PPG Meeting Minutes January 2024

• Chair Adrian Pitts
• Minute taker Sarah Baker

Present

• Sarah Baker (SB)
• Julia Wakeham (JW)
• Adrian Pitts (AP)
• Arlene Hansell (AH)  
• Robert Cresswell (RC)
• Andrew Stanley (AS)
• Reuben Lewis(RL)
• Don Kent (DK)

Apologies

• Andrew Mackie
• Lynn Fitzjohn
• Peter Williams
• Patricia Williams
• Laura Phipp

Introductions

• Don Kent was introduced to the group.

Minutes of the last meeting

• Minutes agreed apart from the spelling of Reuben Lewis incorrect. SB will correct.

Matters arising

AH asked about natural remedies. AH gave examples- sinusitis can be helped by having a dairy free diet and ADHD has been linked to food additives.  

SB advised this was discussed by the partners but they have strict guidelines to follow but happy for patients to do their own research.

Actions since the last meeting

• AP attended the WKPPG Teams meeting which included a customer service experience team from MTW who confirmed they are making progress. The staff are friendlier and parking easier. MTW currently utilising “Patient Knows Best”
• Following the last PPG meeting AP has heard from Mark Munday that he is making progress with the discussions in the last meeting but not heard any follow up from him as yet. DK suggested it would be better to contact Nicola Ray at the Town Council. DK is currently acting chair of the Town Council.
• AP has emailed Greg Clark but no response from him as yet regarding vulnerable patients access to covid antivirals, more publicity from central government of wider roles available eg frailty, specialist nurses and clinical pharmacists. AP raised at West Kent PPG chairs meeting that a national campaign should be launched to raise awareness of moving from face to face GP appointments to triaged care navigation
• AP reminded members the Tonbridge Primary Care Network (TPCN) is looking for members to join the TPCN PPG group.
• Don Kent informed the members that there is potentially a therapy garden being organised behind the pavilion in Paddock Wood.
• Football facilities discussed.

Patient Survey

• AP gave a summary of the TPCN Patient Survey (attached to minutes)
• Does not feel everyone with a mobile phone number listed was sent the text. SB will investigate this for when the next survey is sent. - SB to action
• Overall the feedback was positive.
• AP summarised two main areas, booking of appointments and the phone system.
• The use of econsult discussed. Many younger patients are able to use econsult which will free up the phone lines for those who do not have internet access or those who are not confident in using econsult. Digital Front Door briefly discussed but WHC have no immediate plans to introduce this system.
• JW advised the management of the econsults in surgery is very efficient and works well.
• Agreed to advertise the use of econsult. RL will speak to Amber at the Lions and AP will contact Town Crier and U3A. AP and SB will do a poster for the surgery. - RL AP and SB to action
• Less positive feedback around waiting times to see a GP, Face to face appointments. Agreed patients will have to accept the new ways of working and to manage patient expectations.
• Problems with Paddock Wood Pharmacy discussed. Agreed they are overwhelmed.

Woodlands Update 

Dr Ismail Ozsoykal has joined Woodlands as a salaried GP. He is working Tuesday, Thursday and Friday doing 6 sessions.

Dr Ben van Wyk is retiring at the end of May. Dr Richard Tosh is joining us in June and will take over all of Dr van Wyk’s 8 sessions

Pharmacy First New Scheme is being launched on the 1st February. This extends the existing scheme where patients can be referred for minor illnesses. They are now able to prescribe antibiotics for certain ailments. UTIs, Shingles, Impetigo, Infected Insect bites, Tonsillitis, Sinusitis and ear infections. There are some exclusions. Field Pharmacy are taking part in the scheme. Paddock Wood pharmacy are yet to confirm.

National Patient Survey is going out to 2.5 million patients towards the end of the month. Encourage patients to participate if they are contacted. We received advertising material yesterday so will go on the FB page and Website.

Winter pressures. The PCN has set up an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) clinic during the winter months to take pressure away from the GPs. She is with us on a Thursday afternoon and rotates round the other surgeries Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Friday. Patients can be seen in any surgery if they are able to travel. She can see chest infections, coughs colds, sore throats.

The PCN is streamlining the clinical pharmacists. Nick Humby is no longer working from Woodlands. He is now assigned to Warders. Shen is with Woodlands on a Monday Wednesday and Thursday.

Actions from the last meeting

• Email Summary of patient summary to PPG SB-completed

Telephone System and Call backs

SB contacted the provider who confirmed all call backs were made as long as the patient did not ring back in the meantime. If the patient requests a call back and then rings back before the call back has happened the system believes they have got through and cancels the call back. If a patient misses the call they can ring back (on the same number, on the same day) and the system recognises the number and bumps them up to the top of the queue. Completed

Telephone Welcome Message

take off using patient access to book appointments. SB confirmed there is a message on the welcome message regarding Patient Access but it does not refer to booking appointments. Completed

Face to Face data

SB confirmed in the month of December 2023 35% of GP appointments were face to face but pointed out the majority of these would have been converted on the back of an initial telephone call. Completed

Website discrepancies

• Any information regarding booking appointments using Patient Access has been taken off the website.
• The Patient Access material on the website cannot be edited but due to the demand for GP appointments and inappropriate booking of appointments Woodlands no longer offer this service.
• For example patients were booking in to GP appointments for a blood test, patients booking in for a blood test with the nursing team without instruction, Patients booking in a blood test slot with a phlebotomist when they wanted an ECG.
• Appointments were being wasted and Woodlands were not able to signpost patients to the most effective health care professional. Completed

PPG Meeting poster AP

Completed

Complaints Procedure and Telephone opening time on website.

SB thanks the PPG for bringing this item to her attention. The complaints leaflet was very out of date. New leaflet has been downloaded from the Kent Local Medical Council and has been passed to the website provider to upload. Telephone opening times yet to be passed the provider. Ongoing

Hedge cut back in car park

SB-completed

Remove For Sale Signs

SB-completed

Disabled Parking Bays

This was discussed by the partners. Disabled Bays need to be a certain length and width. Moving them to nearer the entrance would cause an obstruction. - Completed

Parking restrictions AS

• AS asked how the car parking restrictions were going. SB said well however some patients still ignoring signs and not entering their number plate.
• AS advised he had a negative experience.
• He brought an elderly patient to the surgery but failed to register his number plate and got a fine.
• He was disappointed the car park management company was not more sympathetic.

Prescription problems AS

AS asked what do patients do if the chemist does not have a particular drug in stock? SB advised ask the chemist to put the prescription back on “The Spine” which enables any chemist in England to access the prescription. 

JW asked patients not to ask questions regarding availability in online prescription requests. The GP will not know the answer. The best people to speak to are the prescription team or the pharmacist at the chemist.

SB to put the above 2 points in the next newsletter - SB to action

Frailty Visiting Service AS

• As asked for details. JW explained it is a service set up by the TPCN involving two paramedics, Bex and Fran, who visit across the PCN, frail, housebound patients.
• They spend approximately an hour with each patient. They then have a lunchtime meeting and an evening meeting with a GP and discuss each case and what actions are needed.

Flu Jab Uptake AS

• Not discussed

Feedback from Listening Event RC

• Covered Integrated Teams and discussed Digitalization and concerns over the elderly.
• Positive feedback
• Budget restrictions.
• RC will email SB a full summary
• RC to action

Physicians Associate AP

JW confirmed the surgery do not want to employ a physician’s associate.

6X Bus LF

PPG members agreed this is an item more for the council than the PPG.

AOB

DK has concerns about a surgery in Norfolk 4-5 years ago. DK believes the elderly believe the Dr is god and follows instructions. A relative was told to take extra medication and was not told to stop taking the previous medication. JW confirmed this might or might not have been appropriate.

AH asked about medication Reviews. JW confirmed the dates on the prescription are a reminder for the GPs to review the medication. If the patient needs to attend the reviews they will be telephoned.

RL relayed a positive experience regarding a referral to secondary care.

DK asked about the surgery Décor looking a little tired. SB replied this is partly the responsibility of NHS Property Services and the Partners.

AS would like clarification as to who is eligible for the shingles vaccine. SB confirmed if aged 65 then eligible and then 70-79. So if 66 need to wait until 70th birthday

AH commented on the CQC posters in reception. It doesn’t look like we have had an inspection since 2017. One poster is dated 2016 and the other 2017. SB explained we have not been inspected since 2016. During that inspection we received a “Requires Improvement” in the Safe category as they found dust in a cupboard. Once this was cleaned they upgraded our overall rating to “Good” and provided us with a new poster.

AH would like it known that when speaking to residents of Paddock Wood they are unhappy with the level of service the surgery provides.

AP reminded members to keep the discussions to matters concerning the surgery and not to be waylaid with other Paddock Wood matters. Please could members add all AOB as items for the agenda? This enables him to gauge the length of the meeting. AP also reminded PPG members that the PPG is not the correct forum for personal issues.

Action Log

• Ensure all patients with a mobile phone number, who have not opted out of receiving text messages are sent the link for the next TPCN patient survey-SB
• Advertise econsult-RL AP SB
• Listening Event Summary emailed to SB-RC
• Phone times on website-SB
• Prescription Queries on next patient newsletter-SB

Date of next meeting

Date of next meeting (AGM) Monday 29th April 2024 6pm.