Minutes of The Wells Medical Practice (TWMP) PPG Committee Meeting

To request minutes of previous meetings, please contact the practice

Date:

2nd September 2025 at 12.30pm in-person

Attendees:

Roderic Macmillan, Pam Royle, , Harriet Clare Deana Leadbeter, Lucinda Curtis, Mike Tyrer, , Doreen Williams ,Inger Siegstad, Elaine Lowe, Jill Ruddock, Sue Taylor, Fiona Taylor

Practice staff:

Louise Handford (practice Manager), Elle (Business Manager), Grace (GP Trainee), Jemima (Medical Secretary), Dr. Myers-Lamptey, Jane (Reception Team Lead)

Apologies:  

George Skomorowski, Diane Morgan, Nancy Stone

Agenda Items:

1. Welcome
2. Introduction Dr Obike
3. Flu season
4. Chairperson
5. AGM

Discussion Points:

Thank you to everyone who attended our latest Patient Participation Group (PPG) meeting.

• Grace, our ST2 GP trainee, introduced herself. She will be at the practice for the next 18 months.
• Flu season: The main clinic is scheduled for 11/10/2025. Helpers confirmed are Rod, Lucinda, Deana, Doreen, Elaine and Pam. The role involves guiding patients and promoting the PPG. Please advise interested patients to contact the Practice Manager via the website. A reminder message will be sent to patients the week of the clinic, advising them which level to go to and to avoid using the car park if possible. The clinic is for flu vaccine only.

Chairperson

•  David has stepped down as chairperson. Lucinda has volunteered to take on the role temporarily. Deana has offered support. The role involves liaison with the West Kent quarterly meetings.

AGM Meeting

Planned for November, to be held virtually again. The partners' meeting is on 08/09/2025, where topics for the AGM will be discussed. A suggested topic was an update on the NHS 10-year plan and how the practice fits into new community and primary care arrangements. Also topic suggestion, to reflect on what the surgery has already achieved and the involvement of the PPG, Menopause group learning session plan next date.

Newsletter

Jemima, medical secretary, joined to discuss content. Ideas included a vaccine theme covering flu, whooping cough, chickenpox, meningitis for university students, and shingles vaccines. A timeline for childhood immunisations was suggested. The flexibility of booking baby immunisation appointments was noted as a positive point to highlight. The newsletter is available on the practice website, the Anima homepage, and sometimes sent via text message. Hard copies are available at reception. The possibility of providing a downloadable PDF version will be explored. Text messaging was identified as the most effective distribution method for those who do not regularly visit the website. Possible future idea, meet a PPG member section.

Anima System

Feedback was positive. It is considered fairer and has improved appointment availability. For patients unable to use the online system, receptionists can complete the form over the phone, though this increases call duration. Patients can also walk into the practice to get an appointment arranged. The call-back option for telephone queues is working well and is offered when the caller is number seven or higher in the queue.

PPG in Tunbridge Wells

There should be eight PPGs, one for each surgery. The chairperson attends Kent and Medway group meetings. The PPG's role in providing feedback on new services, like potential at-home cervical screening, was discussed.

Other Business

• A visit to the Flourish garden project in Rusthall is still planned, pending a date.
• Women's Health: A new member introduced her involvement with Soroptimist, an organisation focusing on women's health issues. Previous menopause meetings held by the practice were successful, and repeating them every 2-3 years is the plan.
• Concerns were raised about social isolation among the elderly, with discussion around intergenerational activities, such as connecting with local schools (e.g., Skinner's School) for Duke of Edinburgh volunteering schemes.

Thank you to David Kirkham for his time with the PPG and being a wonderful chair.

Action Points

• JS to explore making the newsletter a downloadable PDF.
• LH to add information about meningitis vaccine for students to the website promptly/send reminder messages.
• Lucinda to liaise with the West Kent chairperson team and inform the Practice Manager if the workload becomes excessive.
• LH to send out a poll with potential dates for the next meeting.
• Pam will contact Skinner's School regarding volunteering opportunities.
• Look into a group visit to the Flourish project.