Issues discussed by the Patients Participation Group at Roborough Surgery 2014
This group is attended by patient representatives, a doctor from the Practice (on rotation) Practice or
Reception Manager and Secretary and as other staff and trainees from the practice.
1. Practice matters and Issues brought forward by patients
 Flu clinics – flu vaccine has to be ordered 12 months in advance. Approx 3000 injectable
vaccines are ordered. NHS guidelines often at last minute and strict on how and on whom nasal
vaccines may be used. Approx 1000 patients attend each clinic and they work efficiently.
 Stoma Clinic – Dr Arkle has introduced a support clinic to enable shared advice and experience.
If you wish to join this clinic please contact reception.
 No shows for appointments. – The new text service has been implemented and appears to
have reduced the number of no shows. Please register your mobile phone number at
reception.
 Appointments with specific doctors and difficulties associated with these. – Appointments are
always available on the day with the duty doctor. Telephone appointments are also available.
You can book with specific doctors in advance on line, by telephone or in person.
 Missing BMI delaying hospital referrals - There are notices in the surgery asking patients to
ensure that they have an up to date record of height, weight and blood pressure if they are to
be referred. The hospitals asks that any record is less than 3 months old. Please be aware of
this.
 Queuing at reception at peak times – Two trainee receptionists have been recruited and at
peak times more staff man the telephones and can be called into reception. There is now a
radio playing but it is acknowledged that it can be difficult to respect privacy. Patients should
be aware that they may ask to speak in private. Patients queuing are reminded to stand back.
 Upkeep and use of noticeboards in surgery – So many statutory notices have to be displayed
that this has become an issue. Surgery information appears to be less prominent. This is one of
the areas being discussed in 2015 for improvement by the use of technology.
 Parking – Amount of parking more than many surgeries in Plymouth have and nothing can be
done to increase this. Patients are asked to take care when parking and respect access to
neighbouring properties.
 Waiting rooms facilities - Higher seated and back chairs have been ordered to supplement
those presently in the Waiting Rooms. Please respect the need that older and disabled patients
have for these chairs. Music remains under consideration but the music licence is expensive.
2.
Out of Hours
 Saturday Surgeries continue twice per month. Two doctors are on duty on a rota. Although
these are for patients who cannot attend during the week it is possible for others to make
appointments. There are sometimes vacant slots but these can only be taken by a patient who
has an unexpected need and who attends personally on the Sat morning.
 Devon Doctors Out-of-hours changes – There are new bookable appointments through the GP
service at Derriford Hospital. Ask reception for further information.
 Devon Doctors uses local GPs and Nurse Practitioners.
3. IT
 The new telephone system is in place. The recorded message has to include a lot of statutory
information as well as the options available. You now know where you are in the queue.
 The website has been improved and is now run externally. It has links to the Waiting Room and is
easier to manage.
 Booking appointments on line is going well. The three ways of booking appointments are – on line,
by telephone, in person.
 Repeat Prescriptions on –line. We have asked the Waiting Room to address the issue of selecting a
pharmacy. As it is a national scheme we are unable to do anything more. Please write in the free
text box your pharmacy of choice.
 Results of tests are now received from Derriford on-line
 The practice will not be moving to electronic prescriptions sent directly to the pharmacy until some
other issues are resolved. – eg how we can notify patients of reviews etc which are at present on
the printed script.
4. Other Issues
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The new staff joining the practice are always introduced.
Closure of Peninsula Treatment Centre. We have been involved in discussions on the way forward.
Discussions on the way PPGs should operate and the PCT
Feedback from Patients. The new Friends and Families Test and surveys. There have been some
very positive comments. The highest scores achieved 80% plus, relate to the caring and courtesy
demonstrated by staff. Also in this score range are the medical practitioners, where there is a high
level of confidence in their ability – well done to all.
 Roborough as a Training Practice. – Doctors at various stages of their training including experienced
registrars training to be GPs. Placements of Physician Assistants pre-qualification and apprentices in
reception.
If you have an issue you wish to raise please leave your details and the request at reception..
They will forward your details and one of us will contact you.
We need new volunteers. One meeting every 2 months at a
lunchtime and lasting 1.5 hours. Please join us.
Contact Jill via reception.