MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENEREAL MEETING OF ST.GEORGE’S PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG)
WEDNESDAY 17 APRIL 2013 AT 6 PM
Present: Malcolm Ginever (Chairperson), Helen Miller (Vice Chair), John Hewitt (Secretary), Andrea Rivlin, Rod Jones, Matthew Jelpke (Senior Partner), Carol Wilson (Practice Manager).
Apologies: John Heard, Ian Thompson, Barbara Davison, and June Hamer.
Welcome: Malcolm Ginever welcomed everyone to our first AGM. His and the Secretary’s report, and the Chairman’s supplementary remarks, had been circulated to everyone present in advance of the meeting. Therefore comments were invited.
Comments on the reports: There was a general view that our PPG needed to promote itself to enable more patients to be aware of our role,particularly in providing constructive feedback on patients’ concerns and interests. Better promotion should also, hopefully, lead to a greater cross-section of patients in term of age, gender, and ethnicity willing to join the online group or to become members of the PPG itself. This would be a major consideration at the PPG’s next meeting on June 26th. Suggestions were that we should be visible at future special events in the surgery (e.g. vaccination/flu days) as well as local health events.
The impact of not only the introduction of the Wilford Lane mega-surgery, but also the planned extra housing in Rushcliffe, would need to be monitored, and contingency plans set in place for the likely change in patient numbers that these events would cause. A chart showing the increase in patient numbers for every year since 2007 was presented.
Election of members of the Patient Participation Group: The following patients had expressed their willingness to serve as members of the PPG for, at least, the coming year:- Malcolm Ginever, Helen Miller, Rod Jones, Ian Thompson, Andrea Rivlin, Barbara Davison, June Hamer, John Heard, and John Hewitt. These 9 patients were therefore duly elected as members of the PPG. Since the terms of reference allow for up to 15 patients to be members there are vacancies for an additional 6 members.
Election of PPG Officers: Malcolm Ginever had indicated his willingness to stand as Chairperson, Helen Miller as Vice- Chair, and John Hewitt as Secretary. These patients were therefore elected to these respective roles. Helen will continue to attend the Patient Active Group meetings with Malcolm, and liaise with the West Bridgford practices, especially at prior meetings, pending the move to the new site.
Any Other Business: (1) We were given a brief glimpse into the new choices provided by the recent NHS changes. Patients, for all services, could find themselves going to new providers. For example patients in our practice requiring an ultra sound scan were now more likely to receive this service at the Cotgrave Health Centre since the QMC had not bid to provide it. Navigation through each medical stage of treatment could similarly be subject to different choices.(2) Malcolm Ginever thanked all members of the previous PPG for the service they had given. He particularly thanked Carol Wilson, the Practice Manager, and Dr Jelpke for all the support they too had given. It was appreciated that we felt able to raise any matter and to have it seriously considered.