PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
From the start of the year the two practices in Swanpool Medical Centre merged into one.
Our practice now has approx 8400 patients and the surgery is situated in a deprivation area with a high percentage of unemployment and high prevalence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and coronary heart disease and respiratory diseases.
Our PPG members include a school teacher and ex NHS administrator,
Any of our patients are welcome to join the group which is advertised on our notice board, website and practice leaflet.
Our practice ethnic breakdown is as follows
| White | Mixed/ multiple ethnic groups |
| British | Irish | Gypsy or Irish traveller | Other white | White &black Caribbean | White &black African | White &Asian | Other mixed |
| 72% | 0.2% | 0% | 8.7% | 0.7% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 4.6% |
| Asian/Asian British | Black/African/Caribbean/Black British | Other |
| Indian | Pakistani | Bangladeshi | Chinese | Other Asian | African | Caribbean | Other Black | Arab | Any other |
| 1.2% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.8% | 1.9% | 1.3% | 0.8% | 0% | 6.8% |
Results from the PPG held on 3rd September 2014
3 members attended
We apologised for there not being any PPGs and explained that due to the two practices merging life had been hectic for all of the staff.
Dr Manivasagam introduced himself to the group has our new owner and senior GP.
The PPG discussed the pharmacy and agreed it was very useful having this facility especially that it was open from 8.00am until 10.30pm every day, one hundred hours per week. Dr Manivasagam informed the PPG that in time the pharmacy would be relocated as at the moment it is situated in a treatment room, it will be built outside of the surgery and have its own entrance, planning is in progress for this.
One of the members asked about prescriptions on line, they were told these will be introduced to the practice, that they would be able to order their prescriptions on the web site and send them to a pharmacy of their choice; they will have to register to do this.
A member said he was not happy having to order his prescription each month, Dr Manivasagam notified the PPG that repeat prescriptions were all being changed to two monthly issues with the exception of a few drugs. Patients on several items of medication were finding that they were having to order medication at different times, it was explained that the practice are checking each prescription and bringing all of the medication in to line. Everyone seemed happy with this.
It was explained that all of our patients on medication would be asked to come for an a six monthly medication review, this is to ensure patients care and well being, to ensure all medication is up to date and unwanted medication isn’t being stock piled.
A member asked why we had a notice saying’ NEW PATIENTS WELCOME’ when they had difficulty getting appointments, it was explained that we have a duty of care to new patients moving in to the area and that we do have a constant changing population.
When our appointments are fully booked patients are asked to attend the walk-in centre.
The PPG had been unhappy with the booking system and were told that they now could book appointments for the whole day from 8.30am and didn’t have to phone at 3pm for afternoon appointments. GP appointments could now be made 3 weeks in advance. This should help patients who work and don’t have access to a telephone during the day. The PPG were happy with this and this is up and running.
Since the practices had merged, all of our patients could make appointments on Thursday afternoons, previously one of the practices closed half day on Thursday and this benefits the patients from the other surgery.
We are trying to introduce more services to the surgery but the budget is decreasing.
We were pleased to say all of the floors have now been re-covered on the ground floor and that we are now waiting for the surgery to be decorated and the seating to be re-upholstered, these are in hand.
In the past we have had several complaints from people whose houses back on to the surgery regarding the height of trees in the surgery grounds, these trees have now been cut down.
At our last meeting the PPG mentioned the state of our garden we were pleased to say we now have a new gardener.
We discussed the Patient Survey and the group decided to change the questions to match the concerns we have had regarding appointments.
Results from the PPG held on 4th February 2015
7 members attended
Apologised for the delay in calling a meeting.
PPG complained that they were having problems getting through to the surgery and getting appointments. Dr Manivasagam explained there are only a limited number of GP appointments and when these are fully booked, we ask patients to go to the Referral Centre.
We are hoping to have 4 full time GPs and a Nurse Practitioner.
Julie explained we are now offering several more appointments each day but the uptake was still in demand.
Has a practice we do not get many none attendees.
The PPG were told very soon they would be able to book appointments, order prescriptions and view their records on line; this would be very useful if on holiday, for this they would need a password.
We discussed the telephone system and although some members thought it was a good idea to have extensions for different needs we decided the cost for the user could be too much if they are kept waiting. We informed the group that phone number 5310 had been disconnected, meaning there were only three lines into the surgery instead of five, this meant that the telephone was far easier to man. The change in the telephone was advertised on the surgery notice board, in the waiting room, on reception, on the scripts, on line and by text to patients.
We once again discussed how useful it is to have a pharmacy on site and that if patients use a regular pharmacy if they run out of medication when the surgery is closed the pharmacy would be able to ‘loan ‘ them medication to tide them over.
The PPG discussed Pharmacy First, they were informed children and anyone not paying for prescriptions could go to registered pharmacies and they could supply them with treatments for minor ailments, free of charge.
We told the group that the uptake of flu vaccines hadn’t been so good this year although they can be given until the end of March, this used to be January. Dr Manivasagam explained that some pharmacies had registered to give flu vaccines this year and GPs had not been informed until after they had placed their order and negative media cover regarding the vaccine hadn’t helped.
A member discussed the Winter Flex hours which were offered at Horseley Heath, not our surgery, and we were able to say the take up of these appointments was very poor, the PPG thought that the surgery covering the Flex hours was not very accessible due to the location.
PPG were informed our long term aim was to open Saturday and Sunday for own patients and for other patients to use this service.
Since our last meeting we have organised a regular litter picking rota, it is important that the staff take pride in their surroundings.
The decorating should start in the Spring and the gardener has been keeping the grounds tidy over the winter period.
We have a new Health Care Assistant who can do blood tests along with the phlebotomist on Tuesdays.
Two of our members had attended a CCG meeting and had brought literature concerning on line access for appointments, records and prescription ordering.
We ended agreeing to meet in March.
Results from PPG held on 25th March 2015
6 members attended
The PPG were each given a copy of the AUDIT, 120 were completed and given the outcome which is as follows (A copy of the Audit sheet used is at the end of this report)
How easy was it to see a Doctor ?EASY 72, NOT EASY 31 DIFFICULT 17
How easy was it to see the Doctor of your choice ? EASY 58, NOT EASY 30 DIFFICULT 20
How easy was it to see a Nurse ? EASY 60, NOT EASY 12 DIFFICULT 6
Did you use the check-in screen? YES 69 NO 39
Did you find it ? EASY 76 NOT EASY 1 DIFFICULT 2
The average waiting time was 12 minutes
How satisfied were you with your consultation?
VERY SATISFIED 47 SATISFIED 38 NOT SATISFIED 5
Have you used the ‘Out of hours service, 111, If YES were you?
VERY SATISFIED 48 SATISFIED 21 NOT SATISFIED 7
How do you feel about the surgery in general?
VERY SATISFIED 15 SATISFIED 41 NOT SATISFIED 17
The PPG were happy with the audit and thought this was in line with the information the surgery needed.
A member asked why you couldn’t always see a GP of your choice, we explained if a patient was willing to wait for their appointment this should be possible but if booking on the same day the appointment was needed then they would have to see a Doctor that was available.
The electronic booking and prescription ordering was discussed and how to register and use the system, via our email address or system1. The PPG were told 3 appointments per GP each day would be left for electronic booking.
The PPG asked about the times of surgeries and were told the last appointment was 5.50pm but we started our surgeries at 8.30am. We mentioned surgeries running late and it was agreed that this depended on the matter the GP was dealing with. A member asked if it would be possible to have an electronic board stating the waiting times for surgeries for patients in the waiting room, our manager, Julie said she would make enquiries concerning this.
The times of the PPG meetings were discussed, it was felt that our meetings taking place in the afternoon may prohibit some patients from joining the group, it was agreed that we would do an evening PPG to see if membership improved. We would do the necessary advertising for this.
The PPG were told electronic prescriptions should be available within one year. One member, who does not have a computer, voiced his concern regarding everything going on line.
We discussed the number of appointments that patients did not attend, Dr Manivasagam told the PPG when they came to their next appointment the patient would be reminded about missing the appointment. It was agreed that a notice would be put in the waiting room stating how many patients had not attended their appointments, this would be changed weekly.
A member who had been to the CCG meeting bought a AAA (Abdominal Aortic Aneurism) poster along, Dr manivasagam explained that all men over the age of 75 would be invited for the screening, it was stated that this is more prevalent in men and that is why women aren’t on the screening program.
It was agreed to do an instruction flow chart to put beside the log -in screen because it had been noted that a number of patients will not attempt to use the screen.
The PPG discussed the Hospitals and the consensus of opinion was that they were not well situated for the area, the main problem was access to the City, Rowley Regis and the new Metropolitan Hospital which will be in Smethwick, and the biggest problem was access via public transport. It was commented that it could take up to two hours to get to the Rowley Regis Hospital from Tipton.
The PPG have already come up with ideas for the next audit.
The meeting closed and we agreed to meet in 3 months time.
AUDIT FORM
