PPG Minutes – 10th April 2023

Welcome and apologies

• LB welcomed the members and acknowledged absence from JM.

Minutes of last meeting

• Agreed

Overview of the Health and Wellbeing Day

• All went well
• Learnings - Need a PA system as people couldn’t be heard.  Longer time for GP practice to talk
• JT made the comment that we need to attract younger people – how do we try and get them in?    VB suggested targeting the baby and toddler groups
• Practice was happy with what we did to promote the event and how the event went.  The surgery team felt it was a good opportunity to express what we did.
• Healthwatch fed back what was said at their stall, E-consult was on for longer and people felt they could now call with confidence.
• The Practice team reminded the group about the need to have e consult champions and for one person to show another and encourage people who are reluctant to use it.
• P – suggested we had lanyards for public events, all agreed.
• LB thanked all people who provided an activity or support for the day.
• All agreed that three hours was enough. But the bus break wasn’t great, so that needed sorting out for next time.

Practice update

• Spring Boosters start this week for 75 and over or in a nursing or residential home. People who are immunosuppressed have a different vaccine. Nursing/Residential homes are the next week.  Over 75s after that, with texts coming out, but will be offered on Fridays at New Ash Green, with occasional options at Longfield. Also available at the pharmacy and for 119.  This will be until end of June.
• E-consult – Times have changed again to 7.30am to 12.30pm.  Waiting for confirmation of another change, the five hours is too much. Over 1000 econsults a week, with 204 people getting in touch in one day.  PW/JT enquired about how people can tr book a nurse appointment or physio – they won’t know who they need to see. Practice team confirmed this would be done via the triage system.
• Reducing the time was needed to ensure they could support the people who have come through. The number of calls between January and March, 32,135. Econsults 98,732.  Practice is recruiting for more GPs and Care Navigators to support the demand.  Econsult is likely to be 7.30am to 10.30am for four weeks if agreed by ICB.  Those that don’t get through on the day are redirected to the walk in or 111 or A&E. LB spoke about the need for patient education. Surgery is looking into it with ICB.
• PC asked how reliable e consult was – practice confirmed it was only switched off if they didn’t have capacity to deal with the calls.
• Trying to reduce Econsult light only for people who really cannot use the online one themselves.
• JT said about the option to cancel an appointment on the phone, as there were lots of missed appointments. 
• Patient survey – Meopham survey was shown as an example and asked if the PPG could do something similar for NAG/Longfield. And a distribution plan.  LB suggested we get this done for July. LB to ask VB to support.

Next health and wellbeing day – Longfield

• All agreed 30 September from 2 to 5pm, and PC to see if hall available.  LB to see if other stall holders can come as before. All to look out for new stall holders.
  GP practice will come along as before. Advertising should begin at the end of the school holidays.

Terms of Reference

• GP practice have reviewed. AC to look at changes and send final to committee for keeping.

AOB

• GP practice asked what was happening with the Newsletter – VB to talk through with practices and is dealing with updating the PPG Board.
• JF asked about NG coming out to the community, NG will attend the Warm Space – JF to follow up.
• JF – Letter from a previous PPG member, regarding the previous PPG and will put the letter in our in-tray for collection. 
• PC – e consult / and light – how confident are you in helping people who come in in person.  Referring to an elderly person, VM talked about this example in Longfield. Wasn’t treated nicely and obviously frail and appeared that they weren’t being helped. Practice asked that more information could be given about which receptionist it was, so that they can look into it.

Meeting ends: 8.10pm