Why are we here? We have in place various ways in which patients can engage, to either use services, or influence the way in which those services are provided. Tonight we will mainly focus on GP related services and hope to inform, engage and perhaps inspire you or others within your community to contribute to our work in these areas.

So how can you do that? Clinical commissioning group (CCG) - a clinically led organisation who is actively shaping Healthcare provision our area. Patient Participation Group (PPG) – run by each practice, containing patients and members of staff who exchange news and views on current and future practice services. Virtual Patient Group – usually run through addresses and involving on line surveys NHS choices – a web based forum providing area specific Health Service information and the opportunity to comment and feedback on GP practices. Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection – the body that are responsible for overseeing the quality of care provided by various health care providers including GP’s Friends and Family – A new scheme being expanded from Hospitals to ask patients to rate their GP, based upon whether they would recommend to their friends and family.

Does it actually work? I would say that it does, but only if we have people that are prepared to proactively engage. They should not drive personal agendas and should try to keep an open mind as to what may or may not be possible and in return we should be honest about what is on the table for discussion. A minimum of an annual survey is carried out, with feedback and actions reported to participants and patients through various media, Usually 6 PPG meetings per year, with minutes circulated to attendees an displayed on notice boards and web sites. Direct replies to comments posted on NHS choices. Patient involvement in the CQC inspection and assessment of GP services. Friends and family is a new scheme giving the opportunity of instant feedback.

Does that sound of interest? Discussion……………………….

Accessing Services There has been recent work across the UK to try to signpost patients to appropriate services, as the current demand upon A&E services is unsustainable. (Choose well leaflet) There have also been been changes to the options available to patients over recent years and months when interacting with GP surgeries. Face to face consultations have been supplemented with Telephone encounters. On line booking of appointments and ordering of repeat medication via a secure web account is becoming more popular than calling by telephone into surgeries. This will be expanded to include access to test results in the future. Other initiatives are running to try to capture potential symptoms before they start to impact upon the health of patients (Free Health check leaflet). An early intervention can (in some cases) prevent a full blown Long Term condition developing, but often we struggle to get the message across or patients to engage.

As a starting point for further discussion we have developed some scenarios 1.Evidence shows that poor engagement with ethnic minority communities results in unequal access to healthcare services. Some of the barriers include: Language difficulties, Communication, Lack of understanding. Can you add any more to the list above? 2.Patients sometime attend an appointment with an interpreter. If this is a family member whose command of the English language is poor the translation may be lost. What could we do to overcome this? 3.Poor English skills mean that resources are often not being accessed as patients are unable to make the appropriate enquiries. What could be done to improve this? So what does that mean to you?

What could we do together to engage with your communities? Would you know who to approach if you were unsure about something? Did you know we have access to independent interpreters? Did you know that there are services that you can access to help with various conditions or CVD, LD, Smoking cessation, Exercise referral to name but some.