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Latest PPG Minutes
Minutes of Meeting: 7th October 2025
Attendees
- Peter Woolliscroft (Chair)
- Nick Manns (Co-Secretary and PPG member)
- Peter Key (Treasurer and PPG Member)
- Oonagh Bryant (PPG member)
- Violet Connellan (PPG Member)
- Dave Bennett (PPG member)
- Valerie Peel (PPG member)
- Alice Grant (Practice Manager)
- Natalie Harrison (Management Support)
- Maryanne Bunce (Management Support)
1. Welcome
The Chair opened the meeting and welcomed attendees.
2. Apologies
Apologies were received from Pauline Brand, Hugh Macdonald, Tony Morgan, Margaret Woodcock.
3 Minutes of the previous meeting
The minutes of the last meeting (15 August 2025) were accepted as a true and accurate record.
4 Matters arising/action log
Natalie Harrison (NH) reported that the cost of the preferred Ambulatory Blood Pressure machine was £1,072.49 but with discount would cost £925.00. She said that the surgery would pay for software licensing.
Alice Grant (AG) reviewed the revised ‘What’s up, Doc?’ flyer (subsequently titled ‘How to help your doctor help you’) and requested changes to two sections and asked that the surgery’s website be included in the address panel at the bottom of the flyer. Peter Woolliscroft (PW) requested that the PPG should be acknowledged on the flyer.
AG said that the finalised flyer could be printed by the surgery and made available in the waiting room.
- Action: Nick Manns (NM) tasked to revise the flyer and circulate to the PPG. A copy of the finished flyer to be sent to AG for printing.
In the discussion of ways to promote the surgery, AG said that the Headlands was prepared to host an Open Day and said that two floors could be made available. She envisaged information tables for the PPG alongside tables focusing on topics offering diabetes advice, physiotherapy support and other health-related matters. The relevant tables would be staffed by medical professionals. AG said that there would be refreshments available on the day. AG said the Open Day would be an opportunity to publicise the variety of services offered by the surgery.
AG said that the Open Day would be available to the general public but the focus would be on current patients. She said the Open Day should be scheduled for the Spring (around Easter) when the weather improved and the pressure for medical services would lessen.
PW raised the issue of a drop-in coffee morning over the Christmas period. This would publicise the surgery and be an opportunity for fund-raising (on the lines of the previous coffee morning). He noted the absence of footfall outside the surgery during the last event and raised the possibility of using one of the unoccupied retail spaces in the town centre.
AG said that she would enquire from a town councillor she knew as to the possibility of accessing an empty retail space for a brief period.
- Action: AG to report back with (a) a date for a Spring Open Day and (b) information regarding the use of an unoccupied space over the Christmas period.
With regard to the new GP contract, AG reported that surgery procedures had been revised from July 2025. She said Anima was now available for an extra hour each day (7.30 – 6.30) and on Sunday evenings. She said that patients who used Anima and requested an appointment were contacted the same day. The surgery would make three attempts to reply to a request and if no contact had been made, the patient would be directed back to the surgery.
Patients would be offered an appointment within two weeks (having made contact with the surgery).
AG noted the surgery dealt with over 100 requests for appointments each day.
Violet Connellan (VC) asked about home visits. AG said that home visits were for people who were house-bound. They were entitled to a home visit once their mobility had been assessed. Each home visit was calculated as three surgery appointments and currently the surgery provided 28 hours of home visits a week.
With regard to future participation by medical staff in PPG meetings, AG said that GPs were very busy at the start of the week and that any doctor involvement would need to be after this. She suggested participation on a quarterly basis and that AG/NH would brief doctors on topics.
However, AG said that during the last meeting (attended by Dr Omar Ali), no clinical issues were discussed and that an invitation to attend a meeting would remove medical staff from appointments. She felt that much could be done by administrative staff.
PW said that people had asked him about services such as ‘social prescribing’ and in the discussion that followed, AG felt that a range of topics might be covered by leaflets/ flyers that could be available in the waiting room.
PW raised the issue of patient survey information and the value (for future activity planning) of the PPG having access to patient interests and concerns. AG said that she would respond to the request once confidentiality issues had been addressed.
- Action: AG to respond to the request for access to the patient survey.
VC had met with Faith Dougall (FD) to discuss the noticeboard in the waiting room. VC felt that the board should be a powerful and reassuring focus for patients. She had discussed possible headings with FD (which might include a children’s section) and the possibility of a PPG photograph.
AG said that a group photograph could be taken at the next PPG meeting (provided everyone was able to attend).
- Action: AG to arrange a group photograph.
5. Any other business
VC asked about eligibility for the Covid vaccination. AG said that GP surgeries didn’t make vaccination decisions: they had to follow national guidelines and these were based on research. Currently, people aged 75 years were eligible for the Covid vaccination.
To date, AG said that the surgery had vaccinated 700 people for flu and 300 for Covid.
PW asked about blood tests. Was Kettering council (offices) still offering them? AG said that there was a backlog for blood tests, but the council was still providing them, as was the Headlands surgery. Blood tests were also available in Corby and Irthlingborough.
AG noted that the demand for blood tests was such that there had been an 18% increase at the surgery.
Peter Key (PK) asked about a confidentiality agreement (for those attending PPG meetings). AG said that these would be provided (for signature) along with a consent form.
- Action: AG/NH to provide the relevant confidentiality/ consent paperwork.
Dave Bennett (DB) wondered about a PPG name badge, which would be useful when helping out at public events (such as vaccinations at the surgery). AG/NH said that they would arrange for the appropriate badge to be available.
- Action: AG/NH to provide the necessary ID.
PW wondered whether the surgery could provide a patient’s guide to Anima (following a recent enquiry). AG said that she would get on to this.
- Action: AG/NH to devise a Patient’s Guide to Anima.
Date of the Next Meeting
9th December 2025. The group would convene at 1.00pm (for refreshments) and the meeting would start at 1.30pm. AG was available until 2.30pm.