About our PPG

Would you like to have a say about the service we provide?

We would like to hear your views, please give your details to reception if you wish to join our PPG, or register on line.  We can arrange regular meetings or share views virtually if you would prefer, please give us your email address.

See below a history of our Patient Participation Group Meetings, throughout our discussions with patients we will generate a number of action points that we can try to work on to help improve our service.

PPG MEETING MARCH 2023

 We organised this meeting to discuss a new portal that the practice is very excited to use. It is an online consult portal Klinik. Klinik is an online total triage and patient flow management software that directs patients to the right point of care in a timely, cost-effective way. Klinik is not only able to help GP practices provide improved access to healthcare, but can also help to redefine and reform how the patient flow is managed.

We started to use the portal and had a very positive outcome from the questionnaire that we distributed to our patients via Accurx.

During this meeting, we would like to find out how patients feel about a new service and if it could potentially replace a telephone booking system in the future.

• Generally, patients are happy with the service and they would use it again.
• some patients said it would depend on the health issue that they had
• if they had more serious issues they probably would want to speak to someone on the phone
• Agreed that it is a better access option.
• Easier and less time-consuming
• All agreed that receptionists are good and polite.

We were able to put patients’ minds at rest by explaining how we monitor Klinik requests. All requests that are urgent or an emergency will be flagged and dealt with promptly, in addition, if the system finds a request that is an emergency, it will alert the patient to contact emergency services immediately and it will not give them the option to continue with their request to the GP.

All requests are monitored promptly and distributed to clinicians for action. Patients may receive a text message with information, a referral to a local clinical pharmacist, a telephone appointment or a Face2Face appointment, depending on their medical issue.

The use of an online system would also free the receptionist staff to deal with other administrative tasks and patient queries.

Telephone access would be still available but it would not be a primary system for appointment booking.

PPG MEETING SEPTEMBER 2022

 Weight management

This meeting is to draw the patient’s attention to the different options they have for weight management.

We sent text messages to patients from different population groups to inform them about service eligibility. Patients are also invited to an appointment with a Health Care Assistant if they wish to discuss their options.

A big group of our patient population is eligible for some kind of weight management services.

Every eligible patient would benefit from it, especially patients with long-term conditions.

During this meeting, we intended to find out if patients are aware of the service and if they are interested in this service.

This is a national service to encourage practices to develop a supportive environment for clinicians to engage with patients living with obesity to support them in weight loss. The service allows practices to:

• Identify patients living with obesity
• Have an open discussion with patients about the associated health issues linked with obesity.
• Facilitate access to weight management services.
• Practices are to develop a practice-based approach to identify and support patients living with obesity.
• This involves the development and implementation of a protocol, which seeks to normalise the conversation about weight and weight management during consultation.
• Recognise the sensitivity of such conversations and consider how all opportunities of the different types of consultations could be maximised in identifying the target group
• Encourage patients to provide information on their weight and BMI
• Record an updated BMI annually § Record and maintain details of weight management services and how to refer to them.
• Practices are to review and maintain the practice’s Obesity Register and to support patients, assess, record assessment outcome and refer them appropriately.

There are a few such services provided in Newham,

1. National Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP) (Healthier You):
2. Weight Management Service – Live Well Newham
3. Pre-diabetes Education Referral
4. Total Low-Calorie Diet

All of those services are looking to tackle obesity and prevent the risk of diabetes, risk of CVD, and high blood pressure.

The referral process is very simple, after a discussion with a healthcare professional at the surgery; the referral form is completed and emailed to the designated provider.

Patients usually will receive an assessment telephone consultation within the next few days after the referral.

All members of PPG that were present were impressed with the variety of options and they are happy that Newham can cater for almost all population groups and it is tackling such an important in current times cause.

One of the members voiced that it is especially important after the pandemic that people go back to their daily exercise, diet and healthier living. It helps with both physical and mental health.

It was decided that the Boleyn MC would send regular text messages to encourage patients to accept the referral to one of their given options to help with obesity and/ or other health issues.

The information about different services is also available on our website.

We also discussed the possibility of Group Consultations for diabetic reviews as one of the patients said that his cousin in a different borough is taking part in the group consultations and he finds it beneficial to his health.

I said we will take this back to the GP Principal and bring this back at the next meeting for further discussion.

PPG MEETING JULY 2022

 New mums and babies:

 We arranged a number of postnatal appointments to happen at the same time with our social prescriber present – the purpose of this was to be able to provide information to patients about the different services available in the community to help new mums and babies.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, she was not able to be present however we were still able to provide the leaflet developed by her and provide information to mums about services and the practice.  We also took the opportunity to ask how they felt about the services provided by the practice and asked them to complete a questionnaire based on the national patient survey.

The leaflet included information on the services available to them ranging from financial to practical support i.e. baby clubs etc. It also advised on when to seek medical support.  The aim of the leaflet is to bring awareness to parents, information and knowledge empowers patients and will hopefully lead to them feeling better supported and to help relieve pressures from GP.

Overall points raised were:

• Happy with their postnatal and baby check appointment, felt the clinicians were helpful and caring
• Happy to receive information about services in the community however some felt they already get a lot of information from the Health Visitors.
• Like the idea of Social Prescriber and the support they can provide in sign posting patients
• Feel the surgery is helpful, including receptionists but it can be a little difficult to get through on the phone
• The above is supported by the questionnaire results (patients were able to complete it on their own and leave on the reception desk so that they remained as anonymous as possible)
• All happy to be informed of next PPG meeting but may not attend
• Outcomes of the meeting will be discussed with the practice team

We had a total of 6 mums take part in this PPG meeting

PPG meeting 6^th December 2021

 Further to the meeting in July, we have decided to try a new approach to the meetings and have a focused group meeting.

In this meeting, we discussed  two topics;

• Carers – meeting focused on Carers and how to improve carers’ support
• In House Patient Survey – discussion of the points from the In House Patient Survey. PPG members were asked their thoughts on how the Practice could improve overall patient satisfaction and access in particular.

Carers

• We prepared for the meeting by advertising it on our website and sending text messages to patients who are on our carers register.
• We also sent a questionnaire to cares via a text message and it was available on our website; although the reply rate was not great, there were few patients who answered.
• At the meeting, we were able to watch a very informative presentation, created by Hitesh. It showed relaxing breathing techniques and exercises. Hitesh is a carer and is involved with Carers UK. It was great to learn that he has a YouTube channel where he shares information with other carers.
• We also had a Social Prescriber, Sarah present; she talked about the ways to help to support carers and their families and shared a number of helpful resources. Sarah was able to answer questions from members but although an open discussion was planned not many people got involved. Sarah discussed the importance of carers looking after themselves so they can continue in the caring role.
• Patients were interested in help with applying for benefits (PiP, DLA, carers allowance), blue badge applications, Emotional support, referrals to SS, Carers First for support, applying for grants etc.
• Because of the number of questions that the patient had, Sarah has updated our Carers leaflet with useful information, based on patients’ questions.

In House Survey discussion

We discussed with PPG members the fact that although the Practice performance improved from the previous survey we are still below the national target.

Some of the ideas the PPG members presented were:

• Face2Face appointment issues rather than a telephone triage, which will improve access and essentially save appointments.
• Double appointments when needed for more than one medical problem, so the patients do not have to call again to discuss another issue.
• Promote online access where patients can book appointments online rather than having to wait in the call queue.
• Promote Online Consult for less urgent issues, sick notes etc.
• Most of the PPG members expressed that they are very happy with text messages for appointment reminders, information, referrals, sick notes etc.
• Most of the PPG members were overall satisfied with our new telephone system, although only a fraction of patients used a call back option, as they were not aware of it.
• We will work on the above ideas and we are hopeful that our patient’s satisfaction will improve.

To conclude the meeting was successful and we are sure we can build on this new experience. We will continue to have focused PPG meetings. As for the next groups, we will concentrate, on new mothers and babies, long-term conditions including elderly patients, and access to practice for populations where English is not their first language.

We are certain that combing our efforts with PPG ideas will help us to improve patient access and patient satisfaction, especially around disadvantaged population group.