Patient Participation Group

The Aims of the Patient Participation Group

We have a Patient Participation Group (PPG) which meets bi-monthly.  We respect the views of our current members and welcome new members.

If you would like to join the Patient Participation Group please telephone the Surgery on 01843 209 300 to speak with one of our Reception Team who will pass your contact details to the PPG organiser(s).

If you are unable to attend meetings, our Patient Participation Group would still like to hear the views of our patients with regards to the Surgery.

To do this we compile a contact list of email addresses so that we can contact you every now and again to ask a question or two. 

If you are happy for us to contact you occasionally by email, please click the link below to open the sign-up form and complete all the fields.

Latest Meeting Minutes

• Date: 25th June 2025
• Apologies: Helen, Ken, Terry
• Attendees: Rachael, Jo, Lorna, Sophie, 9 PPG members

1. Welcome and Review of Previous Minutes

• Rachael welcomed attendees and confirmed apologies.
• Minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed and agreed as correct.
• One outstanding action from the previous meeting regarding promotion of the Frailty Team on the TV screens had been completed.
• All other actions had been addressed.

2. Chaperone Service Overview

• Rachael delivered a comprehensive explanation of the chaperoning service.
• A chaperone is offered to patients when a doctor performs an examination, particularly intimate procedures such as breast exams, for both male and female patients.
• Patients can request a chaperone, or a doctor may require one present regardless of the patient's request.
• Chaperones must:
  • Be DBS checked
  • Undergo initial and annual refresher training
  • Be recorded in the patient’s notes as present
• Typically, admin staff fulfil this role due to availability, not nurses or HCAs who are often in clinic.
• A suggestion was raised to consider assigning age-appropriate chaperones, particularly for older or more vulnerable patients, to enhance comfort.
• Discussion noted that male chaperones are preferred for male patients where possible, with Jamie often covering this role.
• Importance of chaperones being physically present during examinations was emphasized to meet CQC safeguarding requirements.
• Chaperoning policy is displayed on the website, plasma screens, and posters around the practice.

3. Online Consultation System – And a Demonstration by Jamie

• Anima has officially replaced eConsult as of the previous Friday.
• Jamie provided a live demonstration of the Anima platform.
• Animafunctions similarly to eConsult but has a more user-friendly interface and improved back-end triage features.
• Patients can still book appointments via phone or in person – Anima is an additional access method.
• Key Features:
  • Integrated triage that uses AI to flag urgent cases
  • Allows submission of health queries, administrative requests, or self-help advice
  • Instant submission to surgery, appearing on screens in real time
  • Designed to prevent misuse (e.g., falsely marking something as urgent)
• Benefits:
  • More environmentally friendly (no printing of forms)
  • Faster triage and response
  • Comprehensive data collection for clinicians
• Concerns Raised:
  • Accessibility for elderly or non-IT-literate patients
  • It was suggested offering on-site support and using patient kiosks or iPads for guided completion Action: Jamie
  • Volunteers could be trained to assist patients
  • Proposal for prominent signage, posters, and awareness campaigns

4. CQC Feedback

• CQC inspection recently conducted with two weeks’ notice.
• Key areas reviewed included medication management, staff training, safeguarding, recruitment, and meeting documentation.
• Two areas for improvement:
  1. Safeguarding documentation and processes
  2. Medical review coding accuracy
• Overall outcome: Good rating
• Plan in place for reassessment within 6 months to address flagged issues
• CQC representatives interviewed staff and patient group members. Feedback was generally positive and acknowledged the surgery’s transparency and dedication.

5. Staffing Updates

• Departures:
  • Sophie has left the practice
  • Dr. Richard Scott retiring end of the month
  • Dr. Mahmood leaving in August (relocating for further training in pathology)
• Dr. Mahmood will continue Friday telephone consultations remotely
• Recruitment drive has seen high interest from newly qualified GPs
• Bethesda is part of a Clinical Learning Environment linked with Kent Medical School, aiding recruitment

6. PCN Update and Community Projects

• Child Health and Wellbeing Team:
  • New navigators and child mental health practitioners have joined
  • Working closely with schools and family hubs for early intervention
• Healthy Habits Pilot – Cliftonville Primary School:
  • Pilot to tackle childhood obesity through:
    • Healthy eating education
    • Movement (physical activity)
    • Mental wellbeing (non-clinical, age-appropriate framing)
  • Children to receive packs including progress trackers and activity guides
  • Engagement with parents planned at school and community events
  • Long-term aim: Establish school as a “Healthy Habits School” with peer champions
• Family Engagement:
  • Multi-agency event planned for August
  • Outreach at local family hubs, community kitchens, and schools

7. Cervical Screening Hub Project

• New initiative across Thanet to increase cervical screening uptake
• £65,000 grant awarded to set up screening hubs in Thanet, and there will be one in each PCN.
• Goals:
  • Reach underserved populations
  • Introduce self-sampling (once approved)
  • Promote “Love Your Cervix” and “New to the Couch” campaigns
• Partnerships with local engagement and education teams underway

8. Dementia Support and Social Prescribing

• Weekly Dementia Coffee Morning (Fridays, 10am–12pm, Holy Trinity Church)
  • Open to people with dementia and carers
  • Regular attendance > 75 people
  • Supported by East Kent Dementia Services
  • Includes activities, socialising, and occasional health checks
• Additional collaborations:
  • Wind Mill Garden Project for therapeutic gardening
  • Free fire safety checks by local fire service

9. Concerns and Discussions

• Blocked Access Ramp:
  • Concerns raised about patient and wheelchair access near pharmacy exit
  • Proposal for new signage and council involvement Action: Rachael
• Group Conduct:
  • Reminder of PPG Code of Conduct: Respect, inclusivity, and no monopolisation of discussions
  • Inappropriate use of staff emails and social media posts noted.
  • It was discussed that PPG members should use the appropriate channels when contacting the surgery and not using managements work emails unless regarding the PPG. It was also discussed the PPG members should not put negative things on social media to encourage complaints.
  • Future breaches may result in removal from the group
• GP Access & Continuity:
  • Discussion around difficulty seeing named GPs
  • Recognition of changing structure of general practice
  • Patients assured of best efforts to maintain continuity

10. Any Other Business (AOB)

• Suggestion to collect CVs/skills summaries of PPG members Action: All for next meeting
• Request for promotion of blood and organ donation via plasma screen posters
• Stroke unit relocation to William Harvey Hospital confirmed (timeline tbc)
• Update on upcoming local projects and changes to hospital trust engagement roles

11. Date of Next Meeting

• Wednesday 27th August 2025