PPG minutes 7th February 2022

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Minutes of the meeting of the SBMC/SOHC/Brookes Patient Participation Group

Held via Microsoft Teams

Welcome, attendance and apologies

Present: Nargis Khan (Practice Manager), Johanna Hearle (Deputy manager) Dr Alison Fairlie, Jennifer Darnley (Chair) Geraldine Coggins (Deputy Chair) Penny Faust, Phil Kelly, Wendy Spray, Lynn Degele

Apologies: Cllr Marie Tidball, Paul Luff, Marina Jirotka, Daisy Hopkins (OBU), Richard Stonman

Miriam Jellinek tendered her resignation from the group which had been reluctantly accepted. It was agreed to send her a note of thanks from the practice.

Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes were agreed to be an accurate record and passed for publication on the surgery website.

Matters Arising

The position of secretary to the PPG is still vacant and in the absence of offers, JD took meeting notes but would welcome support in writing minutes.

JD reported that she had emailed the absent member of the PPG but had not had any reply.  JH will attempt to contact her one more time.

Surgery Reports

NK reported that discussions continued with National Health Property Services concerning work at Lake Street on the tree which is damaging the roof.  Ongoing talks about alterations to the contract previously agreed between SBMC and the NHPS are delaying further maintenance. The CCG is supporting the practice.  It was noted that the Property Services which took over the lease is a private organisation, not NHS and there has been disquiet about its efficiency expressed elsewhere.

The boiler in Manzil Way has now been restored.

Membership and Communications

There was a wide ranging discussion centred on the paper prepared by JD.  It was suggested that posters in the practice premises drawing attention to the PPG and what it does would be a good start and JD offered to draft one for the next meeting.  It was generally agreed that we would attempt to get input from groups not represented by the PPG by contacting them directly.  PF suggested using the inter-faith group. It was thought advisable to start with a limited exercise in outreach in order not to risk the practice being overwhelmed by responses. It was agreed to identify carers as a group particularly dependent on GP service but who would have difficulty in giving the time to be part of the PPG and NK/JH will draw up the contact list of carers to ask for their input.

It was pointed out that the student representative from Brookes would inevitably have PPG service limited to their study period.  It was agreed that JD would drop a note to Daisy suggesting recruiting a second representative from Brookes as part of succession planning.

Cllr Tidball had suggested other pathways to patients including using the City Council hub, via Leonard Sackey who has been supporting the vaccination programme and using the practice and local FB pages to communicate with patients.

Invited Speakers

GC had proposed inviting speakers to PPG meetings. Speakers might include representatives from the CCG or the PCN, the local MP Annaliese Dodds or from specialist groups. They would be asked to spend 15-20 minutes to talk followed by questions. It was agreed that from time to time a speaker would be asked to the meeting.

South Oxford Parking

JD reported on the unfortunate removal of the marked, one-hour waiting bays outside the Lake Street premises as part of the Controlled Parking Zone introduced in the area (background paper attached to meeting notes). There have not been any reported parking problems since the introduction at the beginning of February but evidence suggests that the situation will change when the pool is opened in the summer.  It was also noted that as our GPs work across the two sites it is likely that patients from Manzil Way may need to come to Lake Street for consultations and need parking.

The County Council have suggested that it will not re-open the issue and to do so would cost over £3K but will review the situation after a year. Cllr Tidball had told JD that the County Councillor for the area, Cllr Brad Baines is following up as the situation is very unsatisfactory.  Patients are to be encouraged to report any/all parking issues to the practice.

Any Other Business

WS brought up an issue relating to call-backs asking if more precise information can be given on possible timings so that a call-back doesn’t come when a patient isn’t available. NK said that a system was in place to note non-availability and this as an inadvertent error.

JD asked if the microphone in the reception at Manzil Way could be lowered. Currently many patients have to stand on tip-toe and its position inhibits good communication and is impossible for anyone in a wheel-chair to access. NK said that the practice were aware of the problem and were taking steps to change it.

Date of Next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday April 4th in -person or online tba.

JRD
February 2022