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

23rd April 2026

 

Present

  • Louise Handford (Practice Manager)
  • Dr Myers-Lamptey (GP Partner)
  • Louise Simmons (Secretary Team Lead)
  • Jemima (Secretary)
  • Pam Royle
  • Lucinda Curtis
  • Doreen Williams
  • Elaine Lowe
  • Jill Ruddock
  • Deana Leadbeter
  • Inger Siegstad
 

Apologies

  • Roderic Macmillan
  • Harriet Clare
  • Sue Taylor
  • Fiona Taylor
  • Diane Morgan
  • George Skomorowski
 

Discussion Points

New GP Contract

NHS England » Changes to the GP Contract in 2026/27

  • Annual changes to the GP NHS contract
  • Practice already meets key requirements, including a digital front door (Anima) and same-day handling of urgent requests.
  • Anima cut-off time extended from 16:30 to 18:30 (effective 01/04/2026); no issues reported.
  • Contract not yet formally enforced.
  • Practice opens at 07:30 (contractual requirement 08:30) to manage workload earlier; duty clinician available until 18:30.
  • Patients encouraged to contact the practice early.
  • Focus on rapid access for urgent care, improved appointment systems, increased capacity, and prevention in long-term conditions (LTCs).
  • Primary Care Network (PCN) provides additional staff (e.g. paramedic supporting same-day urgent appointments).
  • Concern raised regarding Advice & Guidance (A&G) requirements potentially delaying referrals. Practice uses A&G effectively and has not been instructed to route all referrals through it. Increased hospital push-back on referrals noted. A&G can support more appropriate service direction in some cases.

Newsletter

  • April newsletter published on 22/04/2026; next issue scheduled for July.
  • Future editions to follow themed approach (next theme: mental health for children and adults).
  • Discussion held on improving promotion. Suggestions included:
    • Display on waiting room screen
    • Adding opt-in question to future patient survey
    • Providing printed copies in the waiting room
  • Suggestion made to include a “current news” section explaining how national changes are implemented locally.

My M Health App

  • App available to patients with diabetes, COPD, asthma, and heart failure.
  • Aims to support independent management of long-term conditions.
  • Practice ranked 9th highest distributing practice in Kent and Medway; 80% activation rate among invited patients.
  • Enables tracking of conditions, appointments, and checks.
  • Discussion held on digital literacy and accessibility, particularly for elderly patients.
  • Patients can nominate relatives to support digital access; this differs from a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), which is required for decision-making.
  • Digital exclusion remains a challenge; while the app benefits many, those most in need may find access difficult. Potential to free clinical time for those unable to use digital services noted.
  • App is publicly downloadable, though full use relates to eligible patients.

Home Treatment Team

  • Video overview presented.
  • Service delivers hospital-level care in patients’ homes to avoid admission.
  • Particularly supports frail elderly patients at risk from hospital admission (e.g. delirium, falls, and infection).
  • Referrals made by GPs, paramedics, and NHS 111; patients can self-refer within 28 days of previous care.
  • Service operates 7 days per week until 22:00.
  • NHS-funded under KCHFT; capacity is limited

What Matters Most / Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs)

  • Workshop attended by our Chair Lucinda on 17/03/2026.
  • INTs will integrate NHS, local authority, social care, and voluntary sector services.
  • Structure based on:
    • Neighbourhoods (30–50k population)
    • Multi-neighbourhoods (~250k population)
  • Aims to simplify access and reduce repetition of patient information.
  • Implementation will be gradual, building on existing services.
  • Concern raised regarding infrastructure and effective information sharing across organisations.
  • West Kent not included in initial rollout areas.
  • Example noted: Winter Frailty Project, where 17 high-risk patients were proactively assessed (observations, medication review, RESPECT forms) and data shared via the Kent and Medway Care Record, reportedly reducing hospital bed usage.
 

Any Other Business

Medical Students

  • Volunteers requested to review electronic noticeboard slides (bowel and cervical cancer screening).
  • Volunteers requested to act as patients for OSCE assessments on 15/05/2026 at Kingswood Surgery.

Flourish Garden Event

  • Open afternoon on 21/05/2026 (12:00–17:00) in Rusthall.
  • All patients and staff members invited.

Future Topics

  • Suggestion for a future session on exercise for the elderly, focusing on falls prevention, strength, and balance.
  • Local housing developments noted and to be discussed at the next meeting
 

Decisions Made

  • Practice to explore options for notifying patients about newsletters, including survey-based sign-up.
  • Printed copies of the newsletter to be made available in the waiting room.
  • Practice to routinely ask patients (particularly older population or non-digital users) about nominating a contact for electronic communications.
 

Action Items

Louise (Practice Manager)

  • To share details of the Flourish Garden event with the PPG.
  • To explore opportunities for an event/resource on exercise for older patients.
  • To send proposed dates for the next meeting.
  • To coordinate PPG review of student slides via email.

Pam

  • To volunteer for the medical student OSCE (practice to follow up).
  • To coordinate PPG review of student slides via email.

Next Meeting date to be confirmed