PPG Meeting Minutes November 2025

• Date: Monday 3rd November 2025 6pm to 7.15pm
• Chair: Adrian Pitts
• Minutes by: Sarah Baker

Apologies

• Andrew Stanley

Present

• Sarah Baker (SB)
• Julia Wakeham (JW)
• Arlene Hansell (AH)
• Robert Cresswell (RC)
• Reuben Lewis (RL)
• Mark Munday (MM)
• Susan Holleran (SH)
• Jane Hetherton (JH)
• Lynn Fitzjohn (LF)
• Susan Nicholds (SN)
• Peter and Patricia Williams (PW)
• Andrew Mackie (AM)

Introductions

The group reintroduced themselves

Guest Speaker Phil Blake from IC24

Phil explained IC24 is the current provider for 111. 111 is the number for NHS 111, a free service in the UK for urgent, non-life-threatening medical issues or advice. You can call 111 or use the website 111.nhs.uk to get help if you need to see a doctor or other healthcare professional quickly, or when you don't know who else to contact.

IC24 are interested in patient feedback but difficult due to the nature of the patient demographic. 

They are based in Ashford but cover Kent, Sussex, Norfolk, Essex and Gloucestershire

Patient’s first contact is with a health advisor. They are not clinicians but are trained to follow pathways developed by clinicians. The health advisor establishes how urgent the need is and directs the patient to the most appropriate service.

They are able to send messages to surgeries if the GP is considered the most appropriate person to see but as most surgeries have reached capacity by mid-morning the patient may be told to ring 111 back after 18:30.

Please see the explanatory video

Minutes of the Last Meeting

Agreed

Matters Arising 

RC asked for the agenda and minutes to be sent 1 week prior to the meeting. Noted by SB

Woodlands Update 

First day of digital Front Door today. It went as well as can be expected. Some very good feedback and some not so good. Undoubtedly the pathways will be adapted and amended as we move forward.

All queries and appointment request need to be now submitted via Anima. No prescription, results or referral telephone times as these queries are all submitted on Anima

Your and Your General Practice

You and your general practice (YYGP) has been developed to help patients understand what to expect from their general practice and how they can get the best from their GP team. YYGP also enables patient to provide feedback or raise concerns with their GP Practice, Healthwatch or the integrated care board (ICB). 

The contract requires every GP practice to have linked to the NHS England YYGP document on their website, no later than 1 October 2025.

The whole document can be found on the NHS  England website

Patient Needs Group

GP surgeries are now obliged to rate patients from 1 to 11 (1 being fit and well, 11 being very frail) using the John Hopkins Tool. This is to support continuity of care and ratings can be seen on the NHS App. It’s simply a way GPs categorise patients based on their individual health needs, so patients receive the right support at the right time

This note is for internal systems only – it requires no action from patients and is absolutely not a cause for concern.

NHS App

SB pushed the NHS App. All medical records can be viewed, including clinic letters, consultations and results. Repeat prescriptions can be ordered through the APP.

It was asked if comments put through to the GP when ordering prescriptions were actioned. JW advised GPs are not fans of this function but unfortunately it is not something that can be removed. Patients are encouraged to use Anima instead.

Information about the NHS app can be found on the NHS website

Covid clinics have now finished but eligible patients are still able to get vaccinated at chemists. WHC is still offering flu vaccines 

Strengthening Links with Local Pharmacies - AP

This is part of the 10 Year Plan. AP asked members to email him any ideas of how these links can be strengthened  

Planning for Growth - AH

AH asked how the surgery will accommodate influx of patients due to the new houses.

SB has been in communication with the ICB. Over the next two years patient numbers are predicted to rise by 2000 and over the next 10 to 15 years by 10000-15000.

When talks first started the partners were not keen to take on extra patients due to a shortage of GPs. However the situation has reversed and the partners are planning to accommodate these patients. The lease to the health centre is up for renewal next year and contracts for the space will be re-negotiated.

AP is attempting to establish with the ICB how much Section 106 money has and will be paid and how this money will be utilised. 

Is the practice Still a training practice? AH

SB advised Yes. Dr Turner is currently heavily involved with the NHS Deanery who is responsible for the training of postgraduates

Seeing a GP when own GP is on leave - AH

If a patient has an urgent problem that needs seeing whilst their own GP is on leave then they will be seen by another doctor. If the problem is not deemed urgent patients are asked to wait for their own GP in order to preserve continuity of care.

Medication Reviews on prescriptions - AH

See minutes of last meeting

Urgent Results when GP on Leave - PW

JW explained that if an urgent result comes through when own GP is on leave the result will be dealt with by a designated GP. If the results is routine it will wait until own GP is back in surgery

Date of Next PPG Meeting

Wednesday 28th January 2026 at 6pm