About the Patient Participation Group

A PPG is a group of patient interested in health and healthcare issues, who want to get involved with and support the running of their practice.

The aim of The Wells Medical Practice PPG is to give patients at our surgery an opportunity to become actively involved with the doctors and staff in planning and developing new services and to take an active interest in their own healthcare.

Meetings are held remotely on a bi-monthly basis.

Interested in joining?

If you’re interested please complete the following form.

Join the PPG

The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly.

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

To request minutes of previous meetings, please contact the practice

Date:

  • 4th December October 2025

Present

  • Louise Handford (Practice Manager)
  • Dr Creed (GP Partner)
  • Roderic Macmillan
  • Deana Leadbeter
  • Lucinda Curtis
  • Mike Tyrer
  • Doreen Williams
  • Inger Siegstad
  • Sue Taylor
  • Elaine Lowe
  • Jill Ruddock
  • Fiona Taylor
  • Diane Morgan
  • Nancy Stone

Apologies

  • Pam Royle
  • Harriet Clare

Agenda

AGM

Attendance at the previous practice event was lower than expected (25 attendees compared with 75 the year before).
It was felt the late November date may have contributed.

Although messaging was sent out in the usual way, it was noted that NHS App messages do not generate alerts by default and links inside the app are not clickable, which creates barriers for some patients.

West Kent Smart Survey

Lucinda shared information passed on from Helen Cope at IC24 (the provider managing out-of-hours calls for the practice).
A patient feedback survey is planned for 14th January 2026

Details about how the survey will be distributed are still awaited.

Action: Lucinda to follow up with IC24 for further details and share the link with the PPG when available.

NAPP Membership

The practice proposes joining the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP).
Membership will be paid annually by the practice and will help promote PPG activity, starting with the menopause event in January.
The group agreed.

Local Water Supply Issues

Concerns were raised about the recent water supply disruption and its impact on patient health, especially:

  • Hygiene difficulties for less mobile patients
  • Risks for people who struggle to boil water
  • Patients with dementia who may forget to boil water
  • Lack of information for GPs about what the water currently contains, making clinical advice difficult

The practice is monitoring updates hourly and awaiting guidance.

The building remains open with limited toilet facilities and emergency water supplied on-site.

Newsletter Planning

A January newsletter will focus on screening and prevention, covering:

  • Prostate cancer (including PSA testing)
  • Cervical screening
  • Breast screening
  • Women’s health, including menopause

Jill proposed the women’s health theme; Mike supported the prostate cancer focus.

Community Pharmacy Update

The Chair of Kingswood Surgery PPG has been in contact with the Kent & Medway Pharmacy Integration Project Manager.

There is an opportunity for PPGs to support the development of community pharmacy roles as part of the NHS 10-year plan.

Next Meeting

3rd February 2026 in person