Patient Participation Group

• Time: 5:30 pm
• Duration: 55 minutes
• Meeting Type: PPG Meeting
• Note: The meeting was not quorate due to low attendance; discussions were held and items requiring wider agreement will be confirmed at the next meeting where appropriate
• Attendees: Mike Bernard (PPG Chair) (MB), Mike Holbrooke (MH), Michele Moore (MM), Debbie Lambe (Practice Operations Manager) (DL)
• Apologies: Sally Gardiner (SG), Anni Meehan (AM), Jane Coates (JC), Jan Parry (JPa), Anna Soroko (AS), Sue Hayes (SH), Phil Barber (PB), Dr Jonathan Knight (Practice Partner) (JK)

Membership Updates

• Claire Woodbridge has resigned from the PPG with immediate effect.
  • Chair has thanked Claire for her contribution and invited any feedback on her experience.
  • Welfare check to be made to ensure she is well.
• Phil Barber has offered to step down due to medical and professional commitments. He has been reassured that he is welcome to continue PPG membership and confirmed that he will do so.
• Prospective member has not responded to email or text contact and no further action will be taken at present.
• CD has expressed an interest in receiving the newsletter and potentially becoming a PPG member.
  • Confidentiality documentation will need to be completed before membership can be confirmed.

Future Meeting Schedule

Attendance during July was recognised as being affected by holiday arrangements.

Several options were discussed and members agreed to review the annual timetable to avoid holiday and Christmas periods.

Provisional schedule for future meetings:

• January
• April
• June
• September

The intention is to establish a more consistent annual cycle.

Minutes and Matters Arising

Practice Information

• Practice report and minutes of previous meeting should accompany future agendas when distributed
• This had not occurred for this meeting and will be followed up.

Patient Demographics

• Ethnicity information requested previously remains outstanding.

DNA (Did Not Attend) Appointments

Discussion centred on reducing repeat non-attendance.

Examples from another PPG included:

• identifying repeat DNAs through anonymised reports;
• improving communication between clinicians and reception staff;
• offering additional support for vulnerable patients;
• involving carers where appropriate.

Practice update:

• Reception staff already monitor daily DNAs.
• Patients with repeated DNAs receive warning letters where appropriate.
• Vulnerable patients (e.g. dementia) are managed differently through care coordinators.
• Further discussion will take place once relevant team member is present.

Emma System

• Still not operational pending requested changes.

Reception Drop Box

• Discussion continued regarding a secure document drop box for patients.
• Practice management is considering practical arrangements.

Terms of Reference

• The revised Terms of Reference have been circulated twice for consultation.
• Only minor comments were received from the latest draft.

Decision

• The Terms of Reference were formally approved and signed off.
• The final version will be issued without tracked comments.

Practice Report

The Practice reported:

• Since introduction of the triage system, appointment demand can no longer be directly compared with appointments booked.
• Between January and June:
  • 7,204 online appointments booked.
  • 1,086 appointments were DNAs.
  • Overall DNA rate approximately 15.1%.

Discussion included:

• cancellation processes;
• online cancellation availability;
• appointment reminder texts;
• repeat DNA management;
• balancing patient support with reducing wasted appointments.

It was agreed to continue reviewing DNA trends.

Screening Invitations

A concern was raised regarding reports that patients whose screening invitations are returned undelivered may be removed from practice lists.

The Practice had not encountered this issue but agreed to investigate the information received and report back.

Staffing Update

• No GPs have left the Practice.
• Recruitment for a salaried GP is underway.
• Reception staffing has stabilised.
• Total triage continues to reduce pressure on reception staff and has been positively received by patients.

Total Triage

Positive feedback was received regarding the current triage system.

Benefits identified included:

• quicker responses;
• improved patient experience;
• clearer clinical decision making;
• reduced pressure on reception staff.

Heatwave Arrangements

The Practice outlined measures introduced during recent hot weather:

• relaxed uniform policy;
• additional fans;
• ice lollies for staff;
• increased hydration breaks;
• flexibility within clinics.

Newsletter

Work has not yet commenced on the September newsletter.

Members will be invited to submit ideas during August.

Positive feedback was received from patients who had read previous editions.

Patient Questionnaire Project

The draft questionnaire has been circulated.

No significant amendments have been requested.

Agreed actions:

• proceed with the questionnaire;
• produce a short explanation introducing the PPG;
• provide clipboards and pens;
• recruit volunteers.

Target survey period:

14–21 September 2026 (provisional).

Volunteer availability will be collected by email.

Feedback from Other Meetings

Feedback was shared from the Norfolk & Suffolk Integrated Care Board People and Communities Assembly.

Key issue raised:

• improving links between regional engagement structures and local PPGs.

Further updates will follow after forthcoming PPG Collaborative meeting.

Any Other Business

Proposal to improve the visibility of the PPG within the surgery:

• dedicated noticeboard;
• information about the PPG;
• newsletters displayed;
• possible photographs of members (subject to agreement).

This will be discussed further at the next meeting.

Date of Next Meeting

Tuesday 13 October 2026 (provisional).