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About the Patient Participation Group
Our Patient participation Group (PPG) consists of patients who are registered with the practice and who previously expressed an interest in becoming members of the PPG.
Our core group currently consists of patients and two staff members, a GP partner who is acting as chair and our Patient Experience Manager. PPG members meet quarterly at the surgery, most of our members have no medical training, but have an interest in the services provided by the practice.
Bedlingtonshire Medical Group is always keen to hear from anyone who would like to join our patient participation group, to help make suggestions to develop and improve the services offered to patients, or anyone interested in being part of a virtual group where we would email patients from time to time for input in surveys. We would particularly like to hear from the young, ethnic groups and the disabled.
Please note personal/medical or individual patient complaints are not discussed. These should be dealt with outside the meetings following practice procedures.
Patients who wish to join the PPG can contact Joanne Hodge Patient Experience Manager Tel: 01670 822695 or signup via our online form.
Further information from the PPG
PPG Ground Rules
1. Confidentiality
We will tell you if something is confidential and we ask you not to share this information with anyone outside of the meeting.
2. Avoid personal references
As patient champions we think about the needs of the wider public.
3. Avoid assumptions
Base discussion on evidence and good practice.
4. Listen
Listen actively and attentively. Avoid interruptions.
5. Challenge
Critique ideas, not people.
6. Find solutions
Build on one another’s comments; work toward shared understanding.
7. Do not monopolize discussion
Give others a chance to speak.
8. It’s not a grumbling shop
Focus needs to be on improvement, not complaints.
9. Respect
Other people’s thoughts, ideas, and suggestions (even if you don’t agree with them).
10. Mobile phones
Please switch them off!
Terms of Reference
Title of the Group
The group shall be called The Bedlingtonshire Medical Group (BMG) Patient Participation Group (PPG).
Purpose of the Group
To provide open and effective communications between the Practice and Patients to maintain high quality and responsive care.
Aims
- To promote a positive relationship between the surgery and patients.
- To improve healthcare for patients through a joint approach.
- To collect feedback from patients about current health service provision.
- To gain positive suggestions on how services could be improved.
- To provide feedback on proposals for change.
- To act as a representative group for all patient groups including patients with specific illnesses, disabilities, and minority ethnic groups.
- To review patient feedback annually as part of a Practice-led patient survey.
- To enable patients to influence local health care services where appropriate.
Meetings
The group will endeavour to meet four times a year, with a minimum core group of 3 members. Additional meetings may be held to discuss issues. A meeting may be cancelled where a core group cannot be assembled or there are few or no items for the agenda.
Meetings will be held at the Bedlingtonshire Medical Group Surgery.
The group has an appointed Chair, and a secretary, who are appointed annually by the Group.
Notice of meetings, minutes and information relating to the PPG will be displayed on appropriate notice boards in the surgery waiting room and on the BMG website. Members will be contacted by email or through the post when necessary.
Membership
Membership shall be open to all registered Patients and staff of Bedlingtonshire Medical Group, however there will be a maximum of 20 members. Efforts will be made to ensure a spread of membership in terms of age, gender, and minority groups. Patients who would like to join the group should contact the Patient Experience Manager.
Code of conduct
- Listen to and respect one another’s views – all views are valid and will be listened to.
- Turn mobile phones off or switch to silent.
- Make criticism constructive.
- If a member is unable to attend a meeting, they should offer their apologies ahead of the meeting.
- Members will agree to treat items discussed as confidential where appropriate.
- Meetings will start and finish on time.
- The Bedlingtonshire Medical Group Patient Participation Group is not a forum for individuals to resolve personnel complaints or single issues, such matters should be raised and addressed using the Practice Complaints Policy.
Confidentiality
The names of group members and others attending meetings will be included within summaries unless requested otherwise.
The provisions of GDPR Act 2018 (Data Protection) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will apply to all dealings of Patient Participation Group.
- These terms of reference were adopted on: 20th October 2015
- Review date: 3rd September 2025
Agree to Terms of reference for Bedlingtonshire Medical Group code of conduct to become a member of Bedlingtonshire Medical Group PPG
Latest Meeting Minutes
Wednesday 11 June 2026 at 5pm
Welcome
- The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.
- Introduction of new member Mrs Toni Murphy.
Attendees
Dr Alford (Chair), Joanne Hodge, John Miller, John Shiel, Steve John, Russ Wallace, Peter Rand, (covering Secretary) Sally Fox, John Miller, David Payne, Toni Murphy, Andy Hannah
Apologies
Heather Walker, Mike Trimming, Graham Smith (Community Links), David Armstrong, Christine Eastlake.
Acceptance of previous minutes
Accepted as a true record.
Matters arising from previous minutes
The Poc-Doc health bus that visited the surgery in April was very successful; 172 health checks were carried out and had been well received by those who had used it. It had generated a little extra work for the practice. A repeat visit was being considered.
Dr Alford expressed sadness at the vandalism of the breast screening unit in the car park, this is now having to be removed.
Community Links update
Defer to next meeting
Practice update (Dr Alford/Joanne)
Dr Bannon is leaving to take up another post, interviews have taken place and two Drs have been appointed to cover 6 sessions per week and 5 respectively.
Kemi (Registrar) will be finishing rotation on 18 June. We have a nursing medical student with us who is shadowing Beth in clinics doing bloods and long-term conditions.
Kayleigh our mental health worker is out of surgery at present, we have temporary cover from other staff in the PCN.
Dr Alford discussed the new GP Contract in place with headlines covering:
- Practice must provide same day-response
- There must be a policy of not requiring patients to call back at a future day/time
- There must be no cap on volume of work (although no guidance is given on how to achieve this)
- There must be same-day triage
- There will be metrics to measure perform
The current system the practice use covers the requirements, Dr Alford explained the triaging and appointment link process.
NHS app: There was a short discussion – improvements to the app are promised, but a "single medical record" enabling better sharing between hospital and GP is some way off.
A member asked about numbers not attending appointments (DNAs), data for this had not been collected recently as follow-up was very time-consuming and did not benefit from this work.
A member asked why the number of texts from the practice has been reduced. Dr Alford informed the reason being the cost; If a message is sent via the NHS app and the patient has their notifications turned on, this message is free. If the practice has to send out an SMS, this used to be paid for by the NHS, but now the cost falls to the practice therefore messages are being sent more selectively. SMS will still be sent with test results.
Joanne informed, the surgery has their first meeting booked in for beginning of July to discuss flu plans for this winter flu season. The practice must order vaccines a year in advance and hope there will be a good uptake.
Again, would be very grateful for any help directing patients.
Homeless update: Joanne informed there is a small team herself, and two other members of staff, Emma and Demi who are the leads for the homeless project. We started off with 4 homeless patients and have now identified 9. The leads will be the main contact for the patients who will register the patient, book initial appointments with the doctor and the nurse and with the patient's consent, contact them every two weeks as a wellbeing call, as their circumstances can change quickly. We are trying to build a rapport with the patients to gain trust in helping them gain access to all medical services, we are also working with Graham Smith Community links who have donated some care packs which contain essentials, like blankets socks, gloves drinks bottle, lip salve, these can be handed out at point of registration. From here with consent, we will make a referral to Community Links. We have developed a card patients can hand in at reception when they present at the desk which informs staff, they are homeless, and they won't need to discuss their situation, we have also developed an information card which is laminated which has contact numbers of various services they might need. With the patient's consent we will contact them every two weeks as a wellbeing call, as their circumstance can change very quickly. We have been successful in contacting a couple of patients and have been able to offer and book medical services and offer care packs.
We have introduced a post box in reception for patients to hand in their requested samples. Samples still need to be handed in before 4pm, this has not changed, this is to ensure the samples are dealt with by the clinical team to enable them to be completed in time for the hospital pick up. Any samples put in the box that have not been requested by a clinician will be disposed of this is due to the change in guidelines on how urines are processed. There are now 3 different sample pots that are used and without clinical input the samples cannot be dealt with. The box system is working well; patients don't need to wait in a queue when staff are dealing with patients at the reception desk.
Friends and Family update
Joanne read a summary of responses from the May's Family and Friends questionnaire. Results for May were good with one comment regarding the NHS app and unable to navigate. Unfortunately, due to the results being anonymous we have no means to contact the patient to try and help, we print responses to the comments with the hope patients read in the waiting room and ask for help.
PCN update
- Sally informed there are currently 32 additional roles in the PCN supporting the GPs, all doing well. The budget is very tight this year and getting more so.
- Discussions are underway to convert the PCN to a limited company, so it can bid for commissioned work in the neighbourhood.
- Cramlington Hospital has been given the IHO (Integrated Health Organisation) status, which will allow it to commission work from other bodies.
- There is currently a project underway investigating long term respiratory disease. It was originally aimed at ex-miners but includes other people with these conditions. There is to be a workshop on 1 July 26 the Hirst Centre in Ashington and hoping to organise workshops in other areas.
Any other business
Sally informed the group that Bedlingtonshire PPG has the best turn out for PPG meetings in our PCN.
Toni Murphy informed the CQC public consultation closes on Friday you can sign up for alerts, roadshows around the country, read and share feedback.
Date and time of next meeting
Wednesday 23 September 2026