PPG Meeting minutes July 2025

Patient Participation Group Annual General Meeting

  • Date: Wednesday 30th July 2025 6pm to 7.15pm
  • Chair: Adrian Pitts
  • Minutes by: Sarah Baker
 

Apologies

  • Andrew Stanley
  • Mark Munday
  • Robert Cresswell
  • Susan Holleran

Present

  • Sarah Baker (SB)
  • Adrian Pitts (AP)
  • Arlene Hansell (AH)
  • Reuben Lewis (RL)
  • Jane Hetherton (JH)
  • Lynn Fitzjohn (LF)
  • Susan Nicholds (SN)
  • Peter and Patricia Williams (PW)
  • Andrew Mackie (AM)
  • Laura Phipps (LP)
  • Diana Hurd (DH)
  • Julia Wakeham (JW)
 

Introductions

The group introduced themselves and new attendees welcomed

 

Minutes of the Last Meeting

Agreed.

 

Matters Arising

DH asked how complaints were dealt with and if any training is identified how is this executed? JW replied if needed complaints are discussed as part of a significant event analysis and all complaints are reviewed annually, looking for themes. If training is needed this is implemented as quickly as possible

AP asked if verbal and written complaints are dealt with in the same way. SB confirmed they were. Social Media was discussed. If issues are commented on social media does the practice respond to these? SB advised No. If patients wish to make a complaint they will need to contact the practice in some form.

DH asked about swab results and who actions them. JW replied that if antibiotics are needed they are issued by the GP. GPs will ring microbiology if needed. Not every swab is actioned on the same day.

AH asked about the zebra crossing. AP confirmed this will not progress until at least 2030.

 

Actions since last Meeting AP

The WKPPG chairs meeting has been disbanded due to financial cuts however they still meet informally. The Daily Mirror has rated GP services in England using the latest GP Patient Survey recently published. Good feedback for Woodlands.

Anima discussed.

JW explained how the appointments work and how patients will be signposted when total triage comes into effect. AI uses the RAG system to highlight the most urgent cases. It will no longer be a first come first serve basis. Patient numbers will be capped as having unlimited calls can become dangerous. GPs will triage the digital patient requests to ensure patients see the right person at the right time.

SB confirmed Anima will be available to patients between 8am and 6.30 pm. Not 24 hours 7 days a week.

SN asked about the function of the duty doctor. JW explained the duty doctor sees all their own patients and patients of those GPs who are not in that day, if presenting with an urgent, acute problem. This will not change when total triage is introduced.

 

Medication Reviews-AH

AH asked the process for reviewing medication. JW advised medication are reviewed every time a prescription is signed. Outstanding investigations such as blood tests and blood pressure checks are reviewed by the GP.

If a patient needs to be seen in a medication review the GP will call them in/speak to them over the phone. The date on the prescription is a reminder for the GPs, not the patients. Unfortunately WHC is unable to remove the entry from the printed prescription. It might be that the GP purely didn’t click on the date to change it. Advised to ignore.

 

Any other Notified Business

Process for up updating prescriptions on database system .This is a general query with three examples.-RC

Diabetic sensor no longer supported by manufacturer, new version not updated on system.-RC.

JW explained letters come in asking for medications to be updated are passed to the prescription team. PW asked about medications that are no longer in stock or in circulation or no longer supported by the manufacture. JW replied that if the pharmacy are unable to get a certain medication to contact the surgery. The surgery will not always know what is no longer available.

 

Transitional increase in medication

Transitional increase in medication over a period of time actioned in system (we discussed before that if not actioned this is human error ) What is process to ensure letters are carefully reviewed. –RC

The document handlers follow strict protocols in what is sent to the GPs and what is not.

 

Consultant recommendation

Consultant recommendation in correspondence to prescribe a new drug not actioned- who is responsible? –RC

GPs are sometimes unable to issue a particular drug recommended by the consultant as the hospitals work from a different formulary to GP surgeries (as dictated by the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board). Sometimes a clinical pharmacist will become involved and potential discussions with the Kent and Medway ICB Medicines Optimisation Team.

 

Woodlands Update and Actions from the last meeting

Actions

  • RSV stats-SB-completed
    • 781 eligible
    • 538 have been vaccinated-69%
    • 15 declined
  • Website-RC
    • RC emailed SB earlier this week and member of staff working through the list
  • PPG Awareness-SB-completed
  • Call in boards no longer in use.
  • District Nurses communication-SB-completed
  • All staff aware patients are able to be given the District nurses’ telephone number
  • Anima previously discussed.
  • Patient Survey also discussed. Comparison to last year and this year below and link to full survey

Staffing

  • New GP starting 6th August 2025-Dr Sofia Bertoni-PW gave very good feedback
  • New nurse starting 29th September 2025
 

Brief Questions (As time allows)

AP reminded to members for items for the agenda in advance. Adult vaccination discussed. Agreed the criteria can be confusing especially for shingles. If unsure JW suggested sending in an E-Consult. RL suggested if a Benenden member it is quicker to see a physio therapist through their services. Patients can refer to Kent Community Health Physiotherapy Service using this link

National Patient Survey Comparison 24/25 Patients are selected by NHS England to complete the survey form

Question 2024 2025 National Average 2025 ICS Action needed
Good overall experience of contacting the practice 51% 74% 70% 63% No action needed
Easy to contact the practice on the phone 34% 45% 53% 44% The introduction of Anima will alleviate the pressure on the phone
Easy to contact using the website 45% 48% 51% 46% Include on next patient newsletter
Helpfulness of reception and admin staff 69% 80% 83% 80% Anima will reduce burn out/extend patience
Knew what next steps would be after contacting practice 78% 92% 83% 81% No action
Knew what next steps would be within 2 days of contacting the practic 95% 92% 93% 91% ???
HCP had all the info they needed about a patient 91% 94% 92% 91% No action
HCP was good at listening to the patient 87% 90% 87% 85% No action
HCP was good at treating the patient with care and concern 87% 88% 86% 58% No action
The patient was involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their car 96% 93% 91% 90% No action
The patient had confidence in the HCP 93% 93% 95% 91% No action
The patient’s needs were met 88% 90% 90% 88% No action
Overall Experience 62% 80% 75% 70% No action

Or they can be referred to the First Contact Physio through the surgery.

RL asked what the impact of NHS England being dissolved would have on the surgery. JW and SB unable to answer. WHC has not received any information other than what is in the media.

PW asked how long it takes for discharge summaries to come through. SB advised it can take a few days to travel through the system.

AP has invited a representative of 111 run by IC24 to attend the next meeting for a talk so may be a little longer.

It was asked what happens on PLT afternoons (Protected Learning Time)

SB confirmed these are usually once a month when all surgeries in West Kent are closed for the afternoon. Staff attend training events, such as safeguarding, Basic Life Support, Anima etc, or team building afternoons

 

Actions

No actions

 

Date for next PPG Meeting

  • Monday 27th October 6pm (JW unable to attend)

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