Minutes of PPG Meeting Held at Eltham Park surgery on 10th April 2017 at 1:30pm.

Present:Terri Livingstone – Practice Manager

Greta Abbott, Brenda Jarrett, Ellen Mariani, Angela Mckeown.

No apologies received for non-attendance.

  1. Staffing

Terri informed the PPG of new members of two new members of the Reception team that had started: Gwen Birch and Sophie Spicer. They was all pleased that staff that had left were replaced with new faces and were eager to get to know them.

Terri also informed the group that we are now starting the process of looking for a permanent salaried GP to replace our Locums, which all agreed was a great idea and they were excited to see how this went.

  1. The Hub

Terri discussed with the group that the Hub was now up and running at Eltham Community Hospital. Members of the group already knew about it, but Terri explained in more detail that we are now able to offer weekend appointments to see a Locum GP when appointments are needed urgently and we have none to offer ourselves. All members found this to be a great idea and were hopeful that it would have great success. Terri also informed the group that in the coming months the Hub would be extended its availability to evening sessions between 4pm-8pm.

  1. Extended Hours

Terri discussed with the group that we are looking at changing our extended hours now due to The Hub being in place. She showed them an anonymous questionnaire which we have been handing out to patients regarding this, offering them how we would now like to offer our patients our new extended hours. Most of the PPG members do not work so they were all happy with any suggested replacement of extended hours, however it was agreed by all that a morning or evening clinic would help those patients who do work and/or have children to access their GP. The members were asked to fill in a questionnaire; each returned theirs and was ready to be tallied up with the end results.

  1. Merger

Terri discussed with the group the Merger that is going to happen between us and Eltham Palace Surgery. We are in the beginning stages of merging with another Practice in Eltham. It is still in the initial stages and the way things would work is not definite yet, but we will still be two separate sites and patients will still be seeing their own GP. The end plan is that hopefully patients will be able to be seen at either site. Terri explained that it is becoming increasingly difficult for practices to survive on their own and that a merger is essential for us to stay open and continue surgery. The patients were unsure of what this merger meant for them, but Terri assured them that their GP would still be Dr Livingstone. This was a relief for them as they do not want to lose him. Terri explained that once the ball is rolling a bit more she will keep the group updated.

  1. Any Other Business

Terri asked the PPG members if there was anything else that they wishes to discuss or anything that they are eager to see done within the Surgery.

There were no other points raised by our members, and the meeting closed at 2:30pm.

The next PPG meeting date is to be confirmed by email by Terri at a later date.