Patient Participation Group

 

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Department of Health wants to ensure that patients are more involved in decisions about the range and quality of services provided by their GP surgery and, over time, commissioned by their practice. We have agreed to set up our very own PPG (Patient Participation Group).

We need to work with as many different patients as possible and make sure that the group is a fair representation of our entire patient population.

We want to seek views from our patients through the use of local practice surveys. The outcomes of the engagement and the views of our patients are to be published here on our practice website.

PPG

We hope to develop our PPG in the most appropriate way to most effectively reach the broadest cross section of our community. This could be a virtual or a face-to-face group or a combination of the two. We will strive to gain feedback from a representative cross section of our practice population. We will make every effort to engage with any underrepresented groups.

You can join the group by either completing the online membership for at https://www.leeroadsurgery.co.uk/ppg-signup-form or by completing the leaflet sign up form and handing it to our receptionists. 

Our next meeting will be in September at the practice - The actual date is to be agreed by the membership

Minutes of Meeting

10th June 2025 @ 17:30

Present –                                                                                                                                             Apologies -

TC                           SM                                                                                                                         MT

BC                           PP                                                                                                                           GT

IF                            AP

SG                          PP

CI                            RS

AJ                           Grant Griffiths (Practice Manager)

Dr Helen Butler (GP Partner)

Dr Paul Adams (GP Partner)

 

Group Structure

Grant started the meeting by stating that the purpose of the meeting was to try and provide the group with some structure. To help with this, Grant had provided a copy of a guide to setting up and developing the PPG.

From the discussions the following has been agreed –

Grant to establish a core membership list. This will comprise those who have attended this meeting with an additional two members nominated from one of the attendees who were sure would want to be part of the core group. Grant will also from this send an email to the core membership asking for their consent to share their email address with the other core members. This was agreed to facilitate communication between core members prior to meetings. Those not presently on the core membership can join at any given point and minutes will be provided to all members.

In terms of appointing a chair and vice chair, it was agreed that Grant would send an email to all members requesting those interested to put forward their nomination. If more than one nomination should be submitted each position then it would be put to a vote.

It was agreed that Grant would put together a draft terms of reference for the membership to discuss and amend as necessary.

For the next meeting, Grant will put forward a few suggested dates for a vote by the membership

AOB

Dr Butler and Dr Adams informed those present that the practice had a scheduled CQC visit and our report has come back as Overall Good.

SM mentioned that she had encountered a change of medication without explanation but had since discussed this with Dr Butler, SM asked is this happening to anyone else – Dr Adams stated that this shouldn’t happen but would need to see other specific examples to provide answers. Additionally he stated that we are often asked to switch generic medications or moving from one drug in favour of a cheaper alternative. These switches are always made with clinical safety in mind. The requests are often made by the South East London Integrated Care Board, whom we are answerable to.

Summary of actions from meeting

Grant to establish core membership list.

Grant to email core membership asking for consent to share their email address with other each other.

Grant to email all members asking for interest in the position of chair and vice chair.

Grant to draft a terms of reference for the group.

Grant to email membership with some suggested dates for next meeting (September 2025) for the membership to vote on.

Minutes of Meetings

9th September 2024 @ 18:30

Present                                                                                                         Apologies

C I                                           A J                                                                                                          P P

B C                                         X Z                                                                                                          P C

R S                                          S M                                                                                                        A C

T C                                          C M

M T                                        Grant Griffiths (Practice Manager)          

A C                                         Dr Adams (GP Partner)

Dr Butler (GP Partner

 

Grant opened the meeting and welcomed all the new members and thanked everyone for taking the time to come along. Discussions opened on the GP Patient Survey results. Everyone agreed that the results were extremely good.

Issues were raised around the appointment system with a lack of understanding of how it works from the patient’s perspective and that it isn’t being communicated effectively.

Whilst discussing the appointment system, booking appointments via the NHS App was put forward by the practice as a way of finding appointments without the telephone queues. Some of the PPG members indicated they were not aware of all the functionality the app offered i.e. appointment booking, repeat medication requests, viewing of medical records, pharmacy nominations and viewing test results.

It was agreed that the practice will put together some text explaining how the appointment system works and how best the patients can use the system to their benefit. When the text is approved, it will be displayed on the practice website, in the reception waiting area, waiting area tv screen, information pack for the reception team and an email campaign to all patients.

Grant said that the NHS App is used by 65% of those patients eligible. It was agreed to communicate more effectively about the NHS App with the reception team informing patients about it opportunistically as well as an email campaign. Appointing NHS App champion in the reception team to help patients with issues/setting up.

Issues with the reception team were raised. Whilst for the majority of the time the service was good there has been a small amount of instances of inaccurate information, unhelpfulness etc. Grant and Dr Adams stated that we have been aware of some of these issues and have been trying to correct this. Grant agreed to take this feedback away and discuss with the reception team.

The car parking situation was raised as the practice has now made the parking facilities for staff only and patients with a blue badge. Dr Adams explained we have had situations where a patients have blocked the duty GP’s car in when they need to be able to visit patients for urgent home visits. Additionally we have had numerous situations where patients had damaged staff cars whilst using the car park and had left without informing anyone.

The untidy nature of the reception front desk was raised with all the posters around it. Grant has agreed to look into this. A member of the reception team will be nominated to take charge of all poster communications in the reception area.

The next meeting has yet to be scheduled.