PPG Minutes January 2025

Quote / Testimonial:
Where: Oaklands Surgery, Stade Street, Hythe, Kent
When: Monday 20th January 2025at 1.00pm

Attendees:

  • [Chair] Caroline Armstrong CA
  • Penny Snow PS [Oaklands Deputy Practice Manager]
  • Devon May (Lead Care Co-coordinator)
  • Yvonne Savage YS
  • Barbara Moscrop BM
  • Claire Field CF
  • Karen Byrne KB

Apologies:

  • Carol Honey CHo
  • Gill Bond GB
  • Claire Hewson CHe (Oaklands Practice Manager)
CA has decided to stand down as Chair of the Group and has handed her resignation to PS & CH. She explained that after 6 years on the PPG and two and a half as Chair, it is time for a change for the group to be led by someone else.

Secondly, after all the work putting various leaflets and information together to promote the surgery services, she felt saddened that the Partners feel a change of direction was needed by using the Parish Review. She also feels that the work has been wasted as we haven’t been able to get much off the ground or move forward.

She felt that CHe & PS are too busy with the day to day running of the business that they don’t have time for the PPG and things have gone full circle with communication.

CHo has also decided to resign due to work commitments and she finds it increasingly difficult to attend meetings.

BM has also resigned due again to the PPG being unable to move any projects forward Penny thanked all three for their work and said she was sad at the resignations.

A lengthy discussion followed on how the Group might move forward in a positive way to achieve some results.

PS advised that the Partners had offered the PPG a budget of £500 to use on projects.

BM suggested that it would be very beneficial to have the Partners present at the meetings and this was agreed by all members.
Several members also felt the PPG had become a tick box exercise for the Practice.

YS said she is prepared to stay as long as the Surgery gives their support to the Group going forward.

KB suggested that one of the PPG could attend some or part of Surgery Management meetings to get an insight to what they do and to also put the PPG side across. PS will look into this.

CF mentioned that she had recently been let down by the care she has received from the Surgery and asked how she could promote it as a PPG member when service fails. PS & DM were concerned about this and will look into the matter.
The only item was a small alteration to the PPG handbook which CA has reviewed. This was to change the number of members required to for a quorum to vote on any matters from 5 including the Chair to 3 including the chair. This was agreed and voted through by all members present.

CA will amend the handbook and forward to PS for the next Chairperson to sign off with the Management.

Minutes

Surgery Update and introduction to new staff members

PS introduced Devon May who is the Care Navigator Lead She told us that 4 Care Navigators recently left in one week and it remains a very stressful job. They regularly get abuse form patients which is difficult to cope with and one of the reasons why turnover is still high. They are working on splitting work into phone and admin to take some pressure off and give variety. This will be helped by incorporating the Clinical coding into their role as Amber Miller, who currently completes this work, is leaving soon.

A new practice nurse, Catherine Tullett, has been recruited and she will work part time and term time.

Laura Harrison (Care Navigator) is due to retire soon.

The spring Covid clinic will be launched again soon but no dates were given as yet.

There will also be a project where, as a clinical educator surgery, Oaklands will work with Christchurch College Canterbury to give work experience to new clinicians e.g. paramedics.

Penny is also interested in supporting Tom in his role as Armed Forces Veteran Friendly clinician. He hopes to reach out to Gurkha veterans and a coffee morning is suggested for the PPG to help with.

Update from PCN PPG-CA A new lipid clinic and cholesterol service is being launched. The lead pharmacist, Jo Dodge, will run this. Patients will be invited to a clinic in the PCN and this will start with recent heart attack patients.

The new PCN website is due to go live soon. This links all the 7 surgeries and all the services available. It will be available here once it goes live. https://www.fhrpcn.co.uk/

There is a new Carers Café at 101 in the High Street on a fortnightly basis. This is being run by the social prescribers and has already received very positive feedback with 22 attending the first meeting.

A new survey has been launched by NHS Kent & Medway about how patients choose the service they need for treatment. We’ve been asked to share this and complete the survey if we wish. https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/SOCIALS_STC/

PS will advise the PCN who the new chair is and they will attend the next meeting on 13th March.

Date of the next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday 17th February 2025 at 1pm.

A new chair will be appointed at this meeting.