PPG Minutes – 11th March 2024

Review of minutes

• LB read through the minutes and then updated the committee on our work and what we can do.

Survey and patient feedback

• LB spoke about the need to get feedback from the community. JT suggested that we go to visit some of the groups in the village to see what people have to say. We don’t know what people are really saying. So we need to take our questionnaire to groups in NAG, Hartley and New Ash Green.
• LM suggested setting up focus groups? JM could we not attend one of the Parish Council committees as speakers.
• JT can we refine the questionnaire and get it to a wider audience. HC will coordinate information for Hartley. JT to coordinate getting the groups and selecting who we reach out to.
• AC – can we set up a WhatsApp group to aid better communications.  Action to be taken by next meeting.
• Committee to review the questionnaire. AC asked what the purpose of the survey was? Was it to highlight misinformation that people are still harbouring. JT it could be general areas of anxiety, which could help the practice improve. We can provide information to support people to understand how things work.
• Dr G – we can use this to help us inform what we offer in terms of information for our next roadshow.
• HC suggested to do a short video with each of the ARRS roles to explain what they do. For use on social media and in the Health and Wellbeing Day. JT suggested using patient feedback. LW offered to help people with presentation and video sessions. LB to provide a short proforma script to support the video.

Practice update

• Main complaints that appointments are not offered quick enough, in patients’ opinion.  Referral to Pharmacy First for common ailments. Needs to be made clearer. 
• Practice mentioned the Newsletter, to showcase self help groups, including Mind, Kooth, Pharmacy First, Vitaminds, Physio via Healthshare.
• LB asked for information about the number of appointments and how many are missed. JT pointed out the weakness in the E-consult system as it relies on patients putting the right information in. Dr G pointed out that Dr led triage is always done, unlike other places which use admin staff.  This should be made clear to people. Instructions on how to use it and what people can do. E-consult is controlled by the number of appointments that the practice can deal with, funded by the ICB.
• LB asked how many missed appointments there were. Dr NG said that there were fewer missed appointments and it was due to E-consult, as they can only be booked for one month and people don’t forget about them.  Made it easier to cancel appointments via the app. 
• UB said that they try and encourage people to use the NHS App. 
• New GP will be starting Wednesday, Dr Kharade, experienced GP for one day a week.  Interviewing for an Advanced Practitioner.

Health and Wellbeing Day

• Committee discussed where to hold the next event. LB suggested Hartley Country Club, VM to ask. Or Hartley Primary School, VM will ask. Date set for 18 May 2024. 
• UB suggested getting Imago – who help people to fill in forms and supports in a social prescribing. 
• Jackie West – Community Warden
• VB – Chair based exercise.
• LB suggested using focus group styles – where people can circulate among tables. 
• Need to attract younger people – LB suggested soft play area for small children. Could anyone see if they might find someone to donate soft play
• AC suggested we get wider audience to organise the day- its not entirely our event, but is sponsored by businesses.  Committee to think about how we could work this out.
• JT suggested we could offer to attend one event a year.
• Membership and elections
• LB asked if someone could make the notes and take on Secretary role. VM agreed to take notes and AC to type up.
• AOB
• VM mentioned about e-Consult – if you have continuing problem why do you have use the e-consult again for the same problem? Bad experience with Doctors.  HC – need to look at E-consult to make it easier to see how you recognise an open case that needs follow up. LL asked if they could feed this back to the ICB. 
• AC – please send me your phone number.
• Dr G – need to change PPG Awareness Board, could a member change this monthly. JT agreed to do NAG.  LW will take on Longfield. LB to send PPG docs.

Meeting ends: 7.45pm