Minutes of The Smithy Surgery PPG Meeting
27th February 2014 5.30pm at The Smithy Surgery
Attendees:
David Collins, Mai Spencer, Mary Jessop, Kay Phillips, Barrie Adams, Karen Ellis,
Mary Fitton, Wendy Harrison, Pat Ralls, Jeff Barlow
Apologies:
Sharon Battersby
1. Minutes of Last Meeting(Jan 14)/Matters Arising
Deferred until next meeting
2. Chairperson’s Annual Report
Mai has written a report covering the organisation and activities of the PPG during
its’ first year
The group agreed that this is an excellent report.
 Mai to send the report to Alan Dow, Chair of CCG: Amir Hannan, Patient
and Public Engagement Lead CCG: Tracey Turley, Patient and Public
Engagement Manager Tameside
David wondered if/how the PPG had been useful to the surgery. Kay responded that
it feels positive when people care enough to volunteer to help The Smithy through
the PPG. The patient survey had provided good feedback to GP and staff; it is useful
to have reports from other groups that PPG members attend eg Public CCG
meetings, the Glossopdale PPG Cluster. Patients do read the PPG noticeboard and
newsletter so are aware of the group’s activities.
Mai noted that the PPG feel that GPs have been very supportive of the group.
3. Election of officers
Chairperson
Vice Chair
Secretary
4. Other PPG roles
Noticeboard
Newsletter
CCG Attendance
PPG Cluster
Patient Survey
Speaking Events
Mai to continue
Karen will be “Acting Vice Chair” in Andrew’s absence
Mary F
Pat & Jeff
Barrie and Mary F to continue
Sharon to continue
Sharon & Mai to continue on alternate basis. Mary J to attend
if cover needed
Mary J Mary F Pat
David
5. Review Issues
The following items were discussed:
 Length of meetings set at 1.5 hours, including meetings with a speaker.
Matters arising will be time limited at all meetings. Matters will be itemised
clearly on the agenda; members will read minutes and papers before
attending the meeting;
 Mary F to ensure that members who do not receive email
attachments are sent a hard copy of any items before the meeting
 Existing Ground Rules are satisfactory : see addendum to minutes
 The maximum term of office will be 3 years unless notice is given previous to
term. 3 months notice should be given of termination of role or office unless
the holder is ill when this notice will be waived.
 A formal constitution was deemed unnecessary for the group at present. A
Statement of Purpose together with Ground Rules are sufficient to define the
Group.
Statement of Purpose:
The purpose of The Smithy Surgery Patient Participation Group is to
represent and support the interests of patients
 PPG Web presence : it is not practical at present for the PPG to have access
to a part of the surgery website or to set up an independent PPG website.
 PPG Members to continue to liaise with Wendy H about what they
need to be put on the PPG area of the surgery website.
 If something is urgent, then Kay has agreed that Mai can ring her
 Mary J will keep the group informed about how the construction of
a website she is involved in for another organisation is progressing
6. Future Developments
Discussion centred on recruitment of more members and attracting more
varied members (eg younger members) through speaker related events.



Mary J suggested that holding meetings in the early part of the afternoon
might attract young mothers. This would be possible on Thursday afternoons
between 2 and 3pm. Alternatively, the group could present at a Mothers and
Toddlers meeting
 The group felt holding meetings at a different time is not feasible at
present but can be discussed again at a later date
 Mary J to bring suggestions of how to take the PPG to other groups
in the community to the next meeting
Barrie suggested adding some questions to the imminent Patient survey.
These could cover awareness of the PPG and what would attract patients to
participating in the PPG eg ideas for speakers
 Barrie will send questions to MaryJ/F to include in the patient
questionnaire
The newsletter and noticeboard should continue to be used to advertise the
activities of the PPG.
 Healthwalks could be advertised on the noticeboard and in the next
Newsletter.




 Mary F to send details of Tameside walks to Pat
 David to write a piece about smoking for the newsletter. This can be
adapted for the noticeboard
Mai suggested that the GPs might have issues that they would like to present
at PPG meetings
 Mai and Kay offered to plan a stress reduction event
 Kay will ask Smithy GPs if they would like to speak about any
particular topics at a PPG meeting
Mary F suggested that a patient reference group of “virtual” PPG members
could be set up. These would be patients, contactable by email, who are sent
PPG meeting information and can be asked for their feedback and their
opinion about PPG matters.
 Email addresses of such patients can be collected through the
Patient survey
 Kay will discuss with the practice if MJOG (text messaging facility)
can be used to ask patients to join a reference group
 Mary F to bring to the next meeting for discussion
Mai noted that from the original 20/30 attendees at initial PPG meetings, a
core of 8/9 members had emerged . It would be good to have another 3 or 4
members with different views and skills.
 PPG members to ask any patients they know personally if they are
interested in joining the group
Mary F suggested that the PPG could be advertised on recall letters sent to
patients and on prescriptions.
 Wen to ask Wendy about the feasibility of this
7. Any Other Business
PPG Logo and School presentation
Pat has laminated the children’s pictures and made a very attractive laminated
explanation of the project . She will make a display in the glass cabinet facing the
front door (first 3 winners) and around the PPG noticeboard (other entries)
1st prize
Isobel yr 2
Box of stamps
2nd prize
Ellie & Jess
Drawing book of facts
rd
3 prize
Daniel
Picture frame pad
 Kay to buy one more prize
 Simon to organise certificates (as per agreed at previous meeting? – nb
minutes of last meeting refer to a graphic for a web design not certificates)
 Mary J will call into school to trace the unnamed drawing/ to ask if Ellie
Rose is one child or two
The prizewinning drawing needs the agreed wording adding to it to create the
Smithy Surgery logo : “The Smithy Surgery PPG: Here to Help”
 Pat will do a mock up of the logo for the next meeting
 Discuss adding to the PPG section of the website at next meeting
 Pat will send Mary F a copy of the logo for the Newsletter
Mai has already sent out possible dates for the presentation of prizes at a school
morning assembly
 David agreed to do the presentation
 Kay will ask Heather if she can go with David and liaise with him about
the date
 Mai will ring the Glossop Chronicle once the date is known
 Mary F to write a press release if necessary
Dates of future meetings:
27th March
24th April
29th May
26th June
31st July
28th August
25th September
30th October
27th November
18th December
Addendum
Constitution and Ground Rules of The Smithy Surgery PPG
The purpose of The Smithy Surgery PPG is to represent and support the interests of
patients
Elected Officers:
Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary
Maximum term of office is 3 years unless notice is given previous to term.3 months
notice should be given of termination of role or office unless the holder is ill when this
notice will be waived
Other Roles:
Noticeboard; Newsletter; Oganising Speaker Events; CCG Attendance
PPG Cluster Attendance; Patient Survey
All views will be listened to
Meetings are not a forum for individual complaints
Only one person should speak at a time
Mobile phones must be silent
If anyone wishes to speak in confidence or ask that comments not be recoprded in the
minutes, s/he will request this
Meetings will last for 1.5 hours and no longer