The Vale Surgery

Patient Participation Group (PPG) Meeting

Thursday 8 September

10:30am-11:30am

Hosts:

Anushia Seevaratnam (Assistant Practice Manager)

MM (10859) Lead Patient

Attendees:-

JW (2468)

WH (502863)

EM (3498)

RM (1648)

JI (2932)

DW (34400

RS (9081)

BO (500249)

NP (7461)

RB (7462)

KM (10861)

CH (600883)

KR (12367)

CA (2567)

Apologies:-

7 apologies from patients who could not attend the meeting

Guests: -DrSivakumar and Dr Nimalan

The PPG meeting was held in an upstairs room since the waiting area was and meeting room was occupied.

Lead Patient Mike opened the meeting by thankingeveryone for taking the time to come along. Anushia offered tea, coffee, juice, cakes and fruits to all the patients to have as refreshments during the meeting.

Mike was then presented with a thank you cardand shopping gift voucher by Dr Sivakumar on behalf of the Surgery for all his efforts in helping the practice start their own PPG group and advertising the PPG to new patients and assisting Anushia with all the work that goes into organising the meetings.

The Patient Group discussed the following points:-

  • Anushia explained that Dr Gunasuntharam & Partner from 31 Prentis Road, London SW16 1QBand The Vale Surgery have merged together as one surgery with The Vale Surgery on Thursday 1 September 2016 operating from The Vale Surgery, Streatham Vale, and London, SW16 5SE.
  • Dr Nimalan and Dr Sivakumar individually came and joined the meeting.
  • Theywanted to introduce themselves to the Patient Participation Group and gave an overview about the practice merger processes and asked for feedback about the merger that took place on 1 September 2016.
  • They asked: - How the patients felt about the merger? Was the traveling a problem?
  • Some patients felt that the bus journey was a little longer and she might consider finding a practice closer to her home. In the winter she did not want to travel and deal with the difficulties of attending the surgery in bad weather conditions.
  • Most patients had cars and were happy to travel and park in the surgery car park.
  • The painters seemed optimistic about the merger and wanted to wait how the changes were going to affect them.
  • They requested for more advertising of our opening times and services.
  • Some patients were concerned that we may become over populated.
  • Did we have enough room in the waiting area? A second waiting area can be considered if the need was there, more chairs can be brought in.
  • Were we going to employ more doctor and nurses? If there was a requirement we would consider this.
  • The Health Care Assistant will be more incolev3dr and assisting the practice nurses. He currently does blood tests, new patient’s health checks, bp monitoring, and flu injections.
  • Is the patient list open for more patients to register?
  • Is there enough appointments available with the lady doctors, they do two sessions each per week. We have enough appoints abvaliable for them.
  • There is online access to book appointments and order repeat medication.
  • Anushia then went onto explain the new appointment system. The practice has two lady doctors who are regular locum doctors with set sessions per week. There are three late night surgeries and a Saturday Surgery.
  • Patients can see a practice nurse or a doctor during the extended surgeries.
  • Patients can see theduty doctor every day and we operate a morning emergency clinic from 9am-11am.

New Surgery opening times are:-

Monday / 8:00 - 18:30
Tuesday / 8:00 - 20:00
Wednesday / 8:00 - 20:00
Thursday / 8:00 - 20:00
Friday / 8:00 - 18:30
Saturday / 9:00 – 12:00
Sunday / closed
  • The NHS England Letter that went out to all the patients had a typing error. Please note the opening times as previously mentioned.
  • Mike asked for a volunteer to help him organise meetings. Anushia will continue to do the administration work and produce meeting minutes, send invitations, put up postersetc. and Mike will meet and greet patients and promote the PPG however he does require help with this.
  • Anushia said anyone who wants to volunteer to help cane come and let us know if they have the time to help up with the meetings arrangements.
  • Meetings are currently held once every three months.
  • We often invite organisations like: Age UK, Health Watch Lambeth, Carers Hub and we would like to hold a McMillan Coffee Morning, charity events, donate food to the local food bank and try and help the community.
  • These organisations van give the patients lots of advice and information and are there to help.

Tel: 020 7346 6800

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Address: First Floor, 336 Brixton Road London SW9 7AA

Telephone: 020 7274 8522

Text: 07545 211283

Email:

Carers’ Hub Lambeth
336 Brixton Road, London SW9 7AA
Tel: 020 7346 6800 Email:

Call:020 7840 7840
Fax:020 7840 7841
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  • Some of the patients gave personal accounts of their experiences at the surgery how long they have been registered as patients and how much they like being patients at The Vale Surgery.
  • Next Meetingto be confirmed. We will send out emails text messages and invitation letters to everyone.
  • Mike and Anushia then closed the meeting and thanked everyone for their attendance.