PPG: Meeting Minutes

July 2025

Date: 14th July 2025
Time: 6pm
Venue: Springhead Health – Meeting room
Attendees: Meeting Chair - KB, GA, SS, CF, AH, JR, KD, MM, MD, BR,BS, NC, SF, TH,CS, NH, BS, WR, JH, SJ

Introductions

Introduction of Dr Shazia Siddique – Director, Clinical Lead, Minor Surgery, Injections, Learning Disability Lead and Medicine Lead at board level

 

Questions for Dr Siddique

  • Comment about patient experience of communication with the prescriptions team is very good. Question asked about communication between teams internally. Dr Siddique expressed that it is very good – she is always contactable and there are multiple methods of contact internally – clinical system, Teams
  • Question raised re phone calls – if the patient misses the call once, is that it? Dr Siddique advised pts are called twice at different times, and if no success then text message sent. Also discussed time frames on results calls – depends on urgency of result. If routine around 3 weeks
  • Learning disabilities: keen to gain the view of those patients with learning disabilities.
  • Direct access for patients with learning disabilities 
  • Annual health checks done
  • LD team consists of admin, HCA and Dr Siddique
 

Patient Pilot Survey

  • Last meeting, members expressed interest in completing a patient satisfaction survey.
  • A small group of members met and came up with questions for the survey, for which they decided to use a rating scale 
  • 2 members attended the surgery to undertake the survey in the waiting room. Best to approach patients as they entered the waiting room. 
  • 40 surveys were completed, generally patients were happy and prepared to engage. 
  • Survey covered age demographics
  • Mostly rated 7,8,9,10s. Patients pleased with clinicians – positive feedback
  • Patients were pleased that it was a fellow patient completing the survey
  • Found that 75% of people preferred to use the phone to contact the surgery while 16% preferred to use online
  • Surprising result of how many patients were not aware of the PPG – 72%
  • 85% said wouldn’t consider joining the PPG – mostly due to other responsibilities
  • Next steps: hope to survey a larger sample of patients 200-300
  • Discussed would be good to know the reason behind why certain ratings were given – noted that the survey was purposely brief given the environment.
  • Reflections from Gail following the survey: Age demographics of surgery quite young, compare the age % of the survey againt the registered population, perhaps good idea to target specific clinics i.e baby checks, evening clinic, would be good to gain our patient’s view of what services they would like added
  • A big thank you to those who gave up their time to help undertake the survey
 

Practice Data

Kate presented data as given on handouts

 

Medications

  • Following from discussion regarding prescriptions, query raised about pharmacies not automatically dispensing items when prescription received
  • Gail explained about the cost of dispensing prescriptions that may not be collected so some pharmacies opt to dispense when the patient collects
  • Nick – digital champion advised that they are working with pharmacies for the ability to update the NHS app regarding medications
  • It was asked if it was possible for some visual surrounding the medication process, and to also include the patient’s digital journey