PPG Minutes: 7th November 2023

Attendees

(GFJ), (MV), (EA), (MP), (SK), (MB), (CS).

A warm welcome was extended to all our PPG members and agreed by all that it was great to be meeting in person again.

SK was thanked for the beautiful flowers and fruit.

Discussion on PPG membership uptake

We discussed the difficulties in attracting new members to our group.

MB suggested we ask the RP clinicians to discuss the PPG group with patients. It was thought that Medical Students would be a good group of patients to start with as they may benefit from being actively involved in their NHS GP practice.

GFJ suggested that our admin team could also be part of the recruitment campaign and ask patients when they were at the desk or on the phone.
SK suggested a poster or flyer in the waiting room.
CS agreed to work on all the suggestions and report back at our next meeting.

General Discussion

GFJ mentioned the minutes from our last face to face PPG meeting in late 2019, at this time there was some discussion around dental services. GFJ experience around calling NHS 111 service for emergency dental advice was a very positive experience.

MV mentioned a not so positive NHS dental experience around 3 or 4 years ago. Everyone at the meeting agreed that NHS dental services were difficult to access.

Also in the minutes for our 2019 meeting RP mentioned the CQC telephone inspection, which took place as scheduled. CQC were happy with their findings.

Primary Care Network (PCN) developments and other local initiatives

Update from MB. Our PCN continues to develop services across the 8 practices.

Micro Suction Clinic: Available to all the patients in our PCN. A very popular clinic which has been shown to reduce activity in the hospital setting.
Asthma Clinic: Testing for asthma is via “FENO” test which is a more specific test to diagnose asthma. Hospital Consultant Dr Kay Roy is working with our PCN team to improve the care of patients with respiratory conditions.
Rectal Pathology Clinic: Specialist Clinic for patients with rectal bleeding, piles, and fissures.
Review of Lipids control: We have a Consultant Endocrinologist working within our PCN to do virtual reviews to improve control of cholesterol and lipids.
Nutritional Therapy Service: This continues and is very successful.

Questions arising from the above

What is the geographical make up of our PCN – Ridgmount Practice, Bloomsbury Practice, Regents Park Practice, Ampthill Square Practice, CHIP, Kings Cross, Somerstown and Swiss Cottage
How is the PCN funded – An NHS Directed Enhanced Service (DES) funds the PCN including funding for ARRS staff (PA’s Clinical Pharmacists, Physiotherapist and Paramedics. We will soon have a Physio working across our PCN practices.

Staff Update

CS updated on members of the team who have left RP and those who have joined. Including our ARRS colleagues from the PCN, Clinical Pharmacist and Physicians Associates we are a team of 27, this includes 9 admin staff.

Any other business

GFJ – from 8th November 2023 Nitrous oxide or laughing gas will be considered as a Class C drug and this may help with the issues this causes in our local area.
MV – requests that the small cut out section of the perspex screen around the reception desk are enlarged as when speaking into these patients must speak loudly to be heard and this is not ideal particularly when the reception area is busy. CS has agreed to discuss this with the team.
EA – recently had a difficult experience with hospital transport following a broken leg. EA found a company that hires wheelchairs, and this saved the day. MB mentioned that hospital transport is difficult, each hospital has different criteria, but we can generally arrange transport for appointments. There is also an NHS wheelchair referral service.
GFJ – enquired about NHS doctor strikes, to our knowledge there are no further dates set.

Date of next meeting: Tuesday 30th January 2024 from 12.15pm