Minutes from our most recent PPG meeting

6pm Wednesday 9th July 2025: Padiham Town Hall

Present

• Peter Frazer: PPG Chair
• Joanne Howard: Practice Manager
• Dr Narayana: Practice Partner
• Kim Lowes: Secretary
• Patients: 10

Introduction and Welcome

Peter Frazer welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced Doctor Narayana, Jo Howard and Kim Lowes to the new patients joining the meeting.

Apologies for Absence

Apologies were received from 1 patient

Minutes from last meeting

One patient mentioned a discrepancy she had with the final paragraph on the minutes regarding apps. Jo explained that the practice has no control over the available apps, they just give patients access to them and put information onto them. The Patient Access app and the NHS app are different. After some discussion about the available apps Jo explained that the appointments are released and go on the apps at different times, but demand is so great they go very quickly. Dr Narayana also confirmed that demand is great, and that it is an issue nationally. Patients stated that their concern was the availability of appointments and Jo stated that she understands the frustration experienced by patients.

Agenda Items

Practice Manager Updates

Jo Howard advised that Dr Singh had moved on from the practice to a new appointment and that an advert had been placed for a salaried GP to replace him. The practice has appointed a new Advanced Nurse Practitioner who will be starting at the practice on 18^th August 2025. One of the reception team is leaving on 11^th July but the practice has successfully recruited a replacement.

Jo then spoke about Total Triage which is a digital way of accessing the Practice. With Total Triage all appointment requests will be triaged as to when an appointment is needed. Total Triage is a national initiative that has to be implemented by the beginning of October. The practice believe that there will be pros and cons with Total triage and some local surgeries have already started using it, Parkside being  one such practice. The implementation of Total Triage will be implemented by each practice, however, there will be differences between practices as they all have their own individual working practises. Whilst Total Triage is geared up to be an online appointment system, if a patient is unable to complete the online digital form, they can still ring the practice and a receptionist will complete the form for them. Dr Narayana explained how the triage system will work. A GP will determine when an appointment is needed or whether a prescription is needed or a different speciality is needed. Appointments for anything other than on the day will be made by the receptionist.

The question was raised as to whether the online form would be acknowledged when it was completed and Jo stated that it would be acknowledged by email, and that it will be the same system as the text reminders.  To differentiate between clinical and administration requests each morning there will be a GP and a receptionist sitting together to go through them. The system will be open 8am -6.30pm and can be capped if the demand is too great. Jo said she has some reservations about the system, but it will manage the demand better. It was noted that a significant proportion of patients currently seen by a GP should have been seen by another speciality and Total Triage will filter them out.  Jo mentioned that the practice may not get it right immediately and there would be an element of trial and error and Jo requested that patients be patient with the practice during the transitional period. Jo asked if anyone would be willing to trial the system. Some patients agreed to volunteer and gave Jo their email addresses. Jo also highlighted that it was important that the correct message is given to patients regarding Total Triage, in that it is intended to improve the appointment booking process.

There was some discussion regarding the implementation of Total Triage. It was concluded that it may be difficult at times as the practice has a large volume of patients and our Practice has the highest elderly population of all the local practices.

Discussion took place regarding the checking in machine not working. It was advised that the problem was due to the EMIS system, which is used by all practices locally, was causing problems when performing software upgrades. EMIS updates randomly different computers at the practice and cannot do them all at once, which can cause issues on other systems such as the checking in machine. It was highlighted that when the machine is not working patients must report to reception to check in otherwise they will miss their appointment, as the appointment system needs to know a patient has arrived. It was suggested that a permanent notice be put on the checking in machine to say to go to reception if not working.

Jo advised that the turnaround at the Labs had not been quick enough and this had caused samples having to be repeated so this was a massive duplication and caused great demand.

The treatment room on Station Road is now closed. The building will stay open to accommodate other services but for any treatment room appointments patients will now have to ring St Peter’s Centre.

A patient asked about the upcoming resident doctor’s strike and whether it would affect the practice. Dr Narayana answered by saying it wouldn’t affect the practice as resident doctors used to be called junior doctors and are located in hospitals and as such may affect the hospitals.

A question was raised relating to the extended access being linked to our EMIS system and it was confirmed that it is. With extended access patients will see a GP and the service is an extension of the practice. Hospitals, via the EMIS system, have access to patient’s allergies but not all consultations.

Date and time of next meeting

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 15^th October at 1pm in Padiham Town Hall.

The meeting closed at 6.54pm.