Patient Participation Group (PPG)

About the Patient Participation Group

Patients are occasionally contacted by email and invited to take part in various activities e.g. Patient Surveys. If you would like to sign up, you can either complete our online registration form, or you can fill in a request form available from the front desk in Reception.

Become a PPG member

Whilst feedback from all surveys including the National Surveys, has always been very positive, we do not take our patient’s good wishes and support lightly. We are very keen to solicit feedback from our patients in as many forms as we can. A phone call or a word at the front desk is just as welcome!

We also hold regular Patient Participation Group (PPG) meetings to which all patients are invited.

If you would like to attend, please let reception know or just come along on the night. Everyone is welcome.

Latest Patient Participation Group Meeting Minutes

• Date: Tuesday 25th February 2025 
• Time: 6:30pm
• At: Eastfield House Surgery

Present

• Mark Galliver, GP Partner
• Liz Pope, Practice Manager
• Tania Coker-Davies, Operations Manager
• Kathy Sandell, Social Prescriber
• Jo Booth, Reception Manager
• 9 x patients attended.

Guest Speakers

• Bernie, Volunteer Bureau
• Fiona Worby, Healthwatch

Welcome and introductions

Liz Pope thanked everyone for coming, it was lovely to see some familiar faces and new ones too.

Staff update

Dr Siva Pirathapan has joined Eastfield as our new salaried GP. She will be working 6 sessions per week and her normal working days will be Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. She will hold her own patient list.

Dr Adnan Zaman is joining us for 2 sessions per week until the end of March. He will provide patients with appointments for urgent acute book on day illness.

Gemma Bell is our new prescription clerk and joins our pharmacist and pharmacy technician to make up the pharmacy team. She will be helping patients with their prescriptions requests, liaising with community pharmacies and running in house audits and helping with medication queries.

Tania Coker-Davies has taken a position as Chapel Row Surgery as the new Practice Manager and will be leaving Eastfield House at the end of March. We would like to wish her well on her new role.

Dr Anne Maloney will be retiring after 20 years of dedicated service to the practice and our patients. We bid a heartfelt farewell to Dr Maloney, who will be retiring from Eastfield at the end of March 2025.

Dr Maloney has been at the heart of our practice, always putting her patients first and ensuring the highest standards of care. Her passion, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to excellence have played a pivotal role in shaping the way our practice runs today. She has been an inspiration to colleagues and a trusted, compassionate presence for her patients.

While we will greatly miss her, we celebrate her well-earned retirement and wish her all the best in this next chapter. Dr Pirathapan will be taking over Dr Maloney’s list of patients. 

Healthwatch – Fiona Worby & Simon Shaw

Fiona Worby and Simon Shaw Senior Engagement Officer for the Healthwatch Reading attended the PPG to provide attendees with an overview of the role Healthwatch play for the community. Fiona explained that Healthwatch are there to understand the needs of people who use health and social care services as well as working with the different health providers in West Berkshire. They act as a voice for to champion the needs of people and welcome feedback from patients.

Bernie – Community Volunteer Centre

Bernie from the Community volunteer centre attended our meeting today to explain what the volunteer centre is all about and the services they provide. She also explained that there has been a decline of volunteer drivers and they are actively recruiting. One of the services provided by the volunteer centre is transport to those who need to attend medical appointments for a small fee. She also explained that unlike a Taxi service or bus services, the volunteers quite often will help the patients into the building and help them navigate to the relevant department or building. 

New Premises Update

The planning application for the new premises submitted to West Berkshire Planning in October 2023 with submission of the full application in December 2023, has now been approved, subject to some issues with the drainage system. We have been given three months to address the issues but hope these will be done within four weeks.

The next step is to obtain funding to cover the rental cost of the building. Eastfield House will submit a Business Case to our Integrated Care Board (ICB) who cover Berkshire, Oxford and Buckingham. Our ICB have informed us that we will be competing for funding with other surgeries within Berkshire, Oxford and Buckinghamshire, but we are seen as a priority. Greenham Trust have been very supportive, reiterating that they are not in the market to make profit like commercial companies, they are a charity who reinvest any profits made back into the community.

Greenham Trust will be the developer of the new premises. If the Business Case is approved, Greenham Trust anticipate 18 months to construct the new premises. Currently the plans and drawings are being displayed in our surgery’s waiting room and on our website, for all other patients who haven’t had the opportunity to join us in the engagement event. In addition, patients are welcome to complete the online survey to give us their feedback on the plans. 

Spring Covid Booster

The Spring covid booster will be offered to our eligible patients who are aged 75 and over (74 turning 75 before 30th June 2025), residents in care homes and patients aged 6 months + who are immunosuppressed.

The clinics will take place during the week and possibly on Saturdays morning. More information will follow closer to the time. 

NHS App

Jo, our Reception Manager has explained a little on the features of the NHS App and how patients can use the app to request prescriptions, look at documents and letters from the GP and hospital appointments, as well as test results and being able to order repeat prescriptions. She will be training some of our receptionists on helping patients getting set up on the app. We are hoping to run a few sessions in Reception, possibly during the spring covid boosters so patients who need help can come and have assistance on getting set up on the app.

West Berkshire Patient Panel Meetings

Tim Benson, PPG Chair sent his apologies as he was unable to attend the meeting. We will have to wait for an update from him on our next meeting. Loraine has also attended the meeting recently. She explained to the other patients what the meeting was all about and what subjects are normally discussed. 

Patient Questions and Suggestions

Are patients aware of all the services offered by the Community Volunteer Centre? How are we communicating this to our patients?

Currently we have leaflets in Reception, and we also share their posts via social media and on our website. Kathy our Social Prescriber also shares the details for the volunteer centre with the patients and family members who she comes across and who are in need so that they know that the option is there for them. 

Date of Next Meeting

• Date of Next Meeting Tuesday 17th June 2025 at 6.30pm.