Agenda item

To receive an update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough and the Wokingham Medical Centre Enter and View Report.

The Committee received an update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough and their Enter and View report for Wokingham Medical Centre.

During the discussion of the item the following points were made:

·       The Chairman read out a statement provided by Wokingham Medical Centre.

·       Alice Kunjappy-Clifton advised the Committee that the Enter and View inspection had been carried out because feedback had been received regarding Wokingham Medical Centre for some time.  She reminded Members that Healthwatch staff had to be trained to undertake an Enter and View.

·       Residents had expressed concerns regarding GP access, booking appointments, medication, and specific issues around quality of care.  Positive feedback had also been received.

·       Healthwatch Wokingham Borough had used its statutory powers to undertake an Enter and View in February.  It had observed on the nature and quality of care provided.  Healthwatch had talked to service users.  Alice provided further information regarding the methodology used.

·       Face to face surveys were undertaken and hard copies provided if required.  An online survey was also provided, and observations carried out.  207 responses had been received, which was one of the largest responses to an Enter and View.

·       Alice Kunjappy-Clifton stated that findings had suggested that there were possibly issues with GP access, patient self-care, patient knowledge, and the environment.  Recommendations had been given to the providers.  A wider piece of work around GP access across the Borough was being undertaken.  

·       The Chair thanked Healthwatch for their work as residents had been raising concerns around Wokingham Medical Centre with local Members.

·       Whilst the Committee had been informed that improvements were being made, a Member commented that they continued to hear concerns from residents.  He queried whether greater access could be provided to the Healthwatch survey and commented that some patients had indicated that they had felt that they had, had to seek alternatives such as attending A&E if they had been unable to access an appointment.  Alice Kunjappy-Clifton encouraged people to respond to the work around GP access.  She went on to state that feedback continued to be received.  A focus group had been conducted and some participants had shared their experiences of the surgery.  The Committee was informed that Healthwatch would be going back in February to ascertain how the recommendations were progressing.

·       Alice Kunjappy-Clifton indicated that the minutes of the Patient Participation Group were not currently available on the Centre’s website, which was a contract requirement.  Also, it was not known how often the PPG met.  Woosehill surgery had indicated that they had offered to assist the PPG but had not received a response.

·       In response to a Member question, Helen Clark indicated that PPGs were a contract requirement.  The Chair questioned whether the view of the Wokingham Medical Centre’s PPG regarding the surgery could be sought.  Helen Clark indicated that the ICB was in dialogue with the surgery and would seek an update.

·       A Member raised concerns around the suitability of the Centre’s building.

·       Members questioned how it was decided whether the level of GP surgery provision in an area was considered sufficient or otherwise.  It was suggested that the ICB be asked to provide information as to the criteria used to determine the number of GP surgeries required to meet population needs.

·       Members agreed that it would be helpful to ask for a quarterly update from Primary Care on the data that it considered.

·       The Chair suggested that the Chair of the Berkshire West Primary Care Alliance be invited to a future meeting to update the Committee on the role of the Alliance, and how the Council could engage with it.

·       Helen Clark thanked Healthwatch for the report and the wider work with the ICB around GP access, different modes of access and patient perceptions around these areas.

·       Helen Clark indicated that feedback was received from patients as well as from Healthwatch.  Currently the ICB was not seeing a huge amount of feedback regarding Wokingham Medical Centre, and they were not a huge outlier on a BOB level with regards to the Friends and Family Test or other key access indicators.  The ICB was however working with Wokingham Medical Centre and their PCN with regard to the  National Access Recovery Plan for General Practice and the associated Access Improvement Plans and the practice was engaging with the ICB on this.

·       Helen Clark questioned whether the Committee would find it helpful to have a regular report from Primary Care regarding some of the key indicators that they looked at.

·       With regards to planning and population numbers, Helen Clark indicated that there was an ongoing discussion with the Council’s Planning department about the forthcoming Local Plan consultation, and as part of that, the assumptions regarding all of the SDLs, the actual delivered housing, and any new projections for housing, would be revisited.  Ingrid Slade was now joining the monthly meeting with Planning to provide an insight about population health and growth.

·       Members were informed that changes in patient behaviours in terms of consultation rates were being seen.  Demand for appointments was very high and the ICB was working with the PCNs to understand the reasons behind this.  This also needed to be fed into future population need discussions.  Helen Clark indicated that work was being undertaken with the Berkshire West Primary Care Alliance to discuss estate planning.

·       The Committee were of the view that GP access was an ongoing issue and that people needed to feel listened to.  Helen Clark referred to the demand and workforce constraints but re-iterated the suggestion of a regular report.

·       Alice Kunjappy-Clifton commented that communication around the new ways of working needed to be improved and that some people needed more information on how to use the NHS app.

RESOLVED:  That Alice Kunjappy-Clifton be thanked for her presentation and the update on the work of Healthwatch Wokingham Borough be noted.