Patient Participation Group

 

Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) meets to provide a forum for discussion about the practice.

The overall aim of our group (PPG) is to develop a positive and constructive relationship between patients and the practice, ensuring that we remain accountable and responsive to our patient needs.

Membership has re-opened; if you are interested in joining please complete our registration form.

If you would like to contact the PPG or a member of the PPG please send us your message using our secure online form.

We will be in touch shortly after we receive your form. Please note that no medical information or questions will be responded to.

Monday 13th October - Patient Participation Group Meeting 

1.Welcome and Introductions given. 

2. Apologies from some members for not being able to attend. They are hoping to join for the next meeting. We have discussed the possibility of changing the meeting time/date and have agreed to provide a remote option for new memebers should they not be able to attend face to face. 

4. Practice update - We say a sad goodbye to our Practice Nurse Debbie who has been with us for 36 years and a warm hello to our new nurse Tamara who will be starting on the 27th October. We have also welcomed 2 new GP's to the surgery. We discussed our new booking platform Rapid Health and feedback members have had regarding this. The main concern is those who need to have a follow up or have a long term condition, Chloe will take this feedback away and hopefully have an update for our next meeting. We discussed september DNA's and what we can do to continue to reduce this number, there was a service disruption with the dedicated cancellation line we have fixed this but it may explain a higher number of DNA's for september compared to previous months. A massive well done and congratulations to the practice on achieveing awards in Cancer Care, Learning Disability STAR award and a Carer's Award. We also had great reviews on the National Patient Survey which you can view here : https://www.gp-patient.co.uk/

5. PPG Review - The group looked at recruitment of new members. The group have provided some slides to be added to our waiting area screens, and new posters have went around the surgery. 

6. Date of next meeting: 21st January at 1pm. 

Previous Meeting Dates : 29th June 2025

Monday 9th February 2026 - Patient Participation Group Meeting 

Issue meeting minutes

LS

Complete

Send meeting agenda points for next PPG to LS by 30/01

All

Complete

Send out meeting reminder the week before meeting

LS

Complete

Send out meeting agenda the week before meeting

LS

Complete

Arrange next meeting at Woodsend

LG/CC

Complete

Make newsletter amendments and publish / print newsletter

FB/LG/CC

LG/CC will work together to ensure it is accessible on the patient screens. The group agreed the information needed to be short and to the point to make it easy to read for patients sitting waiting for appointments. The group asked LG for clarification on whether paper copies could be left in the surgery.

Establish how can the PPG support the surgery on top 3 appointment types, by providing information in the next newsletter?

LG/CC

Not addressed

Establish if the DNA report can include supporting data (gender, age group, appointment type etc.)

LG/CC

LG had checked with management and it is not possible to run these type of reports on Rapid Health. MC asked that this be looked into.

Request to have a dedicated PPG notice board at Studfall.

LG

Complete

Confirm if the survey via text is still issued.

LG/CC

Complete – LG confirmed 60 Friends & Family text messages are sent out per week (30 Studfall/30 Woodsend)

Request to have PPG Newsletter on medical centre screens.

LG/CC

See previous action note regarding this

Confirm if PPG can attend the centre(s) on an agreed date to tell people about the PPG and get anonymous feedback via a printed survey?

LG/CC

Complete

Confirm if a PPG Facebook could be created and what the guidelines around this would be?

LG/CC

Complete – the group decided that this was not to be pursued at present

Confirm if we can report / measure the use of Social Prescriber service before and after the newsletter?

LG/CC

Complete - LG has contacted SP and he is happy to give feedback to the group

Project Hope leaflet to be added to PPG notice board

LS

LS had some leaflets and will drop them into the surgery

Confirm if ear syringe service is live and which centres it is available in

LG/CC

Complete LG confirmed that at present there are 2 x HCA’s offering this service (Studfall & Woodsend)but this will be expanded in the near future once other HCA’s have completed their training. CG asked how appointments are made? LG advised that patients ring to make appointment with HCA but must allow 14 days to use ear drops. FB asked how to get eardrops? LG advised olive oil drops from any pharmacy.

Confirm if we can have a report on the SLA of the letter 28-day review process.

LG/CC

LG confirmed that the pharmacists look at the letters first and if needed, will amend medication etc. However there may be times when it needs to be referred on to a GP to assess. At present the letters are being processed around 2 weeks from when the letter arrives.

Confirm how in house physio service is signposted and used

LG/CC

Complete LG confirmed that Mac was now moving a significant number of appointments over to Rapid Health so patients can be seen as quickly as possible. These are new cases and not longstanding issues which would still be referred to NHFT.

Share Innovate Physio proposal with Woodsend / Studfall partners

LS / LG / CC

Complete – Not pursuing at this point in time. Dr Winters had explained  the reasons behind this to the group

 

3. Rapid Access Data (all Northamptonshire sites) – this was sent out by LG to all PPG members for information. MM advised that DNAs are a major problem for the practice and suggested this is something the group concentrate on raising awareness, which was agreed by the group. A discussion followed about how easy it is to cancel appointments and a suggestion made to make the cancellation line more accessible as had been implemented in the past.

4. LTC (Long Term Condition) reviews – MD had asked what conditions were part of the LTC reviews and why some were excluded. LG sent out some information regarding this and advised Long Term Conditions (LTCs) is a nationally determined and contracted service which we do on behalf of the NHS. This is for those with chronic illnesses like diabetes, asthma, and COPD. These reviews help healthcare providers assess how well the condition is being managed and make necessary adjustments to their treatment plans. All other conditions are still monitored regularly via med reviews/blood tests and also NHS Health Checks. 

5. PPG name - FB suggested that the notice board should be called PPG The Patients’ Voice. The group agreed that the term PPG would have little significance to patients so agreed that this should be implemented on the noticeboard.

6. Newsletter (FB) – as already discussed the newsletter will be edited to ensure it can be used on the patient screens and LG will look into whether paper copies will be allowed in the practices. A copy will go up on the noticeboards along with a copy of the meeting minutes. FB asked about the minutes being posted on the website. LG posts on Studfall website but will look to post on Woodsend as well. MC/FB asked who approves what can be published? LG will run by management for confirmation. MC asked LG to review what posters/information is available at other branch surgeries.

9. Any other business – MC and MM suggested the practice gives the PPG what the action plan is going forward for Woodsend so that they can support this by highlighting problems like DNAs.

Next Meeting

Date: Monday April 13th

Time: 5.30pm

Location: Woodsend Education Suite