Sept. 11, 2023
Minutes
Pond Tail Surgery PPG
Minutes of meeting
Meeting Wednesday 13th September 2023 @ 7pm, Lindley Road Community Centre:
1. Welcome: Alban Brindle welcomed all to the twelfth PPG meeting
2. Apologies & Introductions – Apologies from Alan White, John Buck, Suzana Zizek, Rahul Tangirala. Maddie Tomkins has withdrawn from the PPG as she is now attending university. In attendance: Alban Brindle, Jackie Clark, Candy Edwards, Michael Swain. Huw Williams, Ian Smith, Geoff Stone. From the surgery: Fran Lemanska, Jenny Williams and Dr. Ed Tang. Ifesi Amene from Godstone Pharmacy was not in attendance.
3. Election of Chairman & Vice-Chairman – AB restated that he would not be standing for re-election as chair in the New Year, and the November meeting will be his last. He suggested that the group could discuss alternative arrangements perhaps using the WhatsApp group.
4. PPG Newsletter– Limited progress made since the last meeting on a new newsletter. The main article on prescriptions had been prepared by John Buck but due to changes on the Surgery website, the accuracy of the article could not be guaranteed. It was agreed that the new website (see website update) would provide the base reference for an updated article. Rd. Tang pointed out that PPG needed to avoid promoting any particular pharmacy in its newsletter content, and to include other pharmacies in the area each time.
5. Newsletter distribution – A request for distribution of the Newsletter through the Godstone Club is awaiting a response. Café Connect was also suggested as a distribution point Alban will follow this up.
6. Recruiting remaining members – A text had gone out to all patients within the 21 to 30 age group to join PPG. This had resulted in one applicant Rahul Tangirala. The group agreed to try again and to widen the target patients to between 16 and 35 years of age.
7. Health Champions Initiative: As follow up to the first meeting, the Surgery aims to produce a Health Champions Newsletter, bringing together information on local services together with Surgery services. It was noted that Surrey County Council already have a useful website listing local services - https://www.surreyinformationpoint.org.uk/ . This could be used as a base for the newsletter. In addition, there was a volunteer offering to drive patients to hospital. This person already operated in Oxted, but was keen to start covering Godstone as well. It was suggested that this could be expanded to other volunteers in Godstone, perhaps with a call to action on the next PPG newsletter.
8. Update from the Surgery: – Fran stated there had been some students at the Surgery since the summer, working on updating data on Surgery systems including patent records. The Surgery was recruiting for two administration positions and hoped these would be filled soon. Recruitment for another GP was also taking place with interviews next week. The Surgery had been extremely busy over the summer period, not least with the introduction of the new website (under the support of new technology providers), and the imminent flu and Covid vaccination sessions starting at the end of September (suddenly brought forward due to the new Covid variant identified recently). So far two vaccination days will be run, on 30th September and on 7th October. PPG members were again asked if they were available to provide support on the day, but if necessary additional support will be called for through the Godstone Village association and other means. Fran mentioned that there was a weekly meeting with the DHC CEO, including HR and finance teams. Additional services had recently been launched at the Surgery, or were imminent, including coil insertions, NHS health checks for 40 to 74 year olds, and some steroid injections and shingles injections. This would allow some patients to attend the Surgery instead of having to attend hospitals further afield. Jackie Clark offered to visit the Surgery with Fran to discuss possible changes to the Surgery posters and layout to improve access to information. Fran also mentioned she had investigated the possibility of a “health kiosk” in reception. In addition, there was a company that installed TV’s in Surgery receptions with suitable information on display, as well as adverts for services. It was also agreed that a meeting should take place shortly with PPG members and Surgery staff to discuss patient access in particular. This would be organised shortly.
9. Surgery Website: - The new website has now launched. It was agreed that although functionally it worked well, the site lacked some colour and looked bland - the inclusion of some photographs would be welcome.
10. Prescriptions & Pharmacy – Nothing to report.
11. Facebook page – No update
12. Next meeting 8th November 2023
13. AOB – the Surgery had begun to inform patients who had moved outside the catchment area that they could no longer provide home visits to these patients (about 100 in number). Visits outside the area took valuable resources away from other patients and over time, patients’ often grew more onerous.