Patient Participation Group

 

Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) meets to provide a forum for discussion about the practice.

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.

Due to personal reasons, Mike and Nancy have recently stepped down from membership of the PPG, and we would like to thank them for all the support and encouragement they have given us in the past.

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

3rd February 2026

 

Present

  • Louise Handford (Practice Manager)
  • Dr Myers-Lamptey (GP Partner)
  • Jane (Reception Team Lead)
  • Pam Royle
  • George Skomorowski
  • Lucinda Curtis
  • Doreen Williams
  • Elaine Lowe
 

Apologies

  • Roderic Macmillan
  • Jill Ruddock
  • Deana Leadbeter
  • Harriet Clare
  • Inger Siegstad
  • Sue Taylor
  • Fiona Taylor
  • Diane Morgan

Thank you Nancy and Mike for being a part of our PPG.

 

Agenda

  1. Welcome
  2. Pharmacy
  3. NAPP 
  4. Menopause debrief & survey
  5. Social media
  6. Screens
  7. Carer
  8. 'What matters most‘ – standing item
  9. AOB
 

Pharmacy 

A presentation was delivered on the "Pharmacy First" scheme, an NHS service enabling pharmacists to treat seven common conditions, provided by Phil and Tom from Paydens.

Conditions covered by Pharmacy First

  • Sinusitis
  • Sore throat
  • Earache (acute otitis media)
  • Infected insect bites
  • Impetigo
  • Shingles
  • Uncomplicated urinary tract infection (UTI) in women.

More information Pharmacy First service

General benefits of Pharmacy First

Walk-in service (no appointment needed), available at any participating pharmacy, including evenings and weekends. Treatment is free for those who get free prescriptions. This service aims to ease pressure on GP surgeries.

Other Pharmacy Services

  • NHS Services: Blood pressure checks (for those over 35, not yet diagnosed), free oral contraception (including initiation and continuation), and flu/COVID19 vaccinations.
  • Private Services: Weight management, travel vaccinations, period delay medication, private vaccines (e.g., shingles if not eligible on NHS), Vitamin B12 injections, and ear wax removal via microsuction (available at the Penrith store).
  • Ear Wax Removal Service Details: An initial consultation costs £10 to examine the ear and includes photos/videos and a free hearing check if no wax is present. The microsuction procedure costs an additional £50 (£60 total) and includes a followup hearing test.

PPG Discussion on Pharmacy Services

The PPG can help by spreading awareness ("word of mouth is important."). It was suggested to focus on promoting one condition, like sore throats, to encourage initial engagement with the service.

 

Menopause Event Debrief

The menopause event was considered very successful, with positive feedback received and nearly 70 attendees.
The presentation PowerPoint cannot be uploaded to the practice website due to accessibility policies. However, Dr Morris is adapting the content so it can be shared in an alternative format.

 

National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP)

It was reported that NAPP has ceased operations.
The practice had intended to use the menopause event as part of an award submission, which will no longer be possible.

 

Social Media Update

The practice has received approval to launch an Instagram account.

A social media team has been formed and is developing a content calendar to plan posts across the year, with a planned launch in February.

Content will be seasonal and topical (e.g. flu vaccinations, travel vaccinations) and will duplicate information already shared via the website and newsletter.

All contact and commenting functions will be disabled, with the exception of a monthly “Feedback Friday” post to gather patient feedback.

 

TV Screen Slides

It was suggested that the TV screen slides could be improved by:

  • Quantifying the benefits of services (e.g. “we now make 55 million more appointments”)
  • Personalising information on missed appointments using practice specific data

This approach may make the messaging more impactful and relevant for patients.

A review of all the slides will be carried out by the Practice shortly.

 

Unpaid Carers’ Engagement

A survey from Kent and Medway authority is running from 28th January, aiming to gather information to help improve services for unpaid carers.

The practice will share the survey link with the 606 registered carers on its list and will display posters within the surgery.

The importance of promoting carers’ allowance and raising awareness of support for carers was discussed, including potential content for the new Instagram page.

Action: Practice to distribute the survey link and display posters in the surgery.

 

What Matters Most

This will be a standing agenda item, aligned with the NHS 10year plan to move care into the community.
Key points from a recent forum included:

  • Improving public confidence in community pharmacies
  • A proposed “Falls Bus” pilot scheme

The practice is already involved in a winter frailty project, identifying and assessing highrisk patients to help prevent hospital admissions.

Action: The PPG requested to see any available data on how successful the winter frailty project has been during the winter months

 

Next Meeting

17th March 2026