Patient Participation Group
PPG Meeting Minutes 2.4.2025
1.30pm – 3.30pm
Attendees: Dr R Subra, Charlotte Marshall (PM), Anita Anderson (Assistant PM), P Gallagher (Chair), G Foote, J Hanaway, M Cooper, C
Perry, H Perry, G Gaye, M Punter, S Farrah, P Winfield, L Heaton, P Heaton, N Lovatt.
Apologies: C Martin, J Hearn, J Punter, B Henderson
Guests: Hayley / Cat (Pharmacy)
1.30-2.30 – PPG members forum only.
2.30 – 3.30- PPG members and Practice staff.
Please note these are the minutes taken from the PPG and practice staff session.
PG – Chairs opening comments – firstly, Gifford Foote should be congratulated by the group on his CBE from the New Years Honours list.
Hayley and Cat have been asked to attend to update on Pharmacy given the Pharmacy First initiative and how it is relieving pressure on
GP’s and what more patients can do.
Introductions to new member of staff Anita Anderson (Assistant PM).
Practice Updates CM
Capacity & staffing – new staff – A. Anderson, Sunny Ratu (Pharmacist). We have approx. 7 pregnancies across admin and clinical and
maternity cover has been organised across both sectors. Services should not be affected.
During the last 4 weeks (17.2.25 – 16.3.25) there has been a total of 7,022 appointments offered across Horsefair and 5,344 offered at
Sandy Lane.
DNA’s – Horsefair = 318, Sandy Lane = 188. The majority of the DNA’s were for the nurses and phlebotomists. Our comms needs to be
improved in respect of the DNA’S.
PG – There appears to be a problem with the NHS app. When trying to book an appt there are 2 appt times being given, therefore it’s
necessary for patients to have to contact the surgeries to confirm which appointment they have been booked in for. This appears to be
an issue with Sandy Lane?
Phone calls – Information sheet provided to the group members has shown an improvement from last year. There has been good
feedback about the new system and the glitch re pts being stuck in a queue after the practices closed has now been resolved.
PG Action List: Communication for vulnerable patients (to be kept on the agenda). If patients can’t use the phone then email is
better however the practice won’t accept emails. Medication requests can also be difficult to do online and by email for some patients
and telephone requests are easier.
CM – Suggested that individual cases can be looked at and dealt with individually. N.B Pharmacies have stopped taking acute
medication requests over the phone.
PG – CCG/ICB agreements over rent contributions for cost of room rental at Hillsprings. Following meeting with Adrian Parkes (LMC) an
appeal has been sent to be checked and awaiting outcome.
PG – Check in screen at Sandy Lane now has a screen around it.
- Arrangements in hand for presentation on online patient access systems to take place at the July 2025 meeting.
Access Plan
CM – meeting with the ICB this morning (2nd April), suggested that they struggled to find the online link through the website. This needs to be promoted more. They could not find access to the GP face to face on line appointments.
Pre-bookable appointments can be made up to 4 weeks in advance. Appointments are triaged if not for a GP.
PG: question about DNA’s – are there more of these for online appointments?
Action: CM will check access.
Another point noted from the ICB meeting is that the minutes from the PPG meetings need to be visible on the practice website.
CQC Report (SL update)
PG – last CQC visit was in 2017. Ratings HF = Good, SL = needs improvement. It is uncertain when they will be coming next.
RS explained that CQC can do online checks but reassured that the ICB are doing the quality visits and are happy.
PG commented that patients can complete a questionnaire on the CQC website.
NB: Do not name a GP if completing the CQC questionnaires.
The patient questionnaire is also sent out between Jan and March each year along with Healthwatch surveys.
NHS Changes
NHSE is being abolished. Money for practices – what will it mean for patients?
RS – GP’s took collective action – HF did not cut down on services or patient appointments etc. There is extra money but sadly, this is
offset by the increase in minimum wage and the rise in NI contributions for employers which GP surgeries are not exempt from.
QOF points have reduced therefore the money has reduced. There is no certainty that the ARRS roles will continue in the future either.
AA – From a PCN perspective, there will be opportunities to work collaboratively. NHS leaders will be asking questions such as what
services are we delivering now and what could be done better?
ICB’s seem to be here to stay however, they are cost cutting and the PCN arrangement looks set to continue.
There are continual problems of unnecessary appointments being sent from the hospitals and there seems to be a lack of patient
engagement in the NHS in general.
Question about trainee GP’s – is it more cost effective to train in the UK?
RS – Registrars are funded from the Deanery, there is minimal payment to the practice to take trainees however they are with us for 12
months. There maybe less pressure and more money abroad therefore it is difficult to retain GP’s in the UK once they are trained. We
find the Med students from Keele are keen to become GP’s.
The comment came that maybe MP’s should be lobbied to ensure that newly qualified GP’s should commit to the practice they trained
at for 1-2 years.
PPG Member Feedback
Referrals- is there a difference in the referral process between practices for example for the cancer pathway?
RS – there is no difference in the process whether it is HF or SL. The differences will come from secondary care. For example we may
refer under a 2 week wait pathway but if secondary care then decide it is not urgent, the wait for an appointment will be extended.
Patients will have a choice through the booking systems as to where they want to be seen.
The provision of equipment for patients – referring more to the elderly population who sometimes may not ask for what they need or
indeed follow up with requests. Social prescribers can help with this.
HP – Anyone can do a direct referral to Staffs Safeguarding if there is a need for equipment where there is a safety issue. However there
is a move to make patients self fund for most things.
Mental Health – Do primary care receive feedback once a patient has been referred to secondary care?
RS – we should but this does not always happen, but we are made aware if there are major concerns.
Cancelled Appointments – if there are appointments that need to be cancelled at short notice then, as far as practicable, these
appointments will be placed elsewhere on the rota. This is not always easy, however it was commented on that patients have been told
to attend A & E. This should nit be happening and will be followed up.
Blood tests: hospital has stopped the walk-ins because GP’s were abusing the system.
Action: Mukesh to report back from the members meeting on this subject.
Blood test appts at the practice: Patients may be asked to make an appt for blood tests 10 days following a face to face appt but then
cannot get in for 4-6 weeks.
Clinicians should/could try and book the patient in for follow ups during a consultation with a patient. Clinicians can liaise with
reception during the consultation too if time allows. If the patient comes out to reception to try and organise a follow blood test and no
appts are available, then reception should liaise with the GP.
When blood test results have been received back, can the content of the text message be adapted depending on what the results are. i.e
can the text message state that there is “nothing to be concerned about” if non-urgent and can any consequential appointments from
these be made with other clinicians rather than with a GP.
AOB:
Please note that referrals to exercise has reached just under 1000 now for the District which is an excellent result.
Date of next meeting: Wednesday 9th July 2025
Time: 1.30pm
Venue: Hillsprings Health Centr