Nov. 4, 2024

Agenda

Brockwood Medical Practice Patient Participation Group

Face-to-face Meeting

6pm-7:30pm, 4th November 2024, at Brockham Surgery

 Attendees: Currently thirteen PPG Members, Craig Scott (PPG Chairman), Liz Spreadbury (Brockwood Medical Practice, Practice Manager), Lucy Rawson (GP & Partner)

Apologies: TBC

Agenda & minutes incorporated:

·         Introduction: Craig Scott & Liz Spreadbury

·         Discussion Items based on questions raised by PPG members:

a.    What is the current policy on serving patients who are not digitally active, to ensure the practice is accessible to them and to ensure that these patients do not miss out on information, opportunities and support?
The practice is open from 8-6.30pm, we put up signs and notices, send information out to the PPG who disseminate through Newsletters and word of mouth, information, parish magazines

b.    What is the current policy on children aged 16-17, especially getting the balance right regarding giving them independence and responsibility whilst enabling parents to continue to support so that young person is not at risk of letting treatment / medication lapse and missing out on opportunities for prevention?
If a child at 16-17 requests to see a clinician alone then the clinician will assess if they are competent to do so. Children aged 16-17 have a right to privacy. If there was a safeguarding issue this would be discussed with the Safeguarding Lead.

c.       Regarding mental health support for young people (14-17), how do you get the right balance for children to have confidentiality but also equip parents to help children improve their mental health; and enable parents to help GPs get an accurate picture of their child's mental health?
If a patient has capacity to make relevant decisions and is deemed Gillick competent they have the ability to consent to their own medical treatment without parental permission or knowledge. Once 16 they are presumed in law to be competent & parents cannot override this consent

d.       Why can’t we view appointments ahead to check timings etc.? We only seem able to cancel existing appointments. This probably means phoning to check which seems unnecessary work for staff and patients
Scheduled appointments can be seen via the NHS App. Our dashboard does not give the function to be able to see scheduled appts. We do send out text reminders. It is possible to put through an admin form via the website if you are unsure of an appointment date & time.

e.    Some GP practices are taking Collective Action against their contractor (Surrey Heartlands), is Brockwood taking any action and, if so, what form of action?
We are and it simply means we are going to stop doing the work that we are not contracted to do – pushing back on admin; consultant to consultant referrals, providing medication when patient leaves hospital, Med3’s, contacting secondary care to find out when a patient will have their appointment (we are sending out text messages to patients to provide the number they need to contact in order to chase their referral), not taking responsibility for complex treatments without proper supervision and monitoring from the specialist – shared care drug arrangements when the patient has not been monitored by a consultant.

Working within safe guidelines – no more than 25 patients a day. Providing 15min appts which does mean reducing the number of appointments we offer each day but allowing more time with the patient for routine appts especially to help the more complex patients

This is not strike action and no services will be withdrawn to the patient. It’s about having sufficient time to provide the correct care to the patient.

f.     Can the practice confirm that they are accessing Kenward Court okay with the key box code? Update - all residents now have individual flat key boxes as well
We have access to the Kenward Court key box.

g.    Out of interest, what questions are put to staff time and time again?  
Mainly around information heard in the media such as RSV, shingles – clinic availability, eligibility
Prescription queries
Calls about consultant/clinic letters
Very varied

h.    What information is missed from online forms which, if included, would speed up the job of the care navigator?
Medical problem and how long is has been going on. The more information the better helps the care navigator determine who the best person is for the patient to see and how quickly

i.     If you can see a prescription is due to be reviewed before you next ask for a medicine to be issued, should you request the review or should it happen - if so, how much notice?
Certainly request a review but this is usually picked up when processing a script which requires a review and the patient contacted to make an appointment for a review

j.     When you are referred and are waiting to hear from a hospital how long should you wait before asking the surgery to help you chase?
We turn referral requests round very quickly, usually within a couple of days.

You should contact the hospital directly to find out information regarding the referral as the GP Practice is not given this information and our admin team then have to contact the hospital on the same number that is given to the patient which ties up the admin team considerably.

k.    Following the announcement by Sir Chris Hoy, has the surgery been receiving calls asking for PSA tests ....what advice is given to patients?
If patient is requesting bloods based on this then we would send a link out to the patients beforehand we are not able to book the blood test until the patient has received information. 
Your Quick Guide to PSA Tests - Prostate Cancer Research

·        Next Steps & close: Craig Scott