PPG Minutes: 1st October 2024

 

BACK TO MAIN INDEX

 

Time: 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Location: SMA Medical Centre

Present

  • SMA patients: 12 attendees in total (patient attendee numbers were supplied by NC and not named due to GDPR).
  • Andy Agathocleous (AA) Co-chair
  • Dr Patel - Lead GP and Hurley Group partner
  • Nick Chrisou (NC) Senior Practice Manager
  • Senior Practice Manager: Nick Christou (NC)
  • Apologies: Co-chair Mumtaz Patel.
 

Meeting Minutes

  • The minutes of the last meeting were reviewed and accepted by the attendees of the meeting as a true record.
  • Copies of the minutes were made available to all the meeting attendees and are available to all patients on the PPG area practice website.
  • Action: NC the minutes from today's meeting to be uploaded onto the PPG area of the SMA website.
 

PPG HAE

The PPG Health Awareness Event on 20 July 2024 was by far the best supported PPG event with over 100 patients in attendance (patient event attendee numbers were supplied by NC)

Guests  who attended the event included Dr. Patel (who answered patient health concerns on a 1-1 basis), Diabetes UK, Social Prescribers, blood pressure and sugar level checks were carried out by the practice nurse. Stroke UK sent an apology for the short notice of absence.

 

Event Feedback

AA presented an analysis report of the 42 Patient Participation Group Health Surveys that were completed by SMA patients that attended the PPG Health Awareness Event on Saturday 20th July 2024. The findings from the survey questions are listed below:

Q1: In the last six months have you requested and received a GP face - face appointment?

  • Yes 67%
  • No 28%
  • Other 5% Question Not Answered

Q2: When you last contacted the practice, how long did you have to wait on the telephone to speak to the call taker?

  • 1-5 Minutes: 31%
  • 5-10 Minutes: 38%
  • 10-15 Minutes: 2%
  • 15-20 Minutes: 7%
  • Over 20 Minutes: 5%
  • n/a: 17%

Q3: How would you describe your overall experience at the GP practice?

  • Very Good: 19%
  • Good: 60%
  • Neither good nor poor: 7%
  • Poor: 5%
  • Very Poor: 2%
  • n/a: 7%

Q4: Was the Healthcare professional you spoke to good at listening to your during your last general practice appointment?

  • Very Good: 36%
  • Good: 43%
  • Neither good nor poor: 8%
  • Poor: 5%
  • Very Poor: 2%
  • n/a: 5%

Q5: Would you like to receive information about the Patient Participation Group Events & Meetings?

  • 33 SMA patients completed this section agreeing to receive information about the PPG events and meetings.
  • We now have approximately 160 SMA patients that have register for the PPG.

Q6: Please list below any suggestions, recommendations or improvements you would like to see at the SMA medical centre? 

Listed below are some of the patient suggestions, recommendations or improvements that patients would like to see at the practice

  • Substantial Improvements to patient care since the Hurley Group took over the practice.
  • Reception staff should not expect patients to answer intimate questions in front of other patients
  • Reception staff that they will call you back and do not
  • Difficult to obtain  face to face appointments and unable to book on-line appointments
  • More same day face to face appointments
  • Why am I unable to obtain my repeat prescriptions all at the same time
  • Blood tests at the practice 

Q7: Overall how did you find today's event?

  • Excellent 33%
  • Very Good: 26%
  • Good: 29%
  • Poor: 0%
  • Other: 12% (question not answered)
 

Guest speaker

Dr. Patel hosted a question and answer session allowing patients the opportunity to ask questions on health topics including addressing some of the recommendations, suggestions and improvements highlighted from the Health Awareness Day patient surveys

  • Patient can request to speak to reception staff in private if they feel their issue is confidential
  • The reason patients are unable to book online face to face GP appointments is because patients are triaged and filtered to the appropriate clinician, and may not require a face to face GP appointment
  • Services provided by pharmacies (the majority of pharmacists will speak to a patient about their symptoms without a GP referral. New prescription medications can only be prescribed or agreed by the GP.
  • No plans to carry out blood tests at the practice
  • Chiropodists referrals are available to patients that meet the criteria

Action: Dr Patel to attend the next PPG meeting

 

Practice update

Nick Christou gave an update on the practice:

  • Full time Doctors: Dr. Sanjay Patel - Lead GP & Partner, Dr Shehla Qureshi - Assocate Partner, Dr Henry Edung and Dr Vacap
  • One SDU2 and one SDU3 trainee doctors at the practice
  • 5 pharmacists - Noor Buknari, Saima Malik, Iyesha Hussain, Shahid Chopdat, Majid Husien
  • Ashley Tinham - Paramedic
  • First Contact Physiotherapist - Lipi Halder and Jennifer Luke

All patient medical records are now digital

Action NC to provide an update on Q6 points 4 & & at the next PPG

 

Work in progress

  1. eConsult timings are 6am to 8pm 5 days a week There was a discussion about whether timings could revert back to 7 days a week 24 hours a day for patients who have a health concern. No plans at present to extend eConsult timings.
  2. Negotiations are ongoing with the practice manager to reinstate online pre-booked face to face appointments & messaging services.
  3. Why are promotional events such as PPG invites, patient surveys, pick up blood test forms, submit blood pressure readings and vaccination text message reminders to patients being recorded as consultation on the patient's medical records.

Action: MC to provide further updates to points 1-3 as the next meeting

 

PPG Update

  • SMA patients can communicate directly with the PPG chairs by sending an email regarding non-health related topics relating to the practice or NHS. The practice will not be able to access the emails you send to this address.
  • Posters have been displayed in the reception area of the practice with the contact telephone numbers for FedNet WF who provide GP services outside the normal opening hours of the practice including weekends. Blood test appointments can also be booked by calling FedNet.
  • AA represents the practice as chair of the SMA PPG at Health Watch Waltham Forest meetings where discussions are taking place to introduce the electronic blood test form.
  • The PPG chars are recommending that all SMA patients obtain a password from the practice so that they can acces the log into Patient Access to view their medical records and order repeat medications
  • St James Street medical centre is now closed and no longer available for blood tests
 

Next PPG Meeting

Thank you all for attending and your input into today's meeting

We look forward to seeing you all at the next face to face PPG meeting on 26th February 2025 6:30pm t0 8pm at the SMA Medical Centre.