Patient Participation Group Report 2015

Patient Participation Group Report 2015 Pangbourne Patient Participation Group Annual Report for the Practice website The PPG The Pangbourne Patient Participation Group (PPG) was set up in 2010 and had its first meeting on the 13 th September 2010. The Group meets every 2 months, except in the summer, with a minimum of 5 meetings a year. The meetings are attended by the members of the group, a practice receptionist and 1 or 2 partners from the practice. The minutes of the meetings are kept by a member of the group in rotation. We also have a group of patients who are in email contact with the PPG and form a virtual group (ppg.pangbourne@nhs.net); they are able to contact the Group by email to raise their concerns, make comments and keep in touch with the group. When anyone leaves the PPG we encourage them to keep in touch through the virtual PPG. The Chair of the PPG Neil Macfarlane has been re-elected for a further term. Veronica Rys, a senior receptionist at the Practice attends all the meetings and ensures the agenda is prepared with the Chair and that all the agreed actions of the group are implemented. We are very grateful to them both. Functions of the group and activities in the last year The PPG discuss matters raised by the members of the PPG (and the virtual group) and the Surgery staff including GPs. The partners who attend the meetings bring all matters of interest to Practice meetings to keep the other partners informed and feedback the comments of the partners to the group. Invited speakers attend the meetings and in the last year we have been addressed by; Dr Rupert Woolley GP Partner and member of CCG board gave the Group an update on the CCG. He explained the CCG short term aims of improving COPD and Diabetic care and the longer term aims of improving communication between health and social care and taking the emphasis away from hospital care and into the community. Dr Barbara Barrie, GP partner, member of the CCG board, GP Berkshire Facilitator for Macmillan and GP appraiser gave a presentation about the Life of a portfolio GP and explained how she combines all the different roles that she covers within her busy week. Mrs Allwin Mercer, Senior Nurse practitioner and Member of the CCG board addressed the group about care planning in Diabetes. This is a new project to involve patients with their care; this has been hugely successful in improving the health of diabetics in the practice and the CCG. Dr Matilda Oppenheimer gave a talk about the difficulties facing GPs and how Pangbourne Practice is addressing them. PPG provides feedback about local issues that may affect the surgery for example changes in the local chemist etc. PPG members liaise with local voluntary groups for their feedback about health issues and the surgery. The PPG gives feedback from patients to the group for discussion. Issues raised by the PPG include 1. Concerns about the future of General Practice and the pressures that GPs are under. 2. NHS Care.data Scheme 3. Healthwatch Reading and their PPG promotion week in June 2014

Issues raised by the Practice include 1. Concerns about NHS111 2. Carers updates 3. The need to improve the front area of the surgery with a new front desk that is more appropriate for our present needs and to improve the circulation space in this busy area. The particular concerns of the practice are poor access for wheelchair users and confidentiality for patients at the desk and the visibility of computers. Members of the PPG gave their time to come and sit in the waiting room and to advice the practice about how they can improve this area of the practice; this gave an invaluable insight into how to manage the proposed improvements. The recommendations included commissioning a new front desk, having a receptionist at the front desk at all busy times and moving the notice boards and leaflets from the front area to reduce congestion at the front of the surgery. The practice is now involved in commissioning a new front desk using the advice given. 4. The Practice CQC inspection. The PPG were represented on the day of the inspection and gave invaluable feedback to the inspectors. An expert patient who was a member of the inspection panel spent the day in the surgery waiting room interviewing patients of the practice. 5. The Friends and family test the practice will bring the results to the PPG at regular intervals. This is a simple 2 question questionnaire for patients Would you recommend this practice to your friends and family?, Why do you give this answer. This is a government initiative to assess practices. 6. Discussion with WBC concerning the bridge closure that occurred for most of 2014. In particular how this would affect the practice and their patients especially those on the Oxfordshire side of the Bridge. Members of the group are now regularly involved with patient representation at GP Consortium level Patient Voice and will be able to shape the future of the North West Reading Consortium as it develops in the next few years. They attend the CCG board meetings and report back to the PPG. Membership of the PPG The aim of the PPG is to involve patients who are registered in the Practice and who represent the practice. We acknowledge that this is not easy to achieve and we will continue to seek the views of all groups who attend the Practice We have an email address so patients who are unable to attend the meetings can let their views be known. This is called a Virtual Group ppg.pangbourne@nhs.net When we first set up the PPG we put a notice in the our practice newsletter, local magazines and our own website to request volunteers We also asked people directly who had expressed an interest and represented particular groups. We have also asked the group to investigate ways of widening access; this is on-going and will be under regular review by the group Posters have been put up in the Practice and Notices have been sent to all the local parish magazines to inform those who do not attend the surgery or wish to attend meetings that they can use the email address to raise their concerns or make suggestions about how the practice is run. Minutes of the PPG meetings are put on the Practice Website and in the waiting room.

Local Practice Survey For the annual practice survey 2015 our PPG agreed that the practice should look at the patient s views and knowledge about the recent changes the practice had made to improving access to GP appointments. Previous surveys have looked at DNA (Did Not Attend) rates, communication methods with patients by email and SMS and patient satisfaction with how blood test results were managed within the practice. The questionnaire was given to 100 patients at random when they attended the practice and 78 questionnaires were returned and analysed. We asked the following questions. Are you aware that Pangbourne Surgery is open every Saturday morning for prebooked and book on the day appointments? How do find out about changes and improvements in the service offered by Pangbourne Medical practice? We can offer pre-bookable appointments or book on the day appointments on Saturday mornings, which would be more useful for you? Do you find it difficult to come to the Surgery during the week, what is the reason for this? We offer early appointments on Monday and Wednesday mornings; have you used these, did you do so to avoid missing work, did you use the appointment as it was the only one available with your GP that week? Any suggestions to improve the service we offer. The results are shown below. Respondents Information: 78 patients responded to this questionnaire 100 questionnaires were handed out 1. Are you aware that Pangbourne Surgery is open every Saturday morning for pre booked and book on the day appointment with the GPs? Yes 33 45% No 40 55% 2. How do you find out about changes and improvements in the service offered by Pangbourne medical practice? Practice Newsletter 9 12% Website 15 26% Notices at the surgery 22 30% Talking to receptionists 17 23% Friends and Family 17 23% Other 4 5% Other; just fall into info, Parish magazine, Whitchurch Bulletin, talking to nurses, Pangbourne magazine

Helpful suggestions to help us keep patients informed; SMS alert to look at website when updated, email if possible, text service is excellent email newsletters 3. We can offer pre-bookable appointments or book on the day appointments on Saturday mornings; which would be more useful to you? Pre-bookable 39 53% Book on the day 36 49% (some people put both) 4. Do you find it difficult to come to the surgery during the week? What is the reason for this? Yes 25 34 % No 38 52 % Reason I work during the week and cannot get time off work 19 26 % Other - Prefer Fridays yes unless I can get early due to work Some days difficult as I work part time School times Child care none driver 5. We offer early appointments on Monday and Wednesday mornings Have you used these appointments? yes 33 45% No 39 53% Did you use this appointment so you did not miss time at work? yes 18 24% No 27 37% Did you use this appointment as it was the only one available with your GP that week? Yes 13 18% No 31 42%

6. We aim to constantly improve the service offered by the Surgery. Please make any suggestions to help us do this. Wednesday mornings are not early enough before my work I find the service to be generally very good - Reception helpful. Haven't checked the website - but is there some email/web chat forums for things that may not require a proper appointment. The early morning GP is brilliant. It would be brilliant to have early morning bloods say once a week. But I think the service is excellent and has become much more friendly. easier way of booking appointments and requesting repeat prescriptions online make appointments more available with own doctor better timing - I have never had my appt on time email out newsletter Saturday surgery is perfect for me as working up to 13hrs a day and sometimes away 2-3 days makes it difficult. Please keep up Saturday surgery longer opening hours after work and booking by website. please keep Saturday clinics more appointment times available. Why not all of Saturday for example better advice regarding adult vaccinations i.e. Whooping cough & chicken pox Saturday surgery is an excellent idea as are early mornings. How about including evening surgeries on Thursdays or Fridays as quite a few people finish early on a Friday Complements Happy with service Service is very good I am pleased with the service. I rarely have to wait more than 2 days to see my own doctor. Also there is the access clinic. I am very happy with the service you provide No comment. I am satisfied I believe the surgery works very well none-you are perfect as you are this surgery offers excellent service and standard of care that should be shown as an example to other GP practices all seems good always impressed by service an excellent service I would say great doctors and staff very helpful anyway - no suggestions I think it is great and have no complaint about its service very good Quite happy with service

Discussion of Results with the PPG The results of the Questionnaire were presented and discussed at the PPG meeting on the 27.1.15. 1. Everyone was delighted with the responses as they showed a very high level of satisfaction with the practice and we received some very positive and rewarding comments. 2. It is interesting that nearly half the patients are already aware of our Saturday am surgery even though it has only been running since October and that most people found out about this from notices at the surgery and the website both of which represent easy ways for us to keep our patients up to date with changes at the surgery. 4. Pre bookable and book on the day on Saturday mornings were equally popular with patients. 5. A third of our patients find it difficult to come to the surgery during the week but only a quarter find it difficult to come in the week due to work. 6. Nearly half the patients surveyed had used our early appointments on Monday or Wednesday but surprisingly few to avoid missing work (25%) and less than 20% used the appointment as it was the only one available. The PPG suggested a number of ways of making further improvements based on the responses to the questionnaire SMS alert to advise patients to look at website when the website is updated The Practice should use email and text when possible Email practice newsletters to patients Consider using emails instead of appointments for some problems Look into providing early appointments for blood tests Consider opening the surgery in the evening Provide information about immunisations on the website

Opening Hours of the Practice and how to access the practice during these hours The Practice is open Monday to Friday from 8.00 am until 6.30 pm. Telephone number 0118 984 2234 The doors are open during these hours and we do not close at lunchtime. Anyone attending the surgery during these hours will be able to see one of the receptionists to arrange access to the Doctors or Practice Nurses. In an emergency this access will be immediately by one of the nurses in the surgery and the GPs are contactable by mobile phone at all times. The phone lines are manned at all times while the surgery is open and patients can always speak to a receptionist. Extended hours and availability of partners during these times Weekdays: Dr Matilda Oppenheimer Dr Christopher Keast Dr Nicki Williams Dr Rupert Woolley Dr Barbara Barrie Wednesday 7.10 to 8.30 am weekly Wednesday 7.00 to 8.30 am weekly Monday 7.30 to 8.30 weekly Wednesday 7.00 to 8.30 am weekly Wednesday 7.10 to 8.30 weekly Saturday mornings every week with one or two GPS by rotation. One GP 8 12 am every week One GP 8-10 am once a month Advertised on the Website and by a notice in the Surgery Appointments are a combination of book on the day and Book in advance. Winter pressures surgery on Mondays with Dr Manjdadria and Mrs Allwin Mercer to try and accommodate patients who have waited over the Weekend and to prevent our patients attending A+E in Reading when they can be seen in the practice A Statement of Intent and the Groups Aims and Objectives and membership has been written by a sub-committee of the PPG, this has been agreed and implemented by the PPG and is included with this report. APPENDIX 1 Members of the group have written an a PPG information pack for patients this is available on the website and is attached to this report APPENDIX 2

APPENDIX 1. Pangbourne Medical Practice Patient Participation Group Statement of Intent Aim The Pangbourne Surgery Patient Participation Group has been established to facilitate twoway communication between the healthcare professionals of the surgery and its practice population. Objectives a. To help the practice with key decisions in the following areas: o Respond to changes in local NHS provision and legislation o Future planning with respect to the practice facilities b. To communicate the activities and achievements of the practice to patients c. To make recommendations to the practice Membership The Patient Participation Group is open to all patients registered within the practice and personnel attached to or employed by the practice. Agreed 20.03.2012

APPENDIX 2 Pangbourne Medical Practice Patient Participation Group Information Pack The purpose of this pack is to inform patients of the existence, aims and activities of the Patient Participation Group and encourage their involvement. This will be done by means of written leaflets and the internet. Role of the PPG: The role of the PPG is to support the Practice in their aim of providing good medical services to all their patients, both now and in the future. It will advise the Practice on a range of operational issues such as missed appointments, car parking and surgery times. It will also help the Practice conduct patient surveys, improve existing and introduce new services which will help patients manage health problems and maintain healthy lifestyles. These could range from diabetic clinics to accessing Citizens Advice services. Membership: The PPG membership is open to all patients of the Boathouse Practice. As the membership is potentially large, a smaller group of 10-15 members, to be called the Committee, will meet with representatives of the Practice every two to three months. Role of the Committee: The Committee will seek and should receive constructive ideas from the PPG members. To keep the wider membership informed and encourage feedback, the Practice will publish the minutes of Committee meetings on its website and a summary of its discussions in the Practice newsletter and the relevant Parish magazines and community groups. The Committee will organise an annual open meeting for the PPG membership all the patients of the Boathouse Practice and Practice representatives. The Committee will work to improve the knowledge of the organisation and services of the Practice and the NHS in order to spread information to the PPG members, for example by inviting appropriate speakers to the Committee meetings. Constitution of the Committee: The members will normally serve for a maximum of three years from the date of joining and will be replaced from a list of volunteers which will be kept by the Practice. However, should it be necessary to maintain experience and continuity, the Committee may vary this rule from time to time. The names of the Committee will be available to all members on the Practice website. Contact can be made via the PPG email address at the surgery. Committee members must attend a minimum of three meetings each year or be replaced, at the discretion of the chair. The Practice will be represented by two Doctors and a member of the non-medical staff. A Chairman will be elected by the members of the Committee and will serve for two years. He/she will be eligible for re-election for a further term of two years. A Vice-Chairman may also be elected at the discretion of the Committee members. The PPG Committee will support the aims of the North and West Reading consortium and will attend all meetings. The PPG Committee will also fully play its part in any future committee created by the framework of NHS reorganisation. Contacting the PPG The PPG committee can be contacted either by email: ppg.pangbourne@nhs.net Or by speaking to the PPG administrator by telephone: 0118 984 2234 Or join our email group: By providing us with your e-mail details we can add you to our contact list. We would then e-mail you every now and again to ask about aspects of the PPG or the services provided by the surgery. If this interests you please complete one of the forms available from the surgery reception or email the PPG on the above address. Agreed May 2012