Patient & Public Involvement (PPI) Group Meeting Minutes

Date:         Wednesday 11th May 2016

Time:         18.00 pm - 19.00 pm

Venue:         E12 Health - Meeting Room 2

Attendees:  Onika Winston - Communication & Engagement Officer (OW), Pt No. 25377, Pt No. 29688, Pt No. 28861, Pt No. 26327, Pt No. 16754

Apologies: Pt No. 10444

Welcome & Introductions

• Attendees greeted and welcomed one another.

Matters Arising

• A patient wanted to confirm what was mentioned in the last patient group meeting regarding older patients being a part of the CQC vulnerable groups, staff are trained to look after.

• The patient asked how old do you need to be, to be considered a part of this group.
• Onika answered 65 and older, however informed the patient she was not 100% and would check.

[Editor's note: We can now confirm that according to the CQC population group definitions the ‘older people’ group applies for people 75 and over].

• The patient shared that they have pain in their knee and tried to make an appointment but was told there were no Doctors appointments available until a month later.
• Another patient mentioned that they tried to make an appointment for their wife only to be told they had to wait two weeks, so had to use the extended hours service instead.

• Another patient raised that to use the extended hours service means that you have to travel for your appointment.
• Onika mentioned that staff are trained to leave patients with an alternative service if they are unable to make an appointment.

• A patient raised that they need a letter from the practice for her landlord.

• Onika explained to the patient that if the patient would like a private letter they need to fill out a form at Reception letting the Medical Secretary know what the letter is for.
• The patient shared that they have the form however they need help completing it due to a language barrier.
• Onika informed the patient that she would find out whether staff offer a service where they help patients complete the form.

[Editor’s note: E12 Health do not offer a service where they help patients to complete the ‘Private Letter’ form, as it is up to patients to inform staff what they would like the letter for/on. However staff can fully explain the form to patients to ensure they understand it].

• The patient also shared that they have high blood pressure and diabetes and would like to start attending the gym however it is too expensive.

• Onika informed patients that activeNewham have started a Community Prescription Programme where patients, who have been referred by the GP are being offered a wide range of free activities run by local groups to encourage people to be more active.

ACTION: Onika will find out for this patient whether they meet the criteria to take part in this programme.

Quarterly Practice Newsletter

• Onika asked everyone in attendance to take a look at the final draft of the newsletter.

• She asked patients whether they were happy with the content and format of the newsletter.
• A patient replied that they thought the newsletter was good and asked where it would be available.
• Onika responded that the newsletters would be made available at the Reception area.

• Another patient asked about the ‘Translator’ article in the newsletter.

• They asked whether there was a cost for the translator service.
• Onika informed the patient that yes there was, and due to the demographic of the area this is a service that the surgery has to provide.
• Onika added that the surgery are discussing and looking into at alternative options we could use.

• A patient shared that they would be unable to make the next meeting as it is at 12.30 pm and they will be at work.

• Onika explained that the reason the meetings alternate monthly between 12.30 - 13.30 pm and 18.00 - 19.00 pm is because this is what patients voted for at the Patient & Public Involvement Group launches.
• She added that it also allows patients who are not free in the day to attend and vice versa.

• Onika told patients that the newsletter can be looked at in the  PPI Group meeting before it is printed for Reception.
• The patient also raised that they are moving outside the area so are unsure they are going to be able to continue attending these meetings.

• Onika asked the patient if she was also going to be leaving the practice, as she explained patients are allowed to register to whatever surgery they would like to.
• She added that GP surgeries are unable to turn away registering a patient because the do not live in the area.
• A patient shared that this is good news as they were not aware of this.

[Editor’s note: E12 Health advises patients to register to a practice where they live as it is in their best interest. This is because, Doctors will not do home visits for patients who live outside the borough; The practice is unable to link to Primary Care services in other boroughs so will not be able to stay in touch with the other care services for a patient. For example: District Nurse, Midwife, Health Visitor etc.].

Upcoming Events?

• Onika informed patients that for Mental Health Awareness Week (from the 26th - 22nd May) Stratford Library are having an Active Minds Café on Thursday 19th May from 12.00 - 16.00 pm.

• A patient added that it is very hard to get mental health service appointments.
• Onika agreed that she had also found this to be the case.

• She also shared that last year when she was working in Newham she heard they were working on a directory of all the mental health services available in Newham although she is unsure to the status of that now.

• A patient mentioned that they felt there was too many different mental health services and that the services should be more coordinated.

• Onika also shared that the next Newham Patient Forum is on the Wednesday 18th May from 10.30 am - 12.00 pm.

• Onika explained that the meetings are run by The Forum for Health & Wellbeing and gives Newham residents, patients and cares the chance to share experien

Any other business

• A patient asked Onika what happened to the plan to have a whiteboard at Reception for community information and announcements on whether clinics are running late.

• Onika explained to patients that as E12 Health does not own the building they are unable to make changes like this to practice.

ACTION: Onika to raise this again with staff and the building management.

• A patient raised that the front door is locked on weekends and they often see patients lost outside as they do not know how to get into the building.

• Onika informed attendees that the practice is currently working on a window sign to inform patients that E12 Health is upstairs; and to let them know there is a backdoor into the building through the car park.
• A patient who opens this back door.
• Onika informed patients that it is her understanding that the door is usually left on latch.
• A patient responded that tonight when they tried to get into the practice for this meeting the door was locked.

[Editor’s note: The back door at The Health Centre is kept locked. To gain access into the building patients need to ring the bell. A receptionist at E12 Health will ask who the patient is and unlock the door for them. This is only the case when patients have appointments after 6.30 pm or on Saturdays].

• A patient raised that they found it impossible to get an appointment in the practice as they are always being told there is nothing available.

• Onika explained that unfortunately at the practice we have a shortage of Doctors which makes it very difficult for the practice with clinics.

• A patient replied that they have heard this reasoning for a few years now.
• Onika informed patients that she cannot comment about the past, as she has only been in her position a year.

• A patient also mentioned that they cannot get through on the phone.

• All patients agreed that they have the same issue.
• Onika apologised to all the patients in attendance on behalf of the E12 Health team.

• She explained that both the lack of appointments and the difficulty patients have getting through on the phones, are two issues they recognise.
• She added that this is something the team are actively working on to improve.
• She also said that she will ensure managers know just how upset patients are over these issues.
• She recognised that the fault lies with the practice as we are not communicating enough with patients to let them know what have done, and we’re trying to do to improve these issues.

• A patient shared that they had been calling for months and still cannot get an appointment, and that they have to take time off of work for this also.

• Onika informed patients that there is also appointments for Telephone Advice if they do not want to have to come in for an appointment.
• A patient shared that they also had trouble getting Telephone Advice appointments.

• A patient shared that they felt the reason why there was a shortage of Doctors was because of the increase on Doctors joining agencies and becoming Locums.
• Onika told patients that she felt the practice should be doing more to let patients know what is happening behind the scenes.

• She also said in order to encourage better communication the practice needs to let patients know what our issues are and what ideas we have to improve them.
• Onika suggested at the July PPI Group meeting, instead of a PPI Group meeting we have a Q & A sessions where patients have the opportunity to ask Dr Kohli, the clinical lead at E12 Health, questions on the services we provide.
• All patients thought this was a good idea and said they would be in attendance.

• A patient asked Onika whether the practice can clarify to patients what are funding is spent on.

• Onika replied that she does not know whether this is information the practice provides and does not want to give patients the wrong answer so will speak to her management team and find out.

[Editor's note: E12 Health are unable to disclose a practice budget breakdown, but staff can discuss what funding - monitored by NHS England and the Newham CCG - is spent on.

Patients can see the GP Net Earnings on the Firsts 4 Health Group website. https://sites.google.com/a/first4healthgroup.co.uk/e12-healthcare-centre/nhs-contract-requirements/gp-net-earnings---e12-health].

• Another patient shared that they read somewhere that Doctors receive money when they do not send patients to hospital referrals.

• Onika told patients she has never heard this before so she cannot say whether it is true or not.

• She mentioned that she does know Doctors have to have tried to treat an issue first before they a referred to another service.

• A patient asked what is being done to encourage patients to attend the PPI Group meeting.

• Onika shared that thanks to the idea of a PPI Group member patients who have not attended the PPI Group meeting in a while were sent a letter to remind them of the meetings.
• The patient thought this was good as we have to let patients know we appreciate their contribution as it is important that they keep coming back.

Date of next meeting

• Onika confirmed that the date of the June patient group meeting is Wednesday 8th June from 12.30 - 13.30 pm.

• She added that the July patient group meeting will be on Wednesday 13th July from 18.00 - 19.00 pm.