Minutes from our most recent PPG meeting

1pm Wednesday 11^th December 2024: Padiham Town Hall

Present

• Peter Frazer: PPG Chair
• Joanne Howard: Practice Manager
• Dr Narayana: Practice Partner
• Bilkis Peters: Secretary
• Patients: 8

Introduction and Welcome

Peter Frazer welcomed everyone and introduced Dr Narayana to the meeting.

Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received Dr Appleyard and one patient.

Minutes from last meeting

No questions or comments arising from the minutes of the last meeting. It was discussed that the minutes and agenda for meetings are available on the PPG section of the Practice website and a hard copy of the minutes is pinned up on the notice board in the reception area of the Practice.

Agenda Items

Practice Manager Updates

Jo Howard thanked the PPG members who had participated in the survey of patients during a flu clinic on 5th November. The members spoke with 95 patients and the feedback was very positive and encouraging. The feedback confirmed the results of the earlier survey in that once patients access the Practice they are happy with the service they receive. The issue patients raised was that they felt it was difficult to get appointments and there was some confusion with some patients as to the different methods that were available to them to make appointments. Not all patients questioned were aware that they could book appointments online, by phoning the surgery or by approaching reception in person. Jo Howard and Dr Narayana thanked the PPG members for taking their time out, carrying out the survey.

Discussion took place regarding what the next steps should be to improve the service to patients. The options discussed were:

Phone options offered when the practice is called to be fine tuned and revised due to the general options available.

Abandoned/ Miscall issues to be discussed with IT to try and determine why calls are abandoned or missed.

Patients need to be encouraged to use the call back system and raise awareness that the caller’s position in a queue is maintained.

It was observed that the PPG members who conducted the survey had also observed the waiting room on a Monday morning and noted that it was it was very busy.

Discussion took place regarding the use of the digital information board in reception (JX Board). It was suggested that it could be used for health messages and did not attend appointments information. Jo stated that she would look in to the possibilities of improving the information displayed.

Jo advised the meeting that a new part time Reception staff member had  been recruited who would be  starting in January.

Date and time of next meeting

The time of future meetings was discussed and it was agreed that alternating the time between 1 pm during winter and spring and 6 pm during summer and autumn would be appropriate.

The dates of future meetings for the coming year will be agreed by Jo Howard and Peter Frazer when they meet on 16th January 2025.

The Meeting closed at 13.52pm.