PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP – CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2014 – 2015
The PPG had a relatively quiet year in 2014. Partly this was because there were not
many contentious issues brought our attention which may reflect that patients were
relatively content with the services offered by the Integrated Care Partnership. We
met on 5 occasions last year, retaining 12 members by replacing the vacancies that
inevitably arise from time to time and in general did our best to represent the
interests of the 32,000 patients in the four surgeries at the Old Cottage Hospital,
Fitznell’s Manor, Stoneleigh and Cox Lane.
Our fundamental responsibility remains that of monitoring access to our GP’s and
to the services offered by the Integrated Care Partnership. This is done by looking
carefully at the statistics provided by ICP and reporting the feedback from patients
attending focus groups. This includes, for example, numbers of patients registered,
how many appointments are offered and how easy it is to book them in advance or
to be seen on the day for urgent requirements. There have been welcome
improvements by ICP such as the introduction of on line bookings last year and
further recruitment of Physician Associates to support our busy doctors. However,
many patients still struggle to contact their surgeries and get appointments, and
there has been a significant reduction in outpatient clinics at ICP following business
decisions by Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and ICP.
The Patient Participation Group has raised its concerns about patients’ access to
services and ICP responded by promising a comprehensive review of access to
services that will be led by an ICP doctor. The review will look closely at what can
be done to help ICP patients get the best services with the resources available.
During the coming year, the Patient Participation Group expects to support the
review including organising focus groups or surveys to get patient views where
needed. We will also wish to understand the future plans of the CCG and how
these may affect ICP services.
At the end of 2014, the ICP Practice Services Manager, Sue Ebanks, retired.
This role is important in a large multi-surgery practice such as ICP and also provided
a valuable link person between the Patient Participation Group and ICP partners.
The post has not been filled and ICP has made alternative arrangements to share
the work. As patients’ representatives, we will look to ICP to ensure that we continue
to participate effectively, and more importantly that the alternative arrangements do
not adversely affect services to patients.
Our Focus Group met on two occasions in the year and considered the following
topics: the meaning of “urgent” when booking an appointment, and how helpful
patients find the guidance provided by the surgeries. Views were sought on the
proposal to install a TV information display system in the waiting rooms, and what
would be useful to patients to display. We also asked for views on the assistance of
a Physicians’ Associate (PA) which is now firmly established in the ICP. Finally we
asked for a general opinion on the three improvements which patients would most
wish to see introduced.
There has been a good response to the Newsletter which PPG introduced two
years ago. Issues 5-7 came out last year and Issue No 8 is ready for publishing this
month. Our thanks go to the editor (Vicki Parnell) and all those who have
contributed.
Earlier this year the PPG supported a bid by the ICP to the PM Challenge Fund.
was an opportunity to bring some much needed funding to the local health economy,
with the aim of improving access to GP services and for the development of a
Community Medical Team to better support the sicker patients in our community.
The bid was successful and the improved access will provide 3 hubs across the
locality which are open Monday – Friday 18:30 – 20:00, Saturday 09:00 – 14:00 &
Sunday 10:00 – 13:00 with access to GP IT systems. There may also be some
additional access in-hours depending on the costs.
If patients have particular recommendations or concerns that it is felt PPG could
usefully take up, please let us know. Feedback and consumer response remains the
best way to ensure that the standard of provision is not allowed to fall.
The Revd Dr Patrick Miller – PPG Chairman.
April 2015