PPG Event 13 October 2017

Patient Participation Group Event
Friday 13th October 2017
“Know your family services”

The event was planned by the Willowbrook Patient Participation Group (PPG) with support from the practice to make it’s patients more aware of services available at the practice. The focus on the event was for older people but also to include families.

Following planning sessions, it was decide that we would offer the following on the day:

• Information and a chance to talk to a Nurse Practitioner

• Information and a chance to talk to a Clinical Pharmacist

• Information from AGE UK

• Information from County Enterprise Foods – Meals at Home service

• Meet and greet members of the PPG

• Conduct “Family and Friends” tests

• An opportunity to talk and sign up for electronic appointments/prescriptions

• An opportunity to talk to practice management.

The date was chosen as it coincided with a flu clinic. Promotional materials were produced for a display board and promotion within the practice was carried out through notice board and TV screens. A text message was also sent to patients. Externally we promoted the event via Ashfield District Council and Ashfield Voluntary Action and the Clinical Commissioning Group Citizens Reference Panel.

On the day

Three display tables were provided for AGE UK, County Enterprise Foods and the PPG.

For the main part of the morning the displays were busy most of the time with visitors and I estimated around 50 to 60 people picking up information from the displays. We also spend time within the main waiting room area talking to patients and giving out information. It was good to see members of the PPG and the practice working together to inform patients.

AGE UK said they were pleased with the event and they had taken some referrals and given out a lot of information some which may lead to further support.

County Enterprise Foods – The meals at home service could not attend until later in the morning due to being delayed at a meeting. They missed the busiest time of the morning but said they had spoken to a few people and a number of practice staff. They left booklets and menus at the practice.

Ashfield Voluntary Action – although not having a display on the day due to space restrictions they came down to the event with information about patient groups.

All three organisations said they be happy to support future events

Patient Participation Group – the display showed the development work the group had been involved with along with some of the more recent practice developments and future work. The group also carried out Family and Friends tests (see responses summary below). We were also able to help patients with internet sign up, joining the PPG, signposting to services (self-care hub,
computer support, carers, blue badge and NHS111)

Reflection

The event was fairly well supported by patients and it was beneficial to run the event alongside the flu clinics. Patients we spoke to were generally happy with the service and staff at the practice although there were some comments about the problem of getting appointments.

It was good to have practice staff on hand to talk to patients and they worked well with the PPG.

We collected good number of Family and Friends Tests. Filling in the tests seem to work a lot better if someone sits with a patient and helps them.

The timing needs to be considered for future events – maybe starting at 9:00/9:30am through to about 12:30pm. Our event was very quiet for the last hour (1:00pm to 2:00pm) as appointments
were lower over the lunch period. Information texts need to go out sooner as they were only sent very close to the event.

Overall, it was a good event and, thanks must go to:

• Peter for his hard work putting together the display board

• Ken for his great efforts in helping patients complete Family and Friends tests

• Stephanie for all the organising from practice level

• Ruth for being available to talk to patients about the role of ANPs

• Sebastian for being available to talk to patients re pharmacy questions

• AGE UK and County Enterprise Foods for taking time to support the event

• AVA for providing further information on the role PPGs and wider involvement

• Also, many thanks to the partners and practice staff at Willowbrook MP

Steve Shaw
Chair – Willowbrook MP Patient Participation Group

Summary of Family and Friends Tests

19 Family and Friends tests were completed and comments were made as follows:

The question was “How likely are you to recommend our GP to friends and family if they needed similar care or treatment?”

Answers were:

• Extremely likely 8

• Likely 8

• Neither likely or unlikely 2

• Unlikely 1

• Extremely unlikely 0

• Don’t know 0

General comments:

The only negative comments were around the appointment system. 11 forms had adverse comments re appointment system with 6 of those having issues around same day appointments.

3 patients said they had no issues with the appointment system.

On the positive side 17 out of 19 commented how good the GPs, nurses and staff are once they have an appointment.

The general uptake for Family and Friends test is very low within the practice and from the event it indicates the way forward to increase numbers of completed forms is to provide individual support.