Station Drive Patient’s Group
Minutes of PG meeting held at 7.00 pm. on
Thursday 3rd October 2013 at Station Drive Surgery, Ludlow
Present: Chris Jeffery (Chairman), Alan Althorp, Dori Ericsson, John Ericsson, Janice Forsyth, Julie
Gildie, Jean Nicholls, Dr. David Partridge GP, Alan Poulton, Phil Ross,
Elizabeth Wright, Lynn Yates
1. Welcome and introductions:
Chris Jeffery welcomed everyone to the meeting and people introduced themselves.
2. Apologies for absence were received from:
Mike Beazley, Audrey Cowley,
Chris Garrett, Sue Garrett, Ann Hughes, Lottie James, Norman Johnson, Mary Mellings, Betty
Meredith, Sue Phipers, Barbara Stephens
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 4th July 2013
The Minutes were agreed as a correct record of the meeting.
4. Matters arising:
i. Practice Action Plan covered in item 6 of the meeting.
5. Speaker: Paul Haycox head of Innovation & Special Projects, Shropshire Clinical Commissioning
Group speaking about Telehealth.
Paul Haycox gave an interesting introductory talk about Telehealth and how the use of
technology can offer support at a distance to patients. An example of a recently developed pilot
included the use of high definition digital photography by GPs with patients with dermatological
conditions. Photographs of the skin condition could be taken by the GP and sent electronically to
the specialist dermatologist for a quick assessment and feedback.
Simple Telehealth (FLO short for Florence) was explained which it is hoped will enable Patients to
better understand and improve the self-management of their condition.
6. Practice update:
i. Practice Action Plan – Dr Partridge asked for support from the PG with regard to patient
feedback
ii. Dr Partridge announced that the Practice had agreed to sign up to the Telehealth dermatology
pilot
iii. Flu clinic held on Sat 28 September delivered 1070 flu vaccines and 148 pneumonia vaccines.
This was an excellent response and covered 97% of patients with respiratory disease/problems.
iv. Health of our Nation – sharing of anonymous data. Approx 100 patients objected to info being
shared. Practice will write to these patients to seek approval of information being shared
anonymously to help give a truer picture of Health of the Nation statistics.
v. Staffing: Lisa Thomas has left the Practice after 24 years
Selina Barnard is taking over as diabetic nurse.
Dr Karen Russell, an expert in Sexual Health, provides services and support to patients at the
Practice
Recruitment for new partner continues
Registrar in training currently at the Practice – Dr Addy
A number of 5th year medical students are currently working with the Practice
vi. Feedback and comments. Dr Partridge thanked Chris Jeffery and Janice Forsyth for their help
and support at the flu clinic and for the info which was fed back. He also thanked Julie Gildie for
the fantastic role she has played within the surgery Practice.
vii. Patient Survey: The Practice proposes to do a poll of patients attending surgery over the course
of a week later in the year.
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7. Chairman’s Report on meetings with Shropshire Patient Group
I’ve only been to one meeting of Shropshire Patients’ Group, having missed the July meeting. On September 11th
we had Caron Morton and Bill Gowans from the County Commissioning Group telling us that additional beds in the
Community Hospitals will be financed during the winter for day care patients, chemo etc. The problem will be
staffing them with doctors. GPs are very overloaded at present. The RCGP estimates we need 10,000 more and even
the government agrees we need at least 2,000 more. There is also a countrywide shortage of doctors to work in A&E.
The Liverpool Care Pathway for patients nearing the end of life was discussed, and though open to misuse, was
thought to be the best plan until something better is produced.
Minimum Practice Income guarantees were explained, and we were all asked to find out what MPIG our own practice
was working to.
At the SW Patients’ Group meeting on August 1st we were told that Shropdoc will continue to run the Shropshire
‘out of hours’ emergency system at least for the next eighteen months, by which time 111 should have been sorted out.
Ludlow’s new hospital was discussed and the annual shortfall of £1.1m highlighted.
At the September 4th meeting of the South Locality Clinical Commissioning Group we discussed novel methods for
treating hip and knee problems, which might make an operation unnecessary. Ludlow Hospital was discussed again
and comparative data between practices on Emergency Admissions and Outpatient Attendances presented.
On August 8th, there was a meeting at Shrewsbury Football Club for Patient Reps., at which Caron Morton told us the
financial facts of the New Ludlow Hospital, and that her Clinical Commissioning Group had been asked to find the
additional £1.1m/year required to run it. She said that the only way to find the money would be to cut front line
services, i.e. doctors and nurses, and was instructed by the meeting not to do it.
Shropshire Community Health Trust held a public board meeting at Ludlow Race course on September 19th, where
the acting Chief Executive, Julia Bridgewater, gave a presentation on why the new hospital was not viable. The
project was finally killed and the Board announced a task force to look at health care overall in South Shropshire.
£160,000 will be allocated for a face lift of the existing hospital. The meeting was opened to comments from the
floor, and some of these were very critical of the Trust, particularly those from Philip Dunne, Adrian Penny and Mike
Evans.
Chris Jeffery 29/09/13
There was much disappointment around the group with regard to the apparent failure of the New
Hospital project. Alan Poulton suggested that perhaps a steering group from the 2 Ludlow
Practices could be set up to look at the possibility of developing larger surgery premises.
The PG was very aware of the tremendous amount of time and effort the Practice GPs had put
into the proposed development of the new hospital. Alan Poulton, on behalf of the PG, thanked
them for all their hard work and effort and said we all hoped some good would come out of it.
8. Treasurer’s Report
Dr Partridge to check that account has been topped up by £200 agreed at last meeting
9. Suggestions Box: No suggestions received:
10. Any other urgent business
i. Jean Nicholls informed the meeting that Paul Cooper has been appointed by the Shropshire
Clinical Commissioning Group to deal with organic mental health issues.
ii. Chris Jeffery reminded the PG of his wish to stand down in April. Janice also would no longer be
able to continue as Secretary from April.
11. Date of next meeting: Thursday 2nd January 2014 at 7pm
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