Patient Participation
Group (PPG)

Previous Meeting Minutes

16th March 2026, 1pm to 1:45pm at Parkway Health Centre

• Meeting Called By: SN
• Facilitator: JW
• Note Taker: JW
• Attendees: RA, AH, CO, SK

Agenda item: Practice Services

• Presenter: Janey Williams

JW welcomed the group to the first meeting of the year. Apologies were noted for those absent.

Items:

1. Practice update – JW talked about the practice continuing to adapt its team to meet patient demand and fill vacancies. The nursing team has expanded with two new members now providing triage services and another staff member is now running clinics specifically for SMI reviews at Gravel Hill on Friday mornings. The practice noted the departure of one clerical staff in February and another to maternity leave, which has led to some rota adjustments. A new nurse and an administrator are joining Bob Pearce’s team to assist with asthma, COPD and high cholesterol reviews.
2. Patient experience: JW shared several updates regarding the patient experience and the feedback received by the practice: The practice has addressed concerns regarding telephone consultations, specifically ensuring clinicians allow the phone to ring longer and adhere to requested AM or PM time slots. A technical issue within the NHS App that incorrectly displayed appointment locations has been resolved. Patients are encouraged to utilise pharmacists for medication requests to free up GP appointments for clinical concerns. For physical assessments such as rashes or leg injuries, patients should be booked for face-to-face appointments rather than telephone consultations to ensure a proper evaluation.
3. RA expressed his satisfaction with the high level of care received from the GPs and noted that the Health Coaching and Mental Health Nurse support have been invaluable to his mental health. JW acknowledged this feedback and discussed the increasing demand for Health Coaching sessions, particularly for weight management, anxiety and bereavement. It was noted that while many patients benefit from these sessions, the practice continues to utilise signposting for cases requiring more specialised clinical support.
4. Digital modernization - to improve efficiency, the practice is transitioning to EMISX and exploring new automated systems for document filing. These changes are intended to modernize the practice and allowstaff to dedicate more time to direct patient care and triage.