James Wigg Practice (PPG) Meeting 28th September 2017

PRESENT

Patients: Gill Walt (Chair), Mimi Colahan (Vice Chair), Gordon Meen, Judy Hildebrand, Pat Banks, Judy Sands, Susan Hutton, Ruthins Newton, ZohraYalerang, Shiela Sansbury, Joanna Terry, Jonny Bucknell, Frank Drake, Emma Chimonidou

Practice: Natasha Smeaton (GP)

Visitor: Sharleen Rudolf (Care Navigation Manager (Age UK Camden)

Loni Booker, Adam Leys, Kathy Graham-Harrison, Lucy Medhurst, Riva Joffe, Penny Gamez, Isky Gordon, Tracey Morgan.

It was noted that at the July meeting on ‘Meeting Your Practice’ had attracted over 120 patients, and one of the issues – on how the practice is run – would be of interest to patients. It was agreed that this could be made the focus of the 2018 meeting to be held next July.  It was also noted that sending out a text to patients with mobile phones had resulted in a larger than usual response, which may also have been due to holding the meeting from 6pm.

Sharleen Rudolf, Care Navigation Manager from Age UK Camden presented the work of Care Navigators, and described services available for carers in Camden. She described it as astride Health and Social Care and the Voluntary sector.  People aged 60+ needing support, help with independent living, social care, people not attending hospital appointments, etc. are referred by their GPs. Each Care Navigator takes on 5 referrals per week, and has different areas of expertise. One care navigator is attached to the James Wigg Practice, and is highly valued.

A lively discussion ensued, with contributions from the several carers who attended. Most importantly, carers’ need human support, and to be able to ‘escape’ from time to time, and talk  with other people than the patient. Camden Carers and Age UK Camden both run volunteer training and offer a variety of services to carers and the people they are caring for. Camden Carers Services have a good website –  www.camdencs.org.uk – which offers advice, support and activities for family and unpaid carers across the borough.

The PPG has been looking at ways of helping patients who are carers.  Following a letter sent out by the Practice to all carers registered, feedback suggested that activities such as Qigong, mindfulness and meditation would be helpful, particularly before the weekend when carers were the most unsupported. A number of carers attended the meeting, and gave useful insights into the problems carers face, leading to a rich discussion.

Ideas coming from discussion included:

1) Raising awareness within the Practice:

2) Encouraging PPG members to become friends or befrienders through existing schemes:

• Camden Community Network – phone call once a week (Judy Hildebrand)
• Age UK Befrienders – one hour a week commitment  (Susan Hutton)

Kathy Graham-Harrison provided a short written report which included the following:

• The September meeting focused on updates regarding GP neighbourhoods.  Camden will have 4 GP Neighbourhoods: the James Wigg Practice will be in the NW5 neighbourhood, together with 6 other practices, including the Caversham.
• The next open meeting is on 9 October from 2-4 at St Pancras Hospital.
• Camden has introduced new Baby clinic hubs, and talks are ongoing as to which Practices or centres in Camden will become hubs.   [Feedback from the Practice was that this policy was implemented with no notice to GPs – with the first sign being the withdrawal of health visitors. The Practice is hoping this will be amended if it becomes a hub].

• Five new doctors and three new reception staff have been appointed.
• The deputy reception manager will become Manager.
• The admin team is being increased
• A new deputy practice manager, Siobhan Moriarty, has been appointed to be largely at Queens Crescent.
• A day was held to promote attention for advance care planning (continuing during Vaccination Clinics) and services offered by Macmillan Nurses and Camden Carers

NEXT MEETING

Thursday 16th November 2017 from 2 to 3.30.