MINUTES OF PPG MEETING
7th March 2018
Present: Dr David Milsom, Alex Price, J Watts-Jane, Nicky Andrews, Peter Overstall, Ann Ponting, Ruth Truelove, Trefor Edwards, Philip Hudson, Jo Poole, Dr Esther Scotland, Annette Latham-Jackson, Dave Marshall – Bright Space
Apologies were received from Jane Moggridge
David Marshall attended the meeting; he is from Bright Space which is run by Hereford Council. The Brightspace Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that has one objective: to enable people and communities to live sustainably. This means helping people to enjoy economic prosperity and health and well-being in ways that won’t damage the environment or squander the earth’s resources. It therefore ensures that future generations will enjoy the same advantages that we do.
He came to discuss the Golden Valleys supportive project, this project has been running around the Surgery for a few years, they include: Pontrilas Post office (CARE), Dorstone Front Room, Longtown Post Office, Community Hub Aspire, Peterchurch Hub.
Others clubs include:
Koffi pot,
Lunch Club St Michaels
Luncheon Club Orcop
Evergreen
Little Blue Elephant Care
Hopes of Longtown – listening ear, refer people, social for people
Ewyas Harold Memorial Hall – singing groups, bowls, drama, U3A, yoga, badminton, cubs, scouts
Church Village Hall – St Michaels – guides, brownies, exercises for the elderly
Grosmont – Archery, food tasting, gardening club
Ewyas Harold Hall – Merry Widows Group (pub lunch)
The benefits of these groups can include company other than family, people watching, interaction, hot meals, places to hold meetings and small functions.
Sonia at CARE has become a link between the community and the Doctors Surgery. There was a discussion about how this could be improved.
David asked the group how these groups could be developed, suggestions included, wish, main book with all the groups listed at the Surgery, to get the community well-being hub to open, social worker once a month in the Golden Valley area. Dore Transport is trying to expand their excursions, a list of all activities in the area and advertise in the Good News magazine, notice board in the surgery with list of activities and contact numbers.
General update
Dr Jones
Dr Milsom informed the PPG that Dr Jones is leaving the Practice. Dr Craig and Dr Das are staying. The Surgery is thinking of employing a pharmacist. Dr Wang is still off on sick leave. The Surgery has asked to be added as a training surgery but due to the location they are not considered an appealing option.
Care Navigation
Started in December and comprises of 11 rural surgeries out of the 24 Hereford Practices, Ewyas Harold are 4th in the table, they sign posted twenty-two people, 21 accepted the signpost, saving four hours of GP time. The majority of the signposting has been internal e.g. BP check, cough. It has been considered a success so far.
Signposting was questioned by the PPG member – Jo explained that all staff had been fully trained, with online and face to face training and would only advise other services who specialise in areas, eg Optician for eye problems.
Health Watch
Peter Overstall volunteered to go the Health Watch meeting on Friday. He asked for points that the group may want to raise: Walk in Centre, Hillside closure, 111, CCG patient education initiative were suggested.
(The CCG were going to do a big campaign on the most appropriate service to use so that patients are educated on this to alleviate confusion as the where to go in certain circumstances but this had not happened yet)
Dr Scotland
Dr Scotland was introduced to the group as a new partner at Golden Valley Practice.
Next PPG meeting in Wednesday June 20th 2018
Report from the Healthwatch Hereford Meeting
HEALTHWATCH HEREFORDSHIRE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP EVENT
March 9th 2018
I attended this event representing the Golden Valley PPG.
Healthwatch is the consumer champion for health and social care and replaced the community health council as the patient’s advocate in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. There is a national body Healthwatch England which is part of the Care Quality Commission. Our local Healthwatch is based in Elgar House, Holmer Road, it is an independent, not-for-profit company funded by Herefordshire County Council with money from central government.
Anyone can contact it to report concerns about local health and social care services.
Its role is to
- Gather public views
- Influence how health and care services are planned and delivered
- Hold to account commissioners and providers of health and social care services
- Provide information, advice and signposting to local services.
GP Access
One of its priorities last year was to survey GP access. The report has been published and has a number of recommendations, some of which (such as Care Navigation) have already been implemented in our GV practice.
Primary Care Home
This will be the focus of Herefordshire health and social services now and for the next few years. One Herefordshire, the integrated alliance of all health and social care providers, has divided the county into four localities: City, North, East and South (Ross and Golden Valley). The model to make these localities work is called Primary Care Home and it aims to strengthen and redesign primary care. It was launched by NHS England in 2015 and has rapidly expanded so that some seven million patients are now included. The model brings health and social care professionals together as a complete care community to provide care closer to home.
The focus of a ‘whole population health management approach’ in the Golden Valley bodes well for the development of the Kemble Centre. Healthwatch could help us clarify what sort of services we want locally and support our bids to develop them. We, the PPG, have been invited by Healthwatch to join their Stakeholder Reference Group and I think we should get involved. Healthwatch has access to all of the decision making bodies and could be influential in the key planning stages. I’m willing to attend the Stakeholder meetings and report back. There will be lots of competition for any available funds and we need to make sure that the Golden Valley part of the South locality gets its fair share. We should try pressing all available levers.
Peter Overstall
Grosmont, Wales 