Parkside Patient Participation Group Minutes of Meeting held at
Knightwood Surgery Monday 12th October 2015
Apologies Hazel, Val, Stuart,Gil
Attending Judi Green Practice Manager, Rissa Le Grange Deputy Manager, Glenda, Val, Dave, Alan,
Joan, Kate, Pauline, Marion, Liz.
Matters Arising from Previous Meeting:
The poster advertising the Golden Ratio service who use the facilities at Knightwood Surgery has
been removed from Parkside Surgery.
A telephone call has been made to make contact with the Archers PPG. We will enquire whether
they feel that networking would be beneficial as the practices work from the same building.
A discussion took place of some of the current difficulties being experienced nationally:
The difficulty to recruit GPs. Some of the reasons given are due to a national shortage GP’s and
fewer student doctors opting for a career as a GP. GPs were also opting to be a salaried doctor or a
locum doctor rather than a partner in a practice and changing work location more frequently.
The group felt that there should be a 5 year tie to the NHS if the training had been undertaken in
the NHS as some doctors move overseas to work once qualified.
Morale of Practice Managers was also being affected due to the pressure of work and many
managers locally had moved to other practices to manage their work load.
GP Practices are not able to turn people from outside the EU away if they present themselves for
treatment. Treatment in primary care and A&E care remains free. (Hospitals are able to charge for
treatment of people who live outside the EEA, including former UK residents, unless an exemption
applies to them. Anyone who does not have insurance will be charged at 150% of the NHS national
tariff for any care they receive.)
Practices are also not able to close their list if they feel that is full as it is seen to reduce the patient’s
choice.
Practice Update: There had been little movement in staff reported at the previous meeting however
we were advised that two GPs were going to go onto maternity leave in the near future. One other
GP was negotiating whether to stay at the Practice.
The practice were waiting to hear if they could receive funding for locum doctors as there would be
a shortfall in money paid out and received whilst the GPs were on maternity leave.
No response had been received to the advertisement for the GP vacancy. Some GPS undertake
locum cover and are therefore only available on a part time basis. The practice has been fortunate to
secure partial cover from Dr Otway.
The group also raised the fact that we are approaching the winter period and demand for services
would increase.
Judi Green was pleased to advise us that one nurse was receiving further practice nurse training and
would be fully trained by February 2016. One nurse was currently on maternity leave.
The practice had no news with regard to the CQC Inspection but it was due to be undertaken by
March 2016.
Electronic Prescription Prescribing
The system is now live and had very few teething problems. The main one being that some patients
had registered more than three months ago and due to the time taken for the system to go live were
not aware when their prescription would be automatically sent to their nominated pharmacist. If a
patient wishes to register for this service they complete a form at their pharmacist. The GP will
automatically send the prescription direct to the nominated pharmacist. The place for collection can
be changed by the practice for one time only (e.g. holiday) but would automatically default back to
the original nomination. Patients can change their default nomination by registering with a different
pharmacy if for any reason they did not wish to remain with their current nomination. A doctor can
decide to reject the prescription. They would then contact the patient to discuss the request or see
them by appointment. Manual paper prescriptions are still available.
Routine Appointment Letter The practice are currently looking to approve the use of a letter
adapted from one that has been used by a surgery in Hedge End to advise patients of the reasons for
the length of time to wait for a routine appointment. They feel that it also explains the national
shortage of GPs. Parkside have introduced the triage system to assist patients in accessing a GP by
telephone on the same day. The GP will see the patient the same day if they feel this is required.
Patient Group Flyer and Leaflet To assist with the recruitment of new members to our group we
have produced a flyer advising patients of the existence of the group and a small leaflet giving
further details regarding the frequency of our meetings, items that have been discussed and how to
join the group. The flyers will be handed out at the Saturday flu clinics in October.
111 Service The group discussed the 111 service. Members of the group had both praise and
disappointment with the service they had received. Judi Green informed us that following a review
of the reports received by the GP following usage of the service, many patients had been advised to
“contact their GP in the morning.” Judi also highlighted a problem experienced that following a
recent CCG training day which all staff were required to attend cover was being provided by the 111
service but some patients had been advised to “contact their GP within two hours.”
Newsletter It was suggested that we include guidance and points of contact e.g. pharmacist, 111
Service when patients had a cough cold or flu.
Ear Syringing The practice are planning a change in the treatment given for patients having their ear
syringed. Whilst patients would still attend an appointment to see the practice nurse their ears
would no longer be syringed at the practice but the patient referred to the local hospital to have a
vacuum procedure undertaken.
Flu Vaccination: The criteria to receive a NHS flu vaccination has been changed. This was raised by a
member attending the meeting and it was suggested that we include an item on the newsletter as
patients were not aware of this change.
Eligibility
















Chronic (long term) respiratory diseases such as asthma (which requires an inhaled or tablet
steroid treatment, or has led to hospital admission in the past), chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchitis
Chronic heart disease, such as heart failure
Chronic Kidney disease
Chronic liver disease such as hepatitis
Chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease
Diabetes
Problems with your spleen- for example sickle-cell disease or if you have had your spleen
removed
A weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS or medication
such as steroid tablets or chemotherapy
Children over the age of six months with a long-term health condition
Over 65 years of age
Healthy children aged two, three and four plus children in school years one and two
Are pregnant
Are very overweight (body mass index of 40 over)
Are living in a long- stay residential care home or other long- stay care facility
Receive a carer’s allowance, or you are the main carer for an elderly or disabled person
whose welfare may be at risk if you fall ill
Are a healthcare worker with direct patient contact or a social care worker.
NHS flu vaccinations are available from the surgery and private & NHS flu vaccinations are available
at local pharmacists
Medication Dosette Box A discussion took place with regard to the use of a dosette box when taking
prescribed medication and the many benefits for the patients were identified. These packs of the
medication have separate compartments to help you to remember to take the medication on the
right day and at the right time. Whilst there are many positive benefits to this service points were
raised where problems had been experienced, this included no original paperwork provided showing
all the details regarding the individual tablets supplied. One particular medication had been
previously prescribed as should not be handled but all tablets to be taken in the morning were
unwrapped loose sealed in the one compartment. It was sometimes difficult for patients to establish
exactly which tablet was which and what they were taking them for especially when medication
could come in different shapes and colours depending on where they were purchased from. Judi
Green advised us that this method of prescribing the medication was very labour intensive. If the
patient required this method of prescribing to be changed they should discuss this with their GP or
pharmacist.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING MONDAY 11TH JANUARY 2016 KNIGHTWOOD SURGERY 6PM