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Patient Participation Group
Join our PPG and help us to improve and maintain our services.
The Aims of the Patient Participation Group
- To offer opinions in a constructive manner and to put forward ideas on behalf of other patients.
- To improve the provision of health care.
- To improve communication between surgery, patients and the wider community about matters concerning the surgery and health in general.
- To provide assistance in development of new services.
- To encourage a spirit of self help and support amongst patients to improve their health and social care.
Getting Your View
The group would like to contact patients on occasion by email and/or text so that they can obtain the views of the widest group of patients possible. We would like to obtain your email address and mobile phone number to do this. Please complete the Patient Contact Form to provide your consent for this.
Latest Meeting Minutes
January 2026
PPG members present: EL, MC, AD, NP, apologies from HM
Agreed Actions from today:
- Update on digital inclusion and English classes
- Update on the practice newsletter
- Update on surveying the IT needs of over 55 year olds
- Update on telephone greeting message
1. October 2025 minutes.
The minutes were signed off.
Actions:
- The repeat QI cycle in October 2025 showed a reduction in abandonen and missed calls by 34% and the answer message had been shortened - Complete
- Patient satisfaction- stable friends and family results- ongoing
- Patient feedback- this has increased using digital surveying- complete
- Involving the PPG in a PCN PPG- ongoing and to be confirmed by the PCN
- Identifying over 55 year old IT needs- work has started
- Increasing local patient engagement- started with input from Together Better
2. CQC Visit
The practice is pleased to share that it has been rated as good overall and for all 5 areas, safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.
The visit was discussed and how the full report can be accessed via the practice website and what the individual scores mean,
3. Friends and family test, October to December 2025
The overall feedback was similar to previous surveys
- 49 - very good
- 18 - good
- 1 - neutral
- 4 - poor
- 2 - very poor
- 2 - don't know
Positive comments included
- Helpful
- Good access
- Responsive
- Organised
- Efficient
Areas of improvement included
- online prescription requests being rejected- this has been actioned by asking patients to explain any change in the due date or quantity of their request
- Total triage issues
- Failed call backs- this has been identified as an IT issue and is being fixed
- Issues with temporary staff and messages
4. PPG improvement spend
The practice has been able to use most of the allocation and thanks the PPG for its support. Key equipment funded includes
- Lift improvements and emergency patient lift line if stuck
- A fire evacuation chair
- A new LED examination light for the treatment room
- Reception cooling equipment
- A new blood pressure machine with extra small and extra large cuffs
- Paediatric pulse oximeters
5. Total triage
This started in November 2025 with support from the reception and admin team to help patients use the new service. PPG feedback included that some elderly and non English speaking patients may not be confident in using the new online service and how to support them.
The current greeting message was listened to and it was agreed that this could be shorter and include "to stay on the line to speak to a receptionist "and an option to hear the practice website address again.
6. Together Better
Lucy from together better introduced herself and discussed the existing services and new ones on offer to our patients. Her role is the community engagement officer for our PCN
Existing services include a coffee morning and weekly walking group on a Thursday
English classes will be starting as well as digital inclusion on Tuesdays
The PPG were very positive about this additional support and how it can help patients use total triage
7. Practice Newsletter
Lucy shared that Together Better already support other practices with this and offered to meet IK to discuss a monthly
Riverside newsletter to display in reception and on our website
8. AOB
The practice introduced our newest staff member SK who is a a receptionist and currently doing their induction
Next meeting - April 2026