Wharfside Patients Forum
Meeting held 23/09/04 , 17.00-19.30h, Clinical Trials Centre St. Mary's Hospital
Present: |
Apologies: |
|
Fellow patients Wharfside Patients Forum member |
Wharfside staff |
Bernard Forbes |
Martin Schwarz Colin Richardson Lee Neil Joyce Guy |
George Andy Caroline Rosy Louise Steve Alan |
Issues:
Suggestions box operation taken over. Now the posted forms go to the forum for processing. This posed security, legal and ethical problems re the confidentiality of information
Martin obtaining the required security clearance to ask for contacts names and addresses where a response has been asked for and only a clinic number given has overcome these problems. Suggestion Box form altered accordingly.
An email and mailing list has been set up working under the data protection guidelines. Hard copies of patient data securely stored at Wharfside. Legal team of St Mary's to organise any loose ends.
Wharfside Patients Forum will attend HIV Teamleader meetings every three month. We will receive the monthly minutes with “sensitive” issues withheld.
Poor service was due to 5 months of no person being in charge of the reception. Other reasons where levelled at high staff turn over and that there was a grading problem making promotion very difficult to implement. Restructuring and the appointment of a staff co-ordinator should show an improvement. Training on the job was difficult but customer service professionalism training has been implemented. The WPF asked that name badges be worn at all times and a preference for more mature staff.
Generally accepted as a good idea as long as the vat loophole exists. Several hospitals have implemented the service and others are launching their own service. Greater savings could be made if more hospitals joined together under a coalition.
The aim is to voluntarily move some patients over to a postal drug delivery as a trial. If it works the service would be offered to all stable patients.
Needs to be more presentable
Needs a link from the main St Mary's site
All clinic times
Standard opening times
Day ward
Std Screening times
Last Blood taking times
Walk in doctor times
Dentist times (Yes there is a dentist service!)
Show all alternative therapies like Massage and Acupuncture.
Full list of phone numbers with samples of whom you should call what number for what service they require. I.e. whom do you call for repeat prescriptions or STD problems
Wharfside Patients Forum site info to be shown on the plasma screens (if working!)
Service halted for a time again due to rapid staff turnover.
Hope is to restart it soon.
An audit of usage will show exactly if the walk in service is being used as a convenience or a necessity and to point out to regular abusers to use there GP for minor ailments or to by from the chemist.
Generally held up as a great idea.
Suggestion that triage nurse should be able to do minor prescription (if not in person than with pharmacist) to free up more time for walk in doctor.
Still a working project
A drive has been attempted to increase African and female members. Problems highlighted were the travelling costs and the availability of child minders. Travelling expenses could possibly be covered but child minder fees would not be possible. Still, that should be investigated. There was talk of changing the meeting times but it was agreed that it would make little change to numbers.
User focused monitoring.
Patients write a questionnaire for patients to answer. That way we get to address our problems not the problems the hospital thinks we have. Found to work well in other areas.
Could this be a way forward for the WPF?
Self help groups
Buddying
Social groups for age bands and creeds
More inviting meeting venue. Although the hospital does offer a room free of charge, it is still in a clinical environment.
A positive move for the WPF to be held more often. Only two members got involved between the 3 monthly meetings. The WPF is greater than 2 members! Those present where interested in getting more involved in the direction of the 'club'. To be addressed at the HIV Teamleader meeting.
The WPF applauded the enormous staff turn out as a positive recognition of the WPF and would welcome them to any further meeting. Concerns were raised about the commitment level hoisted on to the already overworked staff and it was agreed that a staff commitment could be quarterly on site and the WPF could meet monthly in any venue (even off site)
For the first time WS if holding a short nurse-led clinic. This will hopefully cut down on doctor appointments. Referral would be from your clinic doctor only. Only 5 appointments will be available at the beginning. If the clinic is successful then there is a possibility of being expanded. The nurse will take bloods, cover any new problems and issues regular drugs.
The nurse will not be able to issue new drugs for new ailments but will have the regular drugs ready for collection. If something has changed in the health of the patient then a doctor appointment will be made.
Short discussion of leaflet for this clinic.
WS computer for patients to access info often not working because of password problems.
Andy will lift the requirement for a password. Security concerns voiced. There should be a direct link to Wharfside Patients Forum web-site.
Scheduled the next meeting for Thursday, 21st Oct. 1700 > 1900
Colin