Patient Participation Group

Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) meets to provide a forum for discussion about the practice.

25th June 2025 - Meeting Notes

Practice:  

• Dr Helen Salisbury, Jon Frank (Practice manager)

Patients:

• Elaine                    
• Alison                
• Anna                    
• Barbara L
• Christopher                
• Michael             
• Maggie                
• Wendy                       

Apologies were received from: Shelagh, Janet, David, David R, Lesley, Fiona, Roger, & Cicely     

1.    Welcome:    

Elaine welcomed everyone to the meeting.

2.    Matters arising:

• NHS App session:  The session arranged for 25th March did not go according to plan.  Although 4 PPG members arrived to help people, due to sickness the practice had not sent out any invitations to patients.  We did help one person who happened to be in the waiting room.  It was agreed that we would try to arrange another session.
• Elaine noted that some help to get online was available at the Westgate Public Library (and other public libraries). https://gettingoxfordshireonline.org/get-help/

Action: Elaine to organise another drop-in session at the Health Centre.  

• Going Digital: Elaine had drafted a table which aims to explain alternatives for patients who are not able to use on-line or digital services.  She asked the practice to complete all the sections as she was not sure of all the options.  There was some discussion about how difficult it was for patients to understand the right options – for example in asking for changes to repeat prescriptions – and replying to text messages from Accrux.  There were mixed views about how the helpfulness of the reception staff.

It was suggested that if we wanted to reply to a text message to say “thank you” that we post a review on-line instead.  This would save the practice time in having to read a message (however nice) and help with the CQC inspection.

Websites that could be used for posting reviews are:

• Healthwatch Oxfordshire
• Google reviews
• Waiting room posters: This was also an uncompleted activity.  However, the situation has changed.  The practice is anticipating that they will shortly be inspected by the regulators, the Clinical Quality Commission.  The CQC have certain expectations about what information is displayed, which is not necessarily the same as we had planned.  So, the practice will produce the required posters/information and the PPG will organise for them to be displayed.

Action: Jon to arrange for the posters to be printed.  PPG will arrange for display.

• Recycling inhalers:  Elaine reported that most pharmacies now take back inhalers for recycling.  This includes Boots and Medipill in Summertown and the Walton Street pharmacy.  It was agreed that patients should be asked to take in their old inhalers when collecting new ones.
• Health walks: Since our request at the previous meeting for more support for the Jericho Health Walks, Barbara has now joined on a regular basis.  What the walks really need, however, is more walk leaders.  Elaine explained that this would involve a one-day training course, run by the Council, and leading a walk (Thursday afternoon) from time to time.  Maggie agreed to consider this as an option.

3.    Practice Update:

• Practice Staff

Dr Baban is now on maternity leave.  In her absence Dr Neil Tucker is covering the first 3 months and then Dr Alex Bunn will cover the remainder.  The practice hopes that he will stay on, as an extra doctor once she returns.

Carameh Aarabi has started as a second clinical pharmacist.  She replaces Fenti (who was a pharmacy technician.)  She helps the doctors by reviewing prescribing and medication and sees patients for medication reviews as appropriate.

• Extra space

The practice is investigating whether it would be able to use some of the space vacated by the Community Staff (Health Visitors and District Nurses) now that they have moved to Jordan Hill.  They are meeting with the Integrated Care Board in a couple of weeks.  The PPG offered to write a letter of support if it would help.

• Appointment times

From September the practice is going to the length of appointments from 10 minutes to 15 minutes.  10-minute appointments do not allow the doctor to consult with the patient and then arrange any follow-up or complete paperwork.  The practice hope that this will be possible with a 15-minute slot.  They also hope that it will stop clinics running late.

Michael asked if the practice had plans for the autumn covid and flu clinics.  The practice anticipates that flu clinics will run from October as usual, but as yet they have no information about what covid vaccines will be available and the eligibility criteria.

4.    Oxford Health move to Jordan Hill

The services previously provided at the surgery, or at other buildings locally, by Oxford Health have now moved into a new centre at Jordan Hill.  This is on a light industrial estate outside the ring road.  Services include Health Visitors, District Nursing and Podiatry.  Elaine has been involved with various focus groups run by Oxford Health to ‘consult’ on these changes.  Her main concern is that it is a major expedition for patients who have to access the services by public transport.

The discussion raised the following points:

• Practice has not yet had feedback from patients
• Patients will not go to appointments if it is difficult to get there
• Transport costs, travelling times will put people off from going to clinics
• No more ‘drop-in’ clinics
• This will not help in the drive towards ‘neighbourhood working’ being advocated by the NHS

Christopher, who is involved in a number of community transport schemes, agreed that the situation is not ideal.  He will find out about local schemes and let Elaine have any information to circulate to the group.

5.    Autumn Patient Survey

In light of the anticipated CQC inspection the practice would like to run the practice survey as soon as possible.  A list of questions that they want answers to was circulated. This is included at the end of these notes.

Elaine has drafted a questionnaire, which incorporates the CQC questions, and uses questions that we have asked in previous years.  She commented that the first draft does not include the question about ‘feeling safe’.  The group agreed that it should be included – “if they want the answer then ask the question!”.

A second draft will be circulated with these notes.

Action: 

Any comments to be sent to Elaine.  

Elaine and Wendy will meet in July (after 20th due to holiday) and produce a final version.

Practice and PPG to agree a week (in August) to send out the survey digitally and to hand out paper copies in the waiting room.

6.    Any other business

GPs prescribing weight loss injections

Dr Salisbury commented that the media is full of news about GPs being able to prescribe Mounjaro for weight loss (rather than going through a specialist service).  What they did not fully explain is that the criteria for this are very strict (BM1 of 40+ and 4 other conditions) so that for this practice only 2 patients would be eligible.

County Council proposals for congestion charging:

Everyone was aware that the County Council is proposing a £5 congestion charge for cars driving through the 6 traffic filters around Oxford.  Various views were expressed by those around the table.

There was also some confusion about whether everyone has to pay or whether there will be some permits available for residents living in Oxford.  It seems that there will be 100 day permits for Oxford residents.

Jon also explained that the effects that this will have on the practice staff.  

• Those going through the filters on their way to work will have to pay the daily £5 charge.  
• Clinical staff who go to work and then may have to visit a patient at home will be allowed to apply for an exemption pass.  (More administration work for staff.)
• Some staff will be able to work from home more.

Information on the proposals is here.

Consultation link is here – open until 3rd August.

The PPG offered to write to the Council saying that NHS staff should be exempt.  What would also be useful is for us to complete the survey, which is open to 3rd August.  The charges are due to start in September.

Christopher also noted that the local petition to run a Jericho bus service was unsuccessful.  However, there is a new proposal for a community bus service to run from Cutteslow to Jericho, similar to the old number 17 minibus.

7.    Date of Next Meeting 

To be arranged for September after the patient survey has been completed.

CQC questions

Access to Care

1.    How easy was it to get through to the practice by phone?

2.    How convenient was your appointment time?

3.    Were you able to get an appointment when you needed one?

Respect, Dignity & Compassion

4.    Did you feel listened to during your appointment?

5.    Were you treated with respect by the clinical and reception staff?

6.    Did the clinician explain things in a way you could understand?

Safety & Quality of Care

7.    Do you feel safe when receiving care at the practice?

8.    Did you feel your concerns were taken seriously?

9.    Do you feel confident in the knowledge and ability of the clinicians?

Communication & Involvement

10.    Were you involved in decisions about your care and treatment?

11.    Were your questions answered satisfactorily?

Continuity of Care

12.    Are you able to see the same clinician if you wish?

13.    Is your care usually well coordinated between different staff or services?

Digital Access / Online Services

14.    Have you used online services (e.g. repeat prescriptions, booking appointments)?

15.    How easy was it to use the online or digital services?

Overall Satisfaction

16. How satisfied are you with the overall service provided by the practice?

17. Would you recommend this practice to friends or family?

Open-Ended Question (CQC likes qualitative data too)

18. What is the one thing we could do to improve your experience at the practice?