PPG Meeting minutes April 2025

Patient Participation Group Annual General Meeting

• Date: Monday 28th April 2025 6pm to 7.15pm
• Chair: Adrian Pitts
• Minutes by: Sarah Baker

Apologies

• Julia Wakeham
• Laura Phipps
• Nick Anderson

Present

• Sarah Baker (SB)  
• Adrian Pitts (AP)
• Arlene Hansell (AH)  
• Robert Cresswell (RC)
• Andrew Stanley (AS)
• Reuben Lewis (RL)  
• Mark Munday (MM)
• Susan Holleran (SH)  
• Jane Hetherton (JH)
• Lynn Fitzjohn (LF)
• Susan Nicholds (SN)
• Winsomme Mapp (WM)
• Peter and Patricia Williams (PW) 

Introductions

The group reintroduced themselves.

Minutes of the Last Meeting

Agreed.

Matters Arising

Item 5-Meeting with ICB on the 25th April was cancelled by the ICB. Waiting to reschedule.

Nominations and Elections

Adrian Pitts re-elected as chair. No nominations for deputy chair

Woodlands Update Including Actions from the Last Meeting

No actions from the last meeting

Standing items for the AGM

Flu data

RL asked about RSV stats. Not available but SB will bring these to the next meeting.

SB to action

Cervical Screening

E-consults Received

Blood Tests

23-24 4393

24-25 4740

GP face to face appointments

23-24 23%

24-25 24%

Complaints

Upheld 

• Misdiagnosis of scabies
• Treatment of wound
• Prescribing error
• Injection given in error x 2
• Data breach
• Website error
• Nurse appointment not available
• Customer Service x 2

Partly Upheld

• Lost Document
• Following a death
• Locum-self swabbing
• Urgent PX not issued same day
• 1 day delay acknowledging e-consult

Polices changes as a result:

• Death Policy

Vaccination Policy

The group asked who sees the complaints and who decides if the complaint is upheld. SB explained the process of Significant Events. All complaints and Significant Events are reviewed annually by the partners to look for themes and threads. Significant Events are usually held between 2 and 6 weeks after the event. If the Significant Event is as a result of a complaint a decision is made as to whether the complaint is upheld. SB decides those complaints which are not considered to be a t a Significant Event.

It was asked if complaints are peer reviewed by other surgeries. SB advised no

WHC is, in principle, employing Dr Sofia Bertoni-Sclavi from August 25. She is currently Dr Turner’s registrar. She will be working 5 sessions a week and will take on approximately 1750 patients. These patients will loosely be the newest patients to WHC.

WHC is one step closer to launching Anima. We are currently on boarding and hope to go live middle to late summer. Probably be a soft launch, replacing E-Consult with Anima in order for patients to familiarise themselves with the new software and progressing to a total triage system. SB confirmed that if patients are not able to complete an online request they should ring the surgery and staff will complete it on their behalf.

Update on technical and content amendments following addition resource on website. RC

SB confirmed the website has been updated by the new member of staff and is satisfied it is up to date. RC will cast his eye to confirm.
RC to action

What is considered appropriate matters for option 6 to be used on telephone options

SB confirmed anything that is not regarding an appointment, prescriptions, referrals or results. Administration answers option 6 calls and if unsure of the answer to the query they will refer to the Assistant Practice Manager, who if necessary, will refer to SB 

General Protocol from surgery for reporting a death

SB confirmed the death protocol has been updated recently. Expected death the surgery/the family to ring the District Nurses to confirm death. District Nurse telephone number is 0300 123 3382.
Unexpected death family/surgery to dial 999.

With expected deaths patient usually have a DNAR in place and a ReSPECT form. If staff member unsure they will ask the family.

General protocol/action by prescriptions for consultant agreed increase in medication

SB confirmed clinic letters from consultants with medication changes are passed to the prescription team for processing. The request then goes to the GP.

RC asked if a prescription was not updated on the system would this be down to human error? SB confirmed affirmatively.

General NHS Understanding of communication for appointment via various apps. Any update from previous discussion.

SB confirmed no. Some apps focus on primary care, others on secondary care. The group was not aware of any apps that incorporate both. SB confirmed the GPs can access results of bloods taken in  Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Trust if necessary

PPG annual update and forward planning

Report from the chair Adrian Pits

The last AGM was held on Wed 29th April 2024. 

Workforce

The Practice Manger has kept the group updated on the changing workforce at the Health Centre. At the AGM 2024 we were advised that Woodlands Health Centre (WHC) had been expanded due to the increase in patient numbers. At the time there were no plans to set up a satellite surgery in the town (proposed in one of the parcels of land in the Draft Local Plan). Meetings with the ICB were announced in January about the S106 money that has been allocated for new development in Paddock Wood related to health care settings.

Communications 

A Woodlands Facebook page has been used for community notices regarding vaccinations, PPG meetings and reminders. 

Woodlands Chair also attends West Kent PPG Chairs meetings held with local PCN PPG groups, which is reported back to PPG meetings. Ideas for engaging with patients are shared, including inviting speakers that may have a wider interest. I have set up for the director of IC24 which runs the 111-phone service to attend the PPG in October. Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust have introduced ‘Patient Knows Best’ digital results platform linked to the NHS App which has now been rolled out to patients. PPG members find the array of online patient access formats confusing. The digital aspects of patient access to primary care is also becoming policy for the Tonbridge PCN which will affect the way in which patients access GP services.

It is good practice to have links with other community groups and local government. Several local town and Borough councillors have attended PPG meetings, and our new local MP Mike Martin has attended a series of meetings with WHC admin and partners. 

Patient Surveys 

A future action at last year’s AGM was to ensure the contact details for patients are kept up to date so all patients who have not opted out of receiving text messages can get a link for the next PCN survey. The NHS GP National Survey was completed in July 2024 where selected patients are contacted by NHS England. For Woodlands 231 surveys were sent out with 104 sent back (45% completion rate). Of those patients who returned a survey 34% found it easy to contact WHC by phone (Nat av 50%), 45% using the website (Nat Av 48%), and 33% found it easy to contact the team using the NHS App. 69% found the reception and admin team helpful (Nat Av 83%), and 49% usually get to see their preferred healthcare professional (Nat Av 49%). Our patients know what the next step is after contacting our GPs – 78% immediately afterwards, and 95% within two days of contacting a GP. 51% described the GP practice experience good (Nat Av69%). WHC scored highly from patients once they had accessed the professional, with great care and concern, and being fully informed during their last appointment. High levels of trust and confidence were reported. The overall experience was described as good by 62% of patients who returned a survey.

The full results can be found online here.

The phone system and associated triage - in line with NHS policy, Woodlands is continuing to move towards a triage system that gives medical practitioners more information on a patients’ symptoms and conditions to allocate the appropriate care. 

Many younger patients are able to use the current eConsult feature, which frees up the phone lines for those who do not have internet access or those who are not confident in using eConsult. A partner advised the group that the management of the eConsults in surgery is very efficient and continues to grow in use and works well. 

Working with the Primary Care Network (Tonbridge PCN) offers a wider range of services for patients at Woodlands including physio, social prescribers, Clinical Pharmacist, and frailty home visits which have been recommended by members of the group.

Patient Group discussions

• The possibility of a pedestrian crossing on the main road outside the surgery discussed. The group was advised this is currently being discussed by the County Council but they have reservations about the speed traffic comes over the railway bridge. Changes to the travel flow on the railway bridge may bring the possibility of a crossing further down the line (c2030)
• At last year’s AGM it was agreed that reception staff would say their names when answering calls. This was not implemented due to potential social media concerns.
• Digital access was the focus of the October meeting, and the PPG felt that the three options put forward by Dr Julia Wakeham were to be shared with other patients to agree a position. Three options were put forward for discussion:

1. Total triage, operating a digital front door. Patients would not be able to ring /attend surgery requesting an appointment. An E-consult would have to be submitted and then triaged.
2. Children and the elderly could ring the surgery but everyone else to contact the surgery digitally.
3. The surgery to continue to push E-consult, asking patients to contact us digitally if they are able.

• After further consultation by PPG members, the majority would like E-Consults to be pushed (Option 3).
• Complaints were discussed. Members asked what the procedure was when a complaint is received and upheld. We were advised WHC hold a Significant Event Analysis meeting to discuss what went wrong, why it went wrong and to discuss ways to reduce the risk of it happening again.
• In July there was a major NHS IT outage, and the PPG heard how WHC coped well. Patients were asked to attend surgery if they needed urgent medical attention. Paper and Pen was used to record consultations and written up on the computer records on Monday 22nd July. 
• In January 2025 we heard how Tonbridge PCN was exploring a Digital Front Door to access GP services. All requests for an appointment and any queries are submitted digitally. For those who are unable to submit digitally they will be able to ring the surgery, and reception will fill the digital form in for them. WHC currently use E-consult but will be moving to ANIMA. WHC hope to implement this in the summer with a gradual introduction. The PPG stressed how it is important to communicate changes to access clearly and are looking at ways to support WHC doing this. Suggestions included  a presentation at a 3UA meeting and suggested a PPG presence at the Paddock Wood Carnival.
• For more information on ANIMA 
• Website communications have been the focus of several meetings to make sure all access and comms are consistent and accurate. A new member of staff has been employed, and part of her role is to ensure the website is up to date. WHC hopes this will be by the end of April 2025.

Forward planning 

PPG Awareness week 2024 – this was not undertaken this year on account of the Chair’s personal health. The group could decide to take it forward to engage with new patients in the area.

Digital access – supporting the HC with the introduction and roll out of the new digital front door.

Increase PPG awareness and attempt to recruit younger members. Agreed difficult to recruit young patients. Agreed to advertise on the call in board in the surgery and in the new patient handbook.

SB to action

AOB

District Nurses Discussed. SB confirmed they are not employed by the practice. They are employed by Kent Community Health Trust. Patients need to be referred by the practice. Patients cannot refer themselves. Patients can ring the District Nursing Team directly if they are expecting a visit. RC advised he was denied this number by staff at the surgery. SB will investigate.

SB to action

AM queried why the district nurses cannot give COVID and flu vaccines. SB advised this is a logistical issue and not currently possible.

RC complemented the reception team on  efficiency improvement in service. It was noted noted they no longer say their names. Also staff notice board has been removed. SB advised this is due to staff concerns over social media.

RC asked if Julia Wakeham cannot attend the PPG meeting could another Partner step in. SB explained all Partners have lead roles and no deputy is appointments. They  carry out their duties according to their roles. 

Actions

• RSV stats-SB
• Website-RC
• PPG Awareness-SB
• DN communication-SB

Dates for PPG Meetings 25-26

• Wednesday 30th July 6pm
• Monday 27th October 6pm
• Wednesday 28th January 2026 6pm