A.O.B. Following the leaflets distributed concerning ‘Friends and Family’ Dr. Manyweathers informed us we need to think of an extra question to ask people! Dr. Chitnis has given the PPG a challenge to think carefully about how the practice might be improved to give better all-round service. Our practice covers a large area and has more patients than average therefore the workload for GP’s is enormous. This is making recruitment of a replacement for Dr. Wallace very difficult and at present ALL the Doctors are working extra hours to ensure the safety of all. The situation in the NHS at present is not viable and the Safeguarding of patients in The Castle Practice is taken very seriously and is everyone’s’ responsibility. The number of patients booking appointments and not keeping them is still a problem. New patient form filling takes time but this will be alleviated as in future the practice will not accept new patients from the B34 area. At times the queue to speak to a receptionist spills over on to the stairs. Receptionist are often busy on the ‘phone and others seem to be too busy in the office to come and help out. There was a suggestion that some volunteer help, possibly from members of the PPG, might be useful. This would have to be fully thought through – if people are waiting to see a Dr. they would not want to discuss the problem with a volunteer to decide whether they really needed to see a Dr. or might see the Pharmacist or Nurse Practitioner. Ted Rogers informed us that the Bus Services are changing. This might make it difficult for some patients to get appointments to suit. This left us with many things to think about. Date of the next meeting. This was fixed for Wednesday 5th October at 6.00pm The meeting closed at 7.15pm
A.O.B. Following the leaflets distributed concerning ‘Friends and Family’ Dr. Manyweathers informed us we need to think of an extra question to ask people! Dr. Chitnis has given the PPG a challenge to think carefully about how the practice might be improved to give better all-round service. Our practice covers a large area and has more patients than average therefore the workload for GP’s is enormous. This is making recruitment of a replacement for Dr. Wallace very difficult and at present ALL the Doctors are working extra hours to ensure the safety of all. The situation in the NHS at present is not viable and the Safeguarding of patients in The Castle Practice is taken very seriously and is everyone’s’ responsibility. The number of patients booking appointments and not keeping them is still a problem. New patient form filling takes time but this will be alleviated as in future the practice will not accept new patients from the B34 area. At times the queue to speak to a receptionist spills over on to the stairs. Receptionist are often busy on the ‘phone and others seem to be too busy in the office to come and help out. There was a suggestion that some volunteer help, possibly from members of the PPG, might be useful. This would have to be fully thought through – if people are waiting to see a Dr. they would not want to discuss the problem with a volunteer to decide whether they really needed to see a Dr. or might see the Pharmacist or Nurse Practitioner. Ted Rogers informed us that the Bus Services are changing. This might make it difficult for some patients to get appointments to suit. This left us with many things to think about. Date of the next meeting. This was fixed for Wednesday 5th October at 6.00pm The meeting closed at 7.15pm
27th%20July%20PPG%20minutes.docx