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Our PPG
The surgery strives to provide excellent healthcare.
We welcome constructive feedback and suggestions to help shape our services to serve the needs of all of our patients.
Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) meets at the surgery periodically to provide a forum for discussion about the surgery.
View the outcomes of previous PPG meetings and Patient Surveys here.
The PPG has contributed towards improvements in the surgery, this includes:
- Waiting area refurbishment
- Upgraded Telephone system
- Updated website
If you are a patient registered at the surgery, with a positive contribution to make, please complete the below application form to apply to join the group.
Places are limited and applicants will be selected with the aim that the group will consist of a representative cross-section of our patients.
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Summercroft Surgery Patient Participation Group Meeting
Minutes
Wednesday 30th April 2025, 1730 – 1830
Patient Attendees: Carol Robjohns, Chris Heaney, Ellen Killeen, Susan Hayes, Brian Street, Renee Evenett, Penny Yogarajah, Jenny McCarthy, Sheila Ivey, Elizabeth Strachan, Chris Doorbar
Surgery Attendees: Dr Rak Balendran, Kay Stevens, Teresa Dyson
Apologies: Jane Clarke, Mike Titheridge, Hedwig Hegtermans, Vincent Wolf
Chair: Carol Robjohns
Minutes: Janet Carlo
| 1. | Matters Arising from the meeting held on 30th January 2025 Covid Vaccination Spring 2025 – Rak reported that the uptake had been excellent. The programme ends in June. Patients are still able to book an appointment although due to there being 5 vaccines in a vial the Surgery is aiming to book 5 patients at a time. The Surgery will be undertaking joint flu & covid clinics in the Autumn with booked appointment times.PPG Dedicated Email Address – Teresa said she would be looking into this next week.Patient Survey – Janet to re-circulate questions from previous surveys for patients to comment on/make suggestions.Dementia Patients – Teresa confirmed she had been actively promoting the Social Prescribers but 2 were currently on sick leave.Practice Boundary – Following the increase in size of the practice boundary Carol had received a call from someone at The Crown worried that Summercroft would be taking some of their patients. Teresa stated it was about patient choice. Janet agreed to circulate the previous and new boundaries again. | Action |
| 2. | Booking Injections and other Routine Procedures online | |
| Deferred to the next meeting when Vincent is present. | ||
| 3. | Total Triage | |
| Considerable discussion took place on this item. Noted that all patients would have to access the Surgery via an online portal following which their request would be triaged by a GP. Rak & Teresa to visit Stock Hill who have been operating total triage for 2/3 months to view their system. Stock Hill have said that the system has reduced their incoming phone calls by about 60%. Elizabeth queried whether this would be an additional service; confirmed that it would eventually be instead of. Under 16s would be exempt. Patients unable to access the online service would be able to call the Surgery following which a Receptionist would complete the form on their behalf. Anticipated that there will continue to be a Duty Doctor. Response time expected to be 2/3 days depending on the urgency. Rak explained that he is not keen but the Surgery contract states we have to increase patient access and this is the only way of doing it. Jenny queried whether this would deter medical students from becoming GPs – this is currently unknown | ||
| 4. | Patients requesting Medication/Prescription Reviews | |
| Carol queried the process and asked whether the patients should be notified of a review. Rak explained that it depended on the medications and the type of monitoring required. | ||
| 5. | Groups for Older Patients | |
| Chris produced some information from the U3A covering 50/60 different topics. New members are being encouraged and is aimed at older people not in full-time education. Janet to circulate the information and Kay to laminate and display in the waiting room. Adding the information to the website was also suggested. | JC/KS | |
| 6. | PCN Update | |
| Provided by Penny. Enhanced Access Clinics – 2 per month on a Saturday and 2 at Stock Hill (although currently 3 in 4 are at Summercroft). Previously these clinics had been provided at The Crown. The process to arrange for some to be held at Summercroft had been quite lengthy. They will be staffed by GPs, Nurses and Physiotherapists. There is a group of regular Saturday GPs (Rak is one). Patients can request to be booked into these clinics. The PCN is to make a video for Surgeries to display in the waiting room.Well Being Café – attempting to obtain speakers every month. Due to its popularity it may be held twice a month. Summercroft patients attending is low (approx. 25%) due to the venue. Other venues have been explored but there is nothing suitable currently available.Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) – are being formed to address the health and well being needs of the local population. PCNs are being encouraged to join.Additional GP Sessions – an extra 2 sessions per week being made available for the 5 Surgeries in the PCN. | ||
| 7. | Staffing Update | |
| GP Trainees – Natalya Perera now undertaking 2 days a week. Jean Marc Camilleri is now in post full time and is an experienced Doctor with an interest in children. Jenny commented that she had seen Natalya and Dr Gupta in the past and had been very happy with the consultations. | ||
| 8. | AOB Reception – Brian said he’d spoken to Lisa who he felt had a lovely manner and was very professional. Carol commented how lovely and fantastic she’d found the South African Receptionist (Lynette). Kay to pass onto Reception. Checking In Machine – Brian queried whether this had been looked into. Teresa said that it wasn’t being reintroduced and added that the desk was now permanently manned. A suggestion was made to remove it.Test Results – Ellen queried how long these took. Rak said some are reviewed automatically and are very quick. However, it depends on the test and whether it has to be passed to Kings. | KS TD |
| 9. | Next Meeting – Thursday 24th July 2025 at 1730 in the Surgery. Renee tendered her apologies in advance. |
PPG Meeting Minutes
Summercroft Surgery Patient Participation Group Meeting
Minutes