PPG: Meeting Minutes 14th March 2023

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Members/apologies

Welcome

David welcomed all present.

Apologies

Lynne and Faith

Minutes of Last Meeting

Were read and approved.

Matters arising from the Minutes

Invitation to Pharmacist to advise us on their additional duties as part of the Open Evening (AGM)

Cam to confirm with Claire that Will Farmer is available.

Practice Noticeboards and Website

Noticeboards are in situ in both surgeries. We need to fill the space. Notices must be laminated.

The Website is up on line.

DNAs [Did not attend]

Cam to produce the figures for next meeting. It was estimated that about 100 appointments per month are DNAs.

Reminder Texts are sent to those with mobile phones ahead of appointments.

It was suggested that patients without mobile phones [especially older patients] are phoned ahead to remind them of their appointments.

Patients need to be reminded to phone in if they are unable to make their appointment. This message to be detailed in the Newsletter articles and on the surgery notice boards.

Practice Updates

Currently recruiting a receptionist. The current receptionist is leaving to work with the Devon Partnership Trust.

Practice Boundary

The existing boundary north of Exminster is being reduced, as Ide Lane Surgery are taking on patients linked to the new buildings within the SWE Development.

News from Westbank HLC

Patient Transport has lost its funding, volunteer drivers have made 300 trips, for which they receive expenses paid by WHL&LC, Patients are not charged for the service but donations from patients are welcomed.

The Surgery to provide a breakdown in the type of use regarding patients’ appointment venues along with the transport of medical items for the practice.

The Data base to be shared with Amanda, as the information gained might help them appeal for funds.

Food Boxes. Approach has been made to Exminster and Starcross Primary Schools, to identify needy families.

Food boxes are to be delivered (40 to Exminster and 20 to Starcross) for the teachers to distribute to needy families.

David highlighted that Kenton School is also a school in the Westbank area, Amanda will follow this up. [Also, Cockwood School].

Extended Low-level Classes. These give mobility exercise classes along with lunch where the use of tables enables the group to mix together. A bit like the memory café.

Currently information about this activity is by word of mouth, it needs more publicity.

Finalise Matters for forthcoming Open Evening/AGM

Signage on Arrival

Everyone will need to sign in due to fire regulations.

The agenda to be displayed on screen.

Committee members to wear name badges, Amanda to supply.

Room layout - In Events Studio.

Theatre Style with top table for speakers.

For the AGM we will need Committee to sit separately from the audience.

Equipment required by Presenters

Presenters will be asked to provide Power Point Slides to Amanda to support their presentations. These will be combined together to enable the presentations be projected in sequence on the projector.

Westbank HL&LC projection system to be provided by Amanda.

Time Slots

David will introduce the Open Meeting.

Speakers are allocated 5 mins plus 5 minutes for questions.

Val to prepare a letter to the speakers to detail the time allocated, asking for their presentation information and setting out what is required from them. The letter to be circulated via David.

Obtaining details of any interested new members

David will compose a welcoming note to be placed on each chair setting out the procedure for the evening and inviting comments afterwards. Committee members will circulate during refreshment time, talking to anybody interested in joining.

Refreshments of Tea/Coffee, biscuits and cake, to be served after the Open Session prior to the AGM.

Posters

Some already available, further laminated copies from Amanda on request.

To be displayed around the villages and on the surgery notice boards.

Discuss the roles of Officers of the group prior to the election at the AGM.

David as Chairman also has a secretarial role, preparing and circulating the agendas, while managing any correspondence, maintains links with the surgery, Westbank HL&LC, Andrew and members.

Andrew takes the minutes, types them up and forwards them to David for his approval.  He does not have a secretarial role.

PPG Updates in Local Newsletters

The article was published in the March editions.

Val plans to talk to the editors to ensure our articles are the right length for inclusion each edition.  They had been edited by some of the editors, to fit the available space.

We need to be thinking of ideas to go into the June editions during May. The articles need to be in PDF format.

Discuss meeting with members of the other PPG groups within our circuit

David to finalise the letter, to the PPG’S Chair in the Primary Care Network Cluster inviting them to meet together along with their representatives in order to create a closer link and share information about their activities. David’s letter to be sent to Cam, so it can be forwarded to the Cluster Practices Managers to forward on to the PPG Chairs for a response.

Correspondence/AOB

We discussed the times of day for meetings, holding them in the afternoon or in the evening, with regard to attracting younger members to the committee.  For inclusion on the May Agenda