Patient Participation Group

Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) meets to provide a forum for discussion about the practice.

Latest Meeting Notes

19th February 2025

• 1pm to 2pm with Dr Helen Salisbury, Jon Frank (Practice manager)

Patients:

• Elaine
• Wendy
• Trudy
• Kathy
• Fiona
• Barbara L
• Tim

Apologies were received from:

• Shelagh, Michael, Joyce, Janet, David, David R, Alison, Christopher

1. Welcome

Elaine welcomed everyone to the meeting – lots of apologies – half term and holidays?

2. Matters Arising

Update on appointment times/duty doctor

Dr Salisbury gave an update on how the duty doctor limit of 25 patients had been going. The duty doctors were not strictly sticking to the 25-patient quota and would sometimes deal with more patients if the issues could be resolved quickly.

She said that things had been going ok and that they had not had to redirect patients to other services such as NHS111 or the out of hours services. She felt that because they had enough doctors the workload had been relatively quiet despite the flu season.

Jon reported that their application for an additional doctor to support the enhanced hours clinics had been approved.

Jon confirmed that their 3rd available appointment measure was currently 7 days. By comparison last winter this was 13-14 days.

Waiting room posters

Elaine reported that she attended a focus group about building design where representatives from a neurodivergent group explained how a waiting room full of different posters and leaflets could be anxiety provoking. This is why she had not taken this item forward.

Dr Salisbury felt that we could have some space for posters and leaflets and providing we displayed them in one place it should not be too anxiety provoking.

It was agreed that we will take the plan forward and display some posters/information. Elaine would contact the Leaver practice to co-ordinate use of the space within the waiting area.

Jon also suggested that we could use the TV screen. There are currently 62 slides that rotate every 30 seconds. Several people commented that this was too fast, especially if you wanted to get detailed information. It was agreed that Jon would slow them down to 45 seconds and we could see if this was better.

Action: Jon to adjust TV screen slides. Elaine to take forward Poster Display & contact Leaver practice.

3. Going Digital

This was our main topic for discussion.

Elaine went through the key points on the presentation (circulated with the papers). The NHS App is good but fiendish to install. It is also not suitable for everyone to use, and she felt that patients should understand the alternatives available to them.

Practice Plans for digital services

Dr Salisbury said that, unlike many practices, they would not move to ‘digital first’ access. (Some practices require the completion of an on-line form and triage before offering appointments.) They plan to keep a range of options for patients wishing to make appointments, order prescriptions or leave messages.

App or Computer

Several people, who do have the App, said that they prefer to use a computer – larger screen and proper keyboard. This type of access has to be via the practice website or Patient Access as the NHS App does not function on a computer. There was some discussion (confusion?) about the difference. Jon reported that the practice staff are having a training session on the NHS App soon, and that he will try and find out whether there is likely to be a computer-based version in the future.

Fiona noted that the App is good for people who need to access services when they are not at home.

Proxy use

Dr Salisbury also noted that the NHS App allows ‘proxy access’ to records if you are caring for someone who is not able to use it themselves.

Options

• Appointments: These can be done on-line (App or practice website), on the phone or in person.
• Messages: Elaine reported that when asking the reception staff to leave a message she had been told to “go home and send an email’. Dr Salisbury commented that this was to ensure that messages were recorded correctly. T
  • The options for non-urgent messages are:
    • Accrux: During working hours (8.30am to 4.30pm Monday – Friday) patients can send a message to the practice via Accrux. This is accessed via the practice website. This is not designed for urgent problems.
    • Paper or Handwritten notes: These can be left with reception, and the letter will be scanned into the patient records. It may take a day or two for these to be seen by your GP.
    • Prescription text box: Messages about your prescription can be written in the text box when you make an on-line request. Patients should not use this box to raise other issues.

It was agreed that it might be helpful to have a chart showing the options for each type of service. Elaine agreed to take this forward.

It was also agreed to schedule another NHS App session in the waiting room.

4. Any other business

Health Walks

The council supports health walks as part of their Get Oxfordshire Active programme. The Jericho walk has been running for several years and leaves the Health Centre at 1.30 every Thursday. There are about 10 regular walkers (mostly single, elderly people) who come along for the social chat and the (minimal) walking. The group is looking for more walk leaders (there are currently 3 of us) and anyone is welcome to join the walk. If anyone is interested either come along or contact Elaine.

Elaine agreed to provide an additional slide about the walks for the TV screen in the waiting room.

Oxford City Health Walks

Woodstock Road Chemist

One member has asked how people were finding the Woodstock Road Chemist now it was under new management. The response was generally positive, and members praised their service especially their ability to get medicines that were in short supply.

Inhaler Recycling

This was a scheme that we promoted some years ago (pre-Covid). However, there was some uncertainty about which local chemists were part of the scheme. Elaine agreed to find out.

Action: Elaine to confirm which chemists will recycle inhalers.

BOB Integrated Care System Workshop

Elaine has been invited to attend a workshop on 28th February to help develop communication tools to inform the public about why they might be triaged to see other health professionals.

She asked if there were any views about what she should be saying. The discussion covered the following points:

• Triage – new problems should be seen by a doctor
• Multiple appointments with others then go to the doctor
• For the first time more than 50% of patients seeing someone else and not a doctor
• Decision making – who makes these decisions? Do they have the right skills?
• There are now unemployed doctors – the money goes to other professionals and cannot be used for doctors

Workshop Blurb

“We would welcome your ideas on how we can best inform the wider public across BOB about who they might see or speak to at GP practice, and how the staff work together to provide the most appropriate care.

Most surgeries now employ a range of clinical professionals who are first point of contact for some patients when there is no clinical need to see a doctor. This could include a pharmacist, a specialist nurse, a paramedic, or a mental health practitioner.

But many people are still unsure about seeing these experts rather than a doctor, so clear messages and practical information could help increase confidence that patients will get help from the right professional at the right time.”

Action: Please contact Elaine if you have an opinion on this that you would like her to take to the workshop. Elaine to report back. 

5. Date of next meeting to be agreed. 

Date to be agreed.