representative a group as possible. This takes time, and currently the age group still errs towards 50+. We have many single mums and we are actively seeking ways to engage them with the group. Many areas are still being explored, including the use of a building near to the practice for groups to meet, as we are restricted with space inside the practice. This year it has been a struggle to maintain the PPG with its current members, partly due unfortunately to ill health within the group, but also due to increasing work commitments for patients. Meetings have had to be cancelled at the last minute as they have not been quorate. The Practice is working hard to engage new members, virtual or otherwise, and is confident that this will be achievable.
We continue to maintain communication with the local primary school who come in and change the theme of their artwork, which is on display in our waiting rooms, on a quarterly and seasonal basis which is greatly appreciated by patients and staff at the practice. This constitutes a local link with the community. Ideally, we plan to try to recruit more members from the school.
We have a total of 8 female and 7 male members aged 45yrs – 65yrs and over which represents 1.49% of our practice list (5 females and 3 males engage face to face) and 3 females and 4 males aged 25yrs – 65 yrs and over engage remotely by email or telephone. Members are all White British represents 0.26% of our list. 5 Members in total have LTC representing 0.14% of our practice list.
We inform all newly registering patients about the PPG and enclose information for them to contact us if they wish to join advising who they should speak to if they are interested to know more. The PPG is discussed on the telephone and in person at the surgery. Posters are in the waiting room, leaflets are distributed in the practice and patients are contacted by email with their consent. Responses to comments on NHS Choices include invitations to join our PPG. Patients who attend the practice are asked for their views and members are contacted by email or phone. Information is on the Practice website. Patients’ views were collated by paper questionnaire, although this year, a paper questionnaire has not been circulated. Views have been sought in other ways by telephone, email and in person. GPs have attended meetings this year to discuss current issues with patient members. The survey results from the previous year are available on the website. The priority issues are very similar i.e. access. With the use of GP locums access improved but this is not a sustainable solution and patients understand this.
Discussions are currently underway as to the future and PPG and patients will be kept informed when the outcome is known. NHSE and LMC are involved in these discussions with the Practice.
A PPG member kindly held a table top sale on a Saturday in May 2013 in aid of our fundraising efforts.
A patient has produced beautiful framed photographs which he has donated to the practice, for which we are all very grateful.
The PPG is still trying to push forward the idea for groups to meet at a local venue (near the practice).
The quarterly patient newsletter is in the process of being reintroduced. This was agreed at a PPG meeting.
Members of the PPG have met with other practice PPG members this year to share experience, ideas etc. This year has been one of consolidation.
We would like to increase the number of virtual PPG members too.
Call recording has been installed to monitor patient calls, and to provide a learning tool for staff, which has proved very beneficial on both counts.
Agree with the PRG which issues are a priority and include these in a local practice survey
As mentioned above, as a result of patient feedback the practice introduced ‘open’ surgery sessions on Monday to Thursday mornings. Feedback continues to be mixed. However, some patients have reported that they find the system ‘excellent’ as they can always see a GP at open surgery, whilst some do not like having to wait. ‘open surgery’ has enabled us to provide additional GP appointments. It has relieved pressure on the telephone, particularly first thing in the morning. It has reduced our GP DNA. We are looking to discuss and agree priority issues again and to create another practice survey for the coming year. Access will be a priority. This issue is reviewed regularly with the patient group. With the imminent changes due within the Practice from April 2014 onwards this will provide a unique opportunity to increase the scope of our Group and to really raise enthusiasm and interest in the importance of the work of the PPG.
Prebooked appointments continue to be a DNA challenge. We are using, and are in the process of extending, SMS texting to assist with this challenge. The plan is to discuss the use of system online appointment booking when we have sufficient GPs in place during 2014.
Our nurse practitioner continues to provide a very useful Express Clinic for minor illness between 8am to 9am, Monday to Friday which has proved very popular with working patients and those with young children on their way to school.
As a result of patient feedback, the flowchart to identify members of clinical and admin staff within the practice has been displayed in reception and all staff have been issued with name badges (first names only).
Patients continue to generously provide home made cards to sell in the Practice to raise funds for local charities. Members of the PPG also generously provide cakes to sell to raise funds for charities. Once again, PPG members helped other patients during flu clinics i.e. assisting with removing overcoats which, in turn, speeded up the face to face time with clinicians whilst administering the vaccination.
Collate patient views through local practice survey and inform PRG of the findings
patient comments on NHS Choices are shared with PPG. Responses are given to the people who leave anonymous comments – positive or negative.
Provide PRG with opportunity to comment and discuss findings of local practice survey. Reach agreement with PRG of changes in provision and manner of delivery of services. Where the PRG does not agree significant changes, agree these with the CCG/NHSE
The PPG has the opportunity to comment and discuss findings of the practice survey with the Partners and staff members, not only at meetings, but on an ad hoc basis too if they wish. Try to introduce changes steadily. Information is uploaded to our website for PPG information informing of relevant dates for meetings in the community.
Agree with the PRG an action plan setting out the priorities and proposals arising out of the local practice survey. Seek PRG agreement to implement changes and where necessary inform CCG/NHSE.
One of the actions was to raise funds for TV screens in both waiting rooms to provide distraction whilst waiting for an appointment, particularly during open surgery. Target of £700 has not yet been reached.
Another initiative – The PPG were actively involved in promoting and presiding over our Carers Week in June 2013, apparently the first of its kind in a practice, which was beneficial to patients as our GP care adviser was also involved. Outside agencies were joined us to promote prevention for healthier lifestyles and other areas. Excellent feedback was received by attendees. It is planned to provide a similar information giving session in the coming year.
Any changes agreed by the PPG arising out of the local survey will be notified to the CCG/NHSE prior to implementation.
We have, again, increased the number of antenatal appointments to help to meet the demand from our patient demographic.
Publicise the Local Patient Participation Report on the practice website and update the report on subsequent achievement.
This report has been publicised on the practice website.