ASHFIELD MEDICAL CENTRE
Patient Participation Group
Ashfield Medical Centre
1 Perrydown, Wastel,
Beanhill, Milton Keynes.
MK6 4NH
AGM Meeting Held on 4th July 2013 at 6:00pm
In Attendance:
Russell Barker, Louise Barton (Practice Manager), Lynn Blackburn, David Carrel, Michael Held,
Pauline Ikin, Jean Mattinsley, Barbara Nash, Thillai Visvendran, Stuart Wallace, Sue Ward, Bob
Zimmer
Apologies:
David Cook
1.
Approval of Minutes
Minutes of previous meeting (11th April 2013) were approved.
2.
AVIVA Health Report – Feedback from the Practice
The Practice was asked to comment on a “Health of the Nation 2013” report produced by the
insurance company AVIVA. The report is the result of a survey in which GPs, and 1000’s of UK
patients, tell what they think about the NHS and the service they receive from it.
In summary, the report findings are:
Mental health issues are still prevalent, with stress and anxiety on the increase.
Majority of people will now self-diagnose before visiting their GP.
Medical advances over the years mean that recommendations for treatment have changed, but
there is a need for more information, greater transparency and more patient involvement in the
decision-making process that affects treatment and care.
The 10 Most challenging conditions to refer for specialist attention are: ME/Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome, Obesity, Drug/Alcohol Abuse, Mental Health, Work related Stress, Depression, Non
work related Stress, Back Pain, Headaches and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
You can access the full report on the internet via the following link:
www.aviva.co.uk/health-insurance/home-of-health/health-of-the-nation-2013
2.1 Action: Louise to provide feedback on which conditions are the most diagnosed within the
Practice.
Concerns were raised regarding the lack of a clearly defined process to educate people when they
are diagnosed with a medical condition and how to get access to information on where and when
the local support groups are being held. Louise pointed out that the Ashfield Website now has
information on links to national support group websites.
2.2 Action: Jean volunteered to talk to Healthwatch about how patients can get hold of local
support group information relating to a medical condition.
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3.
Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) Update
Stuart Wallace confirmed that the Clinical Commissioning Group is tasked with making huge
savings in the coming year which will result in reduced patient services. Those services that have
already been impacted are Gynaecology, Muscular Skeletal, ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat) and
Hearing.
3.1 Action: Louise to confirm what other patient services are also being impacted.
Stuart confirmed that he is no longer on the CCG Board and expressed his concern about the lack
of patient representation on the CCG Board.
Louise advised that the “Choose and Book” referral system is to be replaced by a central “system”.
Patients that are referred by their GP to a consultant will have to go through a central service (still
to be announced), which will check that all appropriate actions prior to the referral have been
undertaken by the GP, and then determine the appropriate further action (which includes deciding
who to be referred to). The Group was very concerned about the lack of patient choice outlined in
this procedure.
4.
PPG Overview of the Last Year.
A PPG Summary of the last year was circulated prior to the meeting (with the notification of the
postponement of the AGM until this day) and is attached to the meeting record for completeness.
5.
Election of Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary
PPG members were asked to submit any nominations for Chair prior to the meeting.
Sue confirmed that she received nominations from Bob Zimmer, David Carrel for Barbara to remain
as chair. Thillai also expressed the same wish prior to leaving the meeting early. The meeting
agreed for Barbara Nash to remain as Chair.
Barbara nominated Michael Held as Vice-Chair, seconded by Stuart and the rest of the group.
Barbara thanked Sue Ward for her work throughout the year in managing all the administrative
aspects of the PPG and hoped that she would continue to do so in the future, with the group
agreeing wholeheartedly. Sue agreed to continue to support the PPG in an administrative role.
6.
Review of Ashfield PPG Terms Of Reference
A draft proposal of revised Terms of Reference for the Ashfield Patients Participation Group was
circulated prior to the meeting. The meeting agreed to adopt the revised terms of reference –
attached to these minutes.
Barbara outlined the wish to try and produce meeting notes at the meeting with use of a laptop and
screen, so that notes can be seen by everyone at the meeting. In this way the contributor of any
point will be able to confirm or correct the record’s accuracy in capturing his/her meaning. Bob
Zimmer was kind enough to offer his support in trying to achieve this.
6.1 Action: Barbara, Bob and Louise to meet to agree the practicalities of documenting/displaying
meeting notes at the meeting.
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7.
Any Other Business
 Louise confirmed that the Practice is registered for handling Minor Injuries as from 1st July 2013.
This is a “ring in” service and not a “walk in” service. It is nurse led and a Healthcare Assistant is
being employed for 32 hours to cover the additional workload.
7.1 Action: Louise to provide feedback for the next meeting on how the Minor Injuries service is
working.
 The group expressed their best wishes for Glen Harrington (Phlebotomist/Receptionist) who has
left the Practice to progress his career in Milton Keynes Hospital. He was very popular and will
be missed. An advertisement is in place for his replacement.
 Barbara has started to put together information on pharmacies within the Ashfield catchment
area, with a view to getting them to display a copy of the Ashfield Practice/PPG Newsletter.
For information, the Ashfield Medical Centre catchment area is: Central MK, Coffee Hall,
Eaglestone, Fishermead, Granby Court, Leadenhall, Kents Hill, Kingston, MK Village (Middleton),
Monkston, Netherfield, Old Farm Park, Oldbrook, Peartree Bridge, Simpson, Springfield, Tinkers Bridge,
Walnut Tree, Walton, Walton Grange, Walton Park, Wavendon Gate, Woolstone, Woughton on the
Green, Woughton Park.
The Cox and Robinson pharmacies at Beanhill and Netherfield have agreed to display copies of
our Newsletter. Barbara asked for volunteers to speak to their local pharmacies within the
Ashfield catchment area to establish if they will also display our newsletter.
7.2 Action: All to advise Sue of any pharmacies local to themselves within the catchment area
that they are happy to talk to re displaying our newsletter.
 Louise advised that the Practice has started to run Warfarin clinics.
 Promoting health – Russell produced a handwritten list of recommendations for patients of how
to keep themselves healthy.
7.3 Action: Louise to review Russell’s paper to see if this would be useful to the Practice.
 The Practice has numerous information leaflets on medical conditions displayed in reception.
Patients should ask at reception if there is a medical condition that they would like information
about but cannot find on display.
7.4 Action: Louise to get hold of a big leaflet holder to be hung in the reception area out of reach
of small hands.
 Jean advised that the Urgent Care Centre telephone number is no longer in use. Patients
requiring out of hours medical advice/treatment should dial 111. Stuart raised concerns that
there are cases where with the 111 service is not working as planned. Post meeting note:
There is a problem accessing the 111 service for those patients that have a 01234 telephone
number (Bedford and surrounding area). Where a 01234- patient’s telephone is known (by the
GP Practice), their number has been tagged to allow the patient to access NHS 111 by the
normal route (dialling ‘111’). Non-tagged 01234- callers can access the service via a special
direct dial number that was created specifically for those callers. This number is given on the GP
surgery and MKUCS (Milton Keynes Urgent Care Service) answering machine messages. This
will be resolved when Bedfordshire goes live.
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 Louise advised that there is a National Macmillan Coffee Morning planned for Friday 27th
September 2013. She has been sent a pack with information for holding a Coffee Morning,
should the PPG wish to arrange one.
 David requested that the Practice provide quantifiable measures for the PPG target
achievements.
7.5 Action: Barbara/Louise to review 2013 priorities and propose revised measures.
 It was noted that when a doctor requests that you make an appointment to come back (say in a
week or two), reception cannot always find an appointment available.
7.6 Action: Louise to advise doctors to phone through to reception to authorise an additional
appointment when they are asking a patient to return to see them.
 The notice in reception, asking people to stand back to allow privacy, is working well in most
instances.
 Barbara asked if the Practice is participating in the DES (Directed Enhanced Service) this year.
The PPG were involved in contributing to survey questions a couple of years ago, but have not
had any involvement over the past year.
7.7 Action: Louise to talk to Dr. Cassidy to establish what is happening regarding the Practice’s
participation in the DES.
8.
Next Meeting
Next meeting will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday 15th August 2013 at the Ashfield Medical Centre.
Attachments:
 PPG Summary of the Last Year
 Terms of Reference for the Ashfield Patient Participation Group
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