MINUTES of the KESSINGLAND SURGERY PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP MEETING

held on Monday, 8^th January 2007 at 6.30 p.m. at Kessingland Surgery

PRESENT:
    Jean Purkis, Kash Gopee, Stella Goodhall, Jill Walker, Gillian Bennett, Susan Price, Dr David Johnston,
    Dr Nigel Drane, Alan Cornish, Kevin Knightly, Susan Steven-Jones

1. APOLOGIES: Rev Joan Oddy.
    
2. NOTES: The Notes of the last Meeting held on 02.10.2006 were read and agreed.
    
3. MATTERS ARISING:
   2. Update on Newsletter: The members present went through the draft newsletter and agreed what should be included and not included and made a few changes. It was also agreed that we would add a section on Medications News Review Service which Kevin Knightly is offering at the pharmacy. Jean will also write an introduction paragraph for the newsletter. Stella and Jill will collate this and send a draft to Kash to check and add and amend, if appropriate, before a final copy is produced. It was agreed that we would email all the Group members a copy of the final draft and send Sue Price a hard copy as she does not have access to email at present. With regards to distribution it was agreed that we would have a stock in the waiting room in the Kessingland Surgery, the two local shops, the library and the pharmacy.
       
   3. Update on Telephone System: Jean gave an update to the Group and reported that she, Kash and Iris, the Senior Receptionist, visited two local surgeries to see how they operate the automated options. She also looked at the audit undertaken by Kash of the practices in Waveney who have the automated options and out of fifteen practices only eight surgeries operate an automated option system. Jean said that looking at the audit and visiting two practices to get a feedback from the staff on how they worked at each surgery was very useful.
      
      Kash reported that our new telephone system is being installed on 17.01.2007. A copy of the options that we will put on the system were attached with the Notes of the Meeting. The Group members felt that these were simple, clear and easy to understand, in particular as we have a high elderly population. One Group member asked whether the options were going to be on all the time as one of the options says that "if it is a non-urgent enquiry to phone after 11 o’clock" and it was felt that perhaps patients may not appreciate this if they were ringing back after 11.00 a.m. and had to press options again - it would be nice just to get through. Kash said that she will ask the BT engineers whether the options can go off at 11.00 a.m. and if this can be done then we will only have the options on until 11.00 a.m. as after this calls do tend to calm down. Kash also added that we will be constantly reviewing the system as with all new things we have to review and monitor and change as appropriate.
       
   4. Update on the New PCT: The new Chief Executive is Mr Michael Stonard and we await to hear regarding the other appointments for the new Trust.
    

   CORRESPONDENCE:

   1. Jeans Letter and Mike Stonard’s Response Re: Community Hospitals (See Attached): A copy of Jean’s letter and Mr Stonard’s reply were attached with the Agenda for the Group member’s information. It was suggested to Jean to write a follow-up letter to Mr Stonard in view of Halesworth Hospital which has been closed on a temporary basis due to the financial situation and if there are plans to do the same at Southwold Hospital.
       
   2. Out-of-Hours Specification: Anglian Medical Care have been asked to re-tender for the Out-of-Hours Service as £150,000 savings need to be made before 2007. In a draft specification the proposal is to stop the bases at Lowestoft and Beccles and have one base at the JPH next to the A&E Department. There is a consultation period until the end of January. The partners will be individually replying with their concerns regarding this proposal.
       

   PRACTICE BASED COMMISSIONING: Dr Drane gave a feedback on this and said that this is a new "buzz" from the government. A new PBC Group has been formed and as a Group it decides what services are needed and if any changes need to be made. Specifications for these services are drawn up with advice from the PBC Board. This acts as an advisory Board of the PCT. New guidance which came out recently said that the government directive is that they want PBC to work with Commissioning as the way forward. Thereby the PBC Board decides which services are needed and the PCT funds these services. In essence services can be provided locally, for example, minor surgery to be done locally and cheaper rather than send to the James Paget Hospital, then the PCT saves money but the result is that the patient gets the same service but at a cheaper price.

4. sPMS: Dr Drane reported on this and said that this is another initiative but one that the GPs have taken on board, in particular, Dr Eastaugh and Dr Annette Abbott, whereby there has been an opportunity seen to try and hang on to the provider services for community services such as health visiting, district nurses, chiropody, physiotherapy, children’s services, as by 2008 the PCT cannot provide these services and someone else has to provide these services. There were also concerns that if local clinicians did not get together then a private company may come in and run these services. A business plan has been produced which was put to Mr Stonard and he was not ready to take this on, so a the moment the project is on hold. With regards to the Support Forms Kash reported that we had had 453 completed forms with patient members supporting that we retain these services locally. Jean had written a piece in the Kessingland Times explaining the Group support and also Jean was thanked for getting the forms signed during the recent flu clinics. It was suggested that we carry on getting these forms completed until we reach our target of 500.
    
5. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT GROUP MEETINGS : The next Meeting is on 31.01.2007 at 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 noon at Beccles PCT Headquarters (Mike Stonard will be at this Meeting). Stella agreed to attend this Meeting on behalf of Jean.
    
6. GP PRACTICE SURVEY: Kash reported that there will be independent surveys undertaken whereby patients are selected randomly and the questions are based around access and patient’s choice. The practice have no input into these surveys as they are conducted nationally.
    
7. KESSINGLAND LIBRARY PROJECT: Jean reported that this is up and running again as funding has been found. There is a Meeting on Wednesday, 10.01.2007.
    
8. PRACTICE WEBSITE: Dr Drane reported that we are trying to design one which is like an information board only and not interactive. Most of the information is taken from the practice leaflet. It is in draft form and as Nigel is the partner involved in this with Kash and Lynda the other partners need to have a look at this first.
    
9. OBESITY PROTOCOL: Kash reported that Dr Coleman is the Lead on this and he has put together a protocol for patients to self-check their height, weight and BP. Jean asked whether the Group could have a copy of the patient leaflet so that the Group could see it from a patient’s view-point. It was also suggested whether Dr Coleman could come to the next Meeting to discuss the Obesity Protocol with the Group. Kash to ask Dr Coleman if he could come to the next Patient Group Meeting.
    
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
    1. Podiatry: Jean gave the Group a feedback following a podiatry self referral and as she had met the criteria she was offered an appointment at Lowestoft Hospital. She had been given a follow-up appointment, this time at Kessingland Surgery. She will give the Group a feedback at the next Meeting following the session at the surgery.
        
11. DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT MEETING: Monday, 2^nd April 2007 at 6.30 p.m. at Kessingland Surgery.

The Meeting closed at 8.00 p.m.

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