PPG Meeting Minutes

January 2022

Welcome and Apologies

Debbie Mitchell and Mark McGlade sent apologies.

Previous Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting, dated 2nd November, were agreed previously to be a true account and have been published on the practice website.

Action update from these minutes:

Local concern remains over the availability of pharmacists at the two pharmacies in the town. Although the service has improved a little the PPG will continue to monitor the situation. In response to the PPG both the Devon CCG and local MP have raised these concerns with NHS England. Thanks are due to CK for the contacts he has made regarding this issue.

2 students from ECC have agreed to provide feedback to the PPG from younger members patients of this Practice. They will not be joining the PPG as previously reported.

Thanks are due to JW and CK for their help in collating and distributing the Winter Newsletter.

Practice Update

KB reported that the Practice decided to run Covid 19 booster clinics for their patients from the Surgery whilst also maintaining a normal service. This proved to be very successful. Uptake was generally good but younger patients are more reluctant to come forward for boosters. As usually happens at this time of year there is an increase in the number of older patients who are very poorly. A new nurse, Louise Hill, has joined the Practice. She has been a Matron in Taunton and, whilst new to GP Practice, she brings considerable nursing experience. TD reported that Omicron appears to be a much milder form of Covid 19 and does not generally result in significant illness unlike previous forms of the virus. Many youngsters attended festivals this summer and that did result in parents and grandparents catching earlier variants and becoming quite debilitated.

Friends and Family Test

MR reported that DM sent him details of the recent patient survey (conducted whilst the NHS wide Friends and Family survey is suspended) this morning. Although he has only taken an initial look it does appear that the comments are very favourable from the circa 40 contributors

Correspondence

SL has heard again from the Chair of Cheshire PPGs; he is complimentary about our Winter Newsletter and describes issues that are similar to those found by our own PPG.

Next Newsletter (Spring 2022)

SL asked that members come to the next meeting with items for inclusion in the Spring Newsletter (volunteers to collate and distribute will also be needed.

Any Other Business

SL advised that we should endeavour to hold our PPG AGM as usual this May. We have been unable to hold one since the pandemic started and this now means that all members have completed a 3-year term since the last elections. Please would all members advise SL before our next meeting whether they wish to stand for re-election or not. Also, would members please advise if there are any specific roles they might choose to undertake in the future, under the rules of our Constitution the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary must be chosen by members of the PPG committee at the meeting following the AGM.

Next meeting

March 1st 2022, 12:30pm