PPG: Meeting Minutes 29th January 2025

 

BACK TO MAIN INDEX

 
  • Date:  29th January 2025
  • Time: Via MS Teams at 3pm to 4pm
  • Attendees: John Rokos (JR), Dr George Zumbadze (GZ Hurley), Paige Sharpe (PS) Hurley, Patricia Idusogie (PI) PM Hurley, Mary Weaving (MW) (acting Chair)


    Unless otherwise stated, attendees are PPG members
 

Agenda Items

Welcome & Apologies: (MW)

MW welcomed all to the meeting.   Apologies were received Ashok and Adrienne.

 

Approval of Minutes of the last meeting 

The previous meeting minutes (January 29th, 2025), meeting to be discussed and agreed. 

 

Practice Report

Phone data

We are working hard to improve our average call time, basically it means ensuring that calls are picked up quickly and patients are not having to wait for their calls to be answered. It is one of the areas that we would be measured on.  It is a target that we want to make. To ensure that we achieve this target, we have put options on the phone menu for Immunisation queries, smear appointments or questions, medication queries and referrals. This to ensure that other request such booking an appointment and general questions are picked up picked up quickly. We have dedicated staff who are well trained in immunisation, medication, referrals and smears answering these calls. We are being measured on the time it takes us to answer calls. We have set our target at three minutes. 

Majority of our call volume comes in at 8am when the surgery opens. It is a big challenge. The solution is educating patients about eConsult, using their NHS app to obtain their blood results and request their medication, instead of calling the surgery or using their local pharmacy for minor ailments. We are currently at 5 minutes and working towards our target of 3 minutes. Patients do not have to wait on the phones as we offer a callback option which is very efficient and works. When the phones are busy everyone including the reception manager is picking up calls. MW inquired about the different menu options. On the menu option, there is an option for immunisations, referrals queries, medication queries and smear questions.  There is also an option for the Sexual Health team and Diabetic eye screening team. MW asked how the callback function works.

When a patient calls the wait time is high, the patient will be offered the option for a callback.  If they press the button for a call back, they will receive a callback at the time when the volume of calls waiting has reduced. 
GZ also shared the phone data from April to December 2024, which showed the average waiting times. January data was shown to highlight the difference since we made the changes.

Another area we have focused on is Digital Inclusion. With patients knowing how to access their results, order medications and view their records via the NHS App, this will hopefully reduce the number of patients calling the surgery line. We had 3 digital inclusion events in partnership with Haringey Federation to increase patient knowledge.  MW asked the patients are contacted. A search is run to determine who is not signed up on the NHS App, these patients are invited for 1-to-1 session to get set up and how to use the app.  The outcome has been successful. 

Staffing 

We are looking at hiring some more GPs. We will be putting out an advert for a total of 10 sessions. 

Appointments 

We are also making changes to our GP appointment rota to increase capacity. GZ We would have 10-minute appointments which allow for patients to address one problem. For complex issues or patients needing language line it will be a double appointment.  We need to provide a specific number of appointments per week, so telephone appointments will be at 10 minutes instead 15 minutes to increase appointment availability. Some GP’s face-to-face appointments will be reduced as well. In the past patients had the opportunity to discuss several things, they may to be asked to book another appointment to address other issues.

Achievements 

GZ discussed how well the surgery is doing within it’s PCN.  We are number 2 within our PCN group and we are above the ICB recommendation values in 4 categories, GZ offered to share the chat with the information. MW added that she has noticed the improvement and feel the has been a significant improvement in our service over the last year. GZ thanked MW for the acknowledgement, and he said it was very motivating.

GZ mentioned that we are working diligently at meeting all our QOF and LCS targets. 

PI highlighted the improvement in our NHS Choice feedback as well as Friends and Family feedback which we receive monthly. We are getting over 300 Friends and family responses. The kind of compliments we have been receiving in the last 10 months has been really encouraging for the staff. MW said the surveys are short and sharp and not long winded and it encourages to provide feedback.

PI informed everyone that the National patient survey would be coming out shortly and gave those present that the survey is a long survey to complete and asked that they do complete the survey.

JR was happy about the information regarding improvements surgery is making and he is encouraged with the information.

 

AOB

MW asked is the surgery is due for another CQC inspection. GZ said that we are due anytime for inspection.

MW asked about the premises and PI stated she did not have any further updates, but there a lot NHSE and NCLICB personnel visiting the premises and inspecting the building. A lot of meetings are being held and so hopefully things will start happening concerning the building. 

MW asked about the message outside the back gate.  PI stated the Landlord was in the process of getting the trees cut down and the area cleared up.

JR had asked about receptionist responding to text messages, has he sent a text as he was running late for his appointment due a problem on the road.  PI said we do not have the capacity to respond text messages. It would be better to send an email, if the phone lines were busy.

 

Next meetings

April 23rd 2025 from 3pm to 4pm