Minutes of the Meeting of the Spilsby Surgery Patient Participation Group

Wednesday 13 January 2016 at 7 pm

The Grange, Ashby Road

Present: Dorothy Dobson (Chair), Stephanie Wroe, Ken Wroe, Julie Rajput, Christina Holmes, Jeanette Amaral, Maureen Jarvis, Jason Longstaff

Apologies: Enid Bailey

Absent: Sian Lovett, Margaret Saunders

1. Apologies
An apology had been received from Enid.  Jeanette reported that she had emailed Sian to ask if it was her intention to attend PPG meetings but had received no response.

2. Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The previous minutes were approved and signed.

3. Matters Arising from the Minutes

 Chemotherapy Bus
Jason reported that NHS Estates had approved Skegness Hospital as the venue for the bus.  Jeanette had sent another FOI request to ULHT to ask about the bus’s use in Skegness after their response to the previous FOI, in which they stated that they would start to use the bus in Skegness from the end of October 2015.  As far as everyone was aware, this had not happened.  They were still to reply.  Dorothy said that she had raised it again at today’s CCG meeting.  Chris was intending to raise it at the next ULHT meeting as previously reported.  It was agreed that this should be a separate agenda item at future meetings until resolved.  Action Jeanette

PPG Terms of Reference
It was agreed that the terms of reference be amended to be more specific around non-attendance.  Item 15 to read ‘The committee had a right to remove an elected committee member after missing three (3) meetings without apologies’.  Jeanette to circulate amended terms of reference and write to Sian Lovett to say that she was being removed from the committee. Action Jeanette

Town Council/Spilsby Proposed New Build
Jason said that the Town Council was holding a meeting with the developers on 15 January.  The Town Council had still not engaged with the Surgery around this matter and hadn’t invited the Surgery to this meeting.  However, Jason had arranged for the developers to meet with the Surgery on a separate occasion.  Dorothy would invite the Spilsby Mayor to a future PPG meeting.  Action Dorothy

Making Two Treatment–Related Appointments
Jason said that he had reiterated to staff that patients could book two treatment-related appointments at the same time.

£5/Head Monies
Jason reported that the continuing of the funding for the £/head monies, which had been backed by the Council of Members of the Lincolnshire East CCG would be proposed to continue at its Executive Board meeting on 20 January. Jason tabled the Surgery’s letters to its chair, Dr Peter Holmes, dated 27 November 2015 and 11 December 2015.  Jeanette confirmed that a letter from the PPG around this had been sent to our MP Victoria Atkins after the PPG meeting in November 2015 but disappointingly a response had not been received.  Any publicity in our newsletter would await the Board’s decision on 20 January 2016.

4. Blood Test/Review Appointments and the Link to the Computer System
Chris reported that a patient who already had a booking for a blood test had found a yellow label attached to their medication on collection from the chemist saying that an appointment for a blood test needed to be made.  Maureen said she was also aware of the same thing happening.  Jason said it might be that some medications require a regular blood check to be made prior to further dispensing, but he would check.  Action Jason

5. PPG Newsletter
Stephanie agreed to take on the preparation of the following PPG Newsletter and would meet with Jason to discuss on 9 March 2016.  It was agreed that this would go out prior to Easter and would include the Surgery’s opening and closing times over the Easter holidays.  Committee to discuss content at its February 2016 meeting.  Action Stephanie

6. November Flu Clinic
Stephanie said that it was another efficient and good flu clinic in November 2015 and said that she had spoken to someone from the CCG who had been there about the £5/head monies and the chemotherapy bus.  This was Sue Jarvis who works for the Lincolnshire East CCG.  Jason said it had been disappointing that the uptake for the flu vaccine had been lower this year.  Jeanette wondered whether this was because there were various non GP outlets now which the public could use for a flu vaccine, i.e. chemists etc.

7.Surgery Equipment Fund
Ken reported that he had been in touch with Charles Tong and had met him on 4 January 2016 to find out about the Surgery Equipment Fund.  It appeared that there had been no meeting of the fund since 2009, although Jason confirmed that monies had been bequeathed and awarded regularly since then.  Ken said that Charles Tong had handed him a small file of documents which included Trustee Deeds from 1994 and a statement of account from 2007.  It was unclear from this documentation whether the Trust’s charitable status was still in effect.  Ken had asked Charles Tong to get the Minute, account and bank books and any other documents from the Treasurer Barry Ledger so we could have a clear picture of the Fund before discussing and deciding whether this was something the PPG could administer in the future.  Jason agreed to check the Trust’s status with the Charity Commission.  It was agreed that it might be something we would need to take legal advice on when we had received all the appropriate paperwork.  It was unclear from this paperwork how much was in the bank.  Jason said he could find this out for the next meeting.  It was agreed that this would remain a separate agenda item until resolved.  Action Ken and Jeanette

8. Surgery Update

Jason reported as follows:

• Registrar Dr Marchant had started in December and would be at the Surgery until March 2016
• Dr Kuttapan would continue until September 2016
• Dr Kuttapan had passed her RCGP on the first attempt. The PPG asked Jason to send their congratulations to Dr Kuttapan on this achievement
• There was a vacant practice nurse post but this was out to advert. In the meantime there was an agency nurse covering this.  Action Jason
• Good Neighbour event would be held on 1 February 2016 at 10am in the Franklin Hall. Chris mentioned that the letter which had been sent out prior to Christmas from Jeannie had mentioned that it was expected to be held in February 2016 but nothing confirmed.  Action Jason
• The Dementia Bus would be in the Sainsbury’s car park on 9 March 2016. It was noted that ELDC had not given permission for the bus to be in the centre of the town

9. Consortium Update
Dorothy mentioned that she had attended the CCG meeting today.  They had commissioned DMC Healthcare to provide dermatology clinics on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Parkside Surgery, the County Hospital in Louth and Skegness Hospital.  Maureen mentioned that a patient had recently received excellent service from the Dermatology clinic at Boston Pilgrim hospital.

Dorothy said she had also raised concerns around the chemotherapy bus at the meeting, as previously reported.

10. Any Other Business

Virtual Member Emails
Jeanette tabled a few emails which had been received recently from virtual members now that the new email system was up and running.  Jeanette would be checking this system once every few days.  Pat Colley had asked why the Surgery was spending money on a licence to pipe music in the waiting room.  It was agreed that Jeanette would write back to say that the music in the waiting room was free of charge and that it was necessary to absorb sound and maintain confidentiality for discussions taking place in this area. Action Jeanette

Skegness Outpatients/A&E
Ken said that he had recently attended an outpatient appointment at Skegness Hospital and that it had been excellent.  Other members had similar experiences at Skegness Hospital.  Dorothy said that she had congratulated Skegness Hospital at today’s CCG meeting for its excellent service to patients.

Actions