The 14th WMC Patient Group AGM was held at 18.30 at the surgery, on April 3rd 2017.

Those present:

Surgery Staff: / PG Committee members: / PG members:
Dr Alex Hart / Martin Tarran-Jones (Chair) MTJ / Pamela Page
Dr Katie Barber / Sam Buckley (Treasurer) / Michael Page
Robert Weir / Wendy Price / Steve Russell
Ann Sadler / Hazel Nixon / Clare Lightfoot
Linda Fry / Gaynor Thomas / Terence Wallace
Tony Twigger / Patricia Wallace
Meg Prior
Lesley Pitcher
David Pitcher
Dina Tisdall
Derek Tisdall
June Smith
Doreen Pinnell
Julia Underwood
Geoff Richardson
Kelly Dix

Apologies received: Robert Stocks (Vice Chair), Dermot Paddon (Secretary), Richard Lloyd, Ann Dendy, Julie Skelly, Sue Gunawardena

  1. Welcome and Introductions: MTJ extended a warm welcome to the PG members and WMC staff present.
  2. Notes of the 13th WMC PG AGM, held on May 23rd 2016: These were accepted as an accurate record by those present, no further amendments having been received.
  3. Chair report on the past year: MTJ presented his report, which is attached in full. Key points:
  4. Five committee meetings held since the last AGM. All well attended.
  5. Four new-style Info-Sheets issued, covering: Appointments, Prescriptions, News and Clinics. This format of communication to be continued.
  6. Work done to improve the user-friendliness of the information on the reception video, including slides publicising the PG.
  7. Documentation to cover the Governance, Operation, and Maintenance of the PG members’ email database approved by the committee and circulated to the membership.
  8. PG membership remains at around 800 with new recruitment matched by patients leaving the area. A new scheme to capture new members when people sign-on at the practice is proving successful, with 100 new members recruited in this way since January 2017.
  9. Potential fund-raising scheme under exploration with Didcot Girl’s school involving the exhibition of student art work/photos around the WMC practice. Such displays would be offered for sale raising money for both the school and the practice. In both cases, any such funds would be applied to specific patient/pupil centred projects.
  10. Well supported PG Group meeting held in October, featured the Thames Valley Air Ambulance service and raised £213 for this good cause.
  11. WMC PG represented at our South West Oxfordshire Locality forum, to keep in touch with the “bigger picture” and input views on behalf of our membership.
  12. The committee has kept track of the NHS plans for Sustainability and Transformation and has responded to Phase 1 of the OCCG consultation thereon, issued in January. Phase 2 covering primary care and “bringing care closer to home” now expected at the end of this year.
  13. Looking forwards, MTJ said that the committee intended to maintain its progress with all the above items through its bi-monthly meetings, and he thanked all involved, both lay members and WMC management and staff.
  14. Ann Sadler’s report: Ann’s full report is reproduced below:
  15. Overnight on 16/17 March the extension suffered a flood caused by a new sink joint coming apart. This caused significant water damage, almost entirely confined to the new extension area. Rooms were due to become available for occupation on 1 April, but this has now expected to be delayed by some 8 – 10 weeks. We anticipate the extension taking some 4 weeks to dry out before the contractors get back in to re-start second fix.
  16. SWOL Dermatology Clinic:
    One room in the new extension is being furbished and equipped as a surgical procedures room. This will be utilised by Dr Adam Jones from Woodlands, and Dr Estelle James, a GP from another practice, who will provide a monthly South West Oxfordshire Locality based (SWOL) Dermatology service, including the removal of skin lesions. GPs from any of the practices in the SW Oxon area can refer to patients to the clinic. Whilst we are waiting for the new extension to come online, this service is being provided within the current Treatment Room at Woodlands.
    A second room is being equipped for surgical procedures with a view to the introduction of a locality based gynaecological clinic in the future.
  1. Refurbishment Work:
    Interview room / isolation room on the ground floor.
    New flooring in the consulting rooms, and in the corridor.
    New flooring in the main waiting room.
    And there will be: New flooring in the foyer
    New lighting in the waiting room
    Work has started on the Patient room on the first floor.
  2. e-Consulting:
    We are looking at systems for e-consulting – which would enable patients to consult with their GP by other methods, other than by face-to-face or telephone appointment. Not to be confused with Skype or email, which are other possible forms of communication with the GP – but NOT ONES that we currently encourage.
  3. Staff Re-organisation:
    We have concluded a year-long consultation with the staff regarding re-organising the structure to create a multi-skilled workforce. This will enable us to deploy staff to the areas of most need at any given time – for example to the telephones at 0830 in the morning; or processing referrals. Training is currently underway.
  4. Telephone System:
    We had hoped to have selected the provider of the replacement telephone system by now, but we are currently exploring the future-proofing options between the traditional telephone system, and Voice over IP utilising a ‘cloud based’ system.
  5. GP Extended Hours:
    As you will have seen from the latest Info-Sheet, the PML ValeMed federation, which includes practices in Didcot, Wantage and Faringdon has signed up to provide extended surgery hours until March 2018. The details were provided in Info-Sheet Issue 004 in March:

Monday 1830—2000 at White Horse Surgery, Faringdon.

Tuesday 1830—2000 at Woodlands Medical Centre.

Wednesday 1830 –2000 at Woodlands Medical Centre, except one in 4 Wednesdays, when it will be hosted at Church Street surgery in Wantage.

Thursday 1830 –2000 at Woodlands Medical Centre.

Friday 1830—2000 On a 4-week cycle between Church Street, Wantage; White Horse Surgery, Faringdon; Woodlands Medical Centre; and Newbury Street, Wantage.

Saturday 0830—1145 at Woodlands Medical Centre
Sunday mornings the hub is hosted in Banbury.

REMINDER: all the extended hours appointments are available to all patients across the ValeMed area, and have to be pre-booked via the patient’s own surgery. They are not available to book on-line.

  1. Robert Weir’s report:Reproduced below:
  2. Registered patients: Apr 2016 10456. Apr 2017 11617. Increase of 1161 patients.
  3. Partners no change: Dr Alex Hart, Dr Dona Pathinayake, Dr Katie Barber, Dr Natasha Pomery, Dr Lucy Wilson, Dr Helen Miles and Dr Adam Jones.
  4. Salaried GP’s: Dr Jane Capo-Bianco, Dr Camilla Masters, Dr Cheryl Heng.
    Dr Camilla Masters joined the team in May 16 on 4 sessions (half days) a week, Dr Cheryl Heng joined the team in Aug 16 on 6 sessions a week. Dr Cheryl Heng is currently on annual leave then will move on to maternity leave. Dr Richard Johnson will be the locum doing the maternity cover, he is familiar with the surgery as he has worked here before.
    Dr Katie Barber has increased her sessions from 6 to 7 sessions a week.
    Total GP sessions – Increase of 7 session since last year.
  5. F2 training doctor placements approved: Dr Adam Jones, Dr Katie Barber also approved as an F2 trainer. As of Aug 17, we will have two F2 placements at the surgery. These F2 placements change every 4 months for new F2s.
  6. Nursing Staff: Nurse Sue Patron (Senior Nurse) retired in Jun 16, and Michelle Whitcomb joined the team in Aug 16 from Wantage Community Hospital. Angela Fountain left the surgery in June 16. Sue Taylor Retired in March 17, and she has been replaced by Carey Powers; a former District Nurse, who joins the team from Kennington Surgery. Jackie Peck and Heather Pinder remain, and Heather has adjusted well to the role of Senior Nurse.
  7. Health Care Assistants (HCAs): The team have lost Charlotte Low to Didcot Health Centre. We are training up reception staff to take bloods to provide more flexibility and capacity. Carla Davies heads up the HCA team of Margaret Earl and Karla Moody.
  8. Reception: Jenny McGreevy left the team to go on a 1 year sabbatical in Sweden, she may return in Sep 17. Mysa Issacs has left the reception team. Jojo Crossin joins from a GP surgery in Oxford City, as does Jessica Nadin.
    Linda Fry heads up the team of Ruth Fostekew, Josephine Burgoyne, Catherine Peirson, Karol Machowiak, Jojo Crossin and Jessica Nadin.
  9. Administration staff: Remain the same, however staff roles are becoming more integrated to respond to sickness/staff shortages in other departments. The admin staff are: Christine Arnold, Denise Phillips, Claire Callaghan, Suzanne Bailey, Jane Dawson, Ann Purnell.
  10. Friends and Family Test: Still collecting data and publishing results on the Practice website. 89 submissions made in the last year. Detailed report attached as appendix to these AGM notes.
  11. Comments from Patients:Positive comments from patients are submitted to NHS Choices website, so that new people moving to this area can view the comments about the surgery, and can make a choice on if they wish to join Woodlands Medical Centre as a patient or not.
  12. Update proposals for the PG constitution:
  13. MTJ explained that the proposals were circulated with the AGM calling papers. Two amendments were proposed:
    4a: The addition of the database Governance document as a codicil to the constitution. Agreed by those present.
    5b: The amendment concerning permissible changes to the constitution, to be based on a simple majority of those attending an AGM meeting. Agreed by those present.
  14. Treasurer’s Report: Sam Buckley reported that in the period from 2015 to 2017:
  15. Income received amounted to £0.84 interest received on Nationwide deposit account.
  16. Expenditure of £36.60 was incurred to purchase:
    3 x 8 GB USB memory sticks for database back-ups, £9.64
    Yellow Acrylic box for membership applications, £26.96
  17. Expenditure, net of income was: £35.76 - ??
  18. Nationwide opening account balance was: £273.64. Closing balance was: £237.88. Net reduction of: £35.76
  19. Cash in hand held by Treasurer: £50.00
  20. Total funds: £287.88

In response to a question, MTJ explained that the positive balance had been built up from contributions received in the past from the Practice. There were no current plans to spend money, but it would be used if required to support actions taken by the PG committee, as was the case in the last 12 months.

  1. Election of lay-committee members:
  2. MTJ reported that the current lay members: MTJ, Robert Stocks, Dermot Paddon, Sam Buckley, Wendy Price, Hazel Nixon, Gaynor Thomas and Tony Twigger were all prepared to stand again. This was unanimously agreed by the meeting.
  3. Election of Committee Officers:
  4. MTJ reported that the current officers: MTJ Chair, Robert Stocks Vice Chair, Dermot Paddon Secretary and Sam Buckley Treasurer, were also prepared to stand. This was unanimously agreed by the meeting.
  5. Other matters arising at the meeting:
  6. In response to a question concerning future Primary Care capacity plans for the Didcot area, MTJ responded that OCCG were aware of the growth issues and actively planning to expand Primary Care capacity. The extension of the WMC practice was evidence of this, additionally another large GP practice is planned for the area, although details and timing are unlikely to become clear until Phase 2 of the OCCG/NHS consultations on the future provision of health and care services.
  7. In response to a question on the future capacity of the WMC, Dr Alex Hart said that 15,000 registered patients could be accommodated with 16,000 perhaps the maximum number with current and planned facilities. However the exact point at which the practice might be at capacity would have to be considered in light of the practice’s commitment to the training of new doctors. There are also other financial penalties associated with closing the patient list, which the practice would need to take into account.
  8. Any other competent business:
  9. None raised.

The meeting closed at 19.20.

Martin Tarran-Jones
Chair, WMC Patient Group

Martin Tarran-Jones Draft v2 april 6th 2017 / 1