Patient Group
Lincoln House Surgery has a Practice Patient Group (PPG) which is fully independent and is run by patient volunteers. The PPG ensures that patients have an opportunity to give feedback on the services the Surgery provides.
To facilitate this the PPG meets quarterly with GP’s and surgery management to monitor current performance and discuss future plans. At these meetings which are conducted in a friendly, supportive manner we are able to share the views of patients and carers directly and to better understand issues faced by the surgery due to growing demand, how they are responding and what patients can do to get the best service possible.
YOUR VIEWS AND EXPERIENCE ARE IMPORTANT AND WE NEED YOU!
Although the PPG tries to represent all patients, we are conscious that the current group of regular attendees is not fully representative of the patient profile at Lincoln House and we need to recruit more patients from a greater variety of backgrounds and ages to provide a more inclusive spread of diverse views.
Accordingly, we would welcome any patient who wishes to join the group and attend the meetings either in person or via Teams by completing the form below. Alternatively, if you would like to receive PPG news by email and make comments/suggestions, please email us to request to be added to the PPG mailing list.
Brian (PPG Chair)
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Latest News
Need an appointment sooner? Very often we hear Patients saying the delay to get an appointment is too long. Do you know we can do something about that?
Read on:
In the period July 2024 to March 2025 there were a massive 2812 patients who just didn’t turn up for their face-to-face appointment without informing the surgery. That means on average an extra 312 patients could have been seen at an appointment sooner each month.
What can we do to help?
- Make sure we turn up for our appointment, secondly
- If we can’t attend notify the surgery as soon as possible
- Spread the message that we can actually help to reduce waiting times for appointments!
For the same period, Patients interacted with their surgery 25,439 times using the online request system. Not only does this reduce the pressure on the surgery staff but it enables the patient to contact the surgery at any time that is convenient to them. In the case of a request for an appointment the information will be assessed and one of the following three consultation options will be offered. Telephone call, video call or face to face appointment and in all cases your online request will be acknowledged immediately together with a timescale for action.
You can make an online request via the Lincoln House website
or
by downloading the NHS App on your smartphone or tablet using the appropriate link below:
Apple APP iStore
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/nhs-app/id1388411277?ls=1
Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhs.online.nhsonline&pli=1
You can also log in to your NHS account using the NHS App.
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Did you know… NHS APP – Access at your fingertips without the need call. Click the link below for short walk through videos explaining the many benefits available.
https://digital.nhs.uk/services/nhs-app/toolkit/walk-through-videos
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Minutes of Patient Participation Meetings with Lincoln House practice staff
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Lincoln House Surgery Patient Participation Group (PPG)Meeting Minutes 15.04.2025
Welcome: The three new members were welcomed to the meeting. Action points from previous meeting DNA rates research is still ongoing – Tracey still investigating national averages. PPG recruitment discussed – Change idea currently being tested with text messages being sent to carers and 18-40 age group. Website messaging – agreed to publish minutes on website after approval from PPG and practice manager. Shopwick surgery – website reviewed, nothing significant to adopt except possibly Facebook page. TW to make introduction of Shopwick PPG Chair and LHS PPG Chair. Surgery update Business Manager Update We have reupholstered around 40 chairs across both surgeries, providing more seating in the waiting areas since the pandemic. Unfortunately, one wheelchair was stolen from Apsley. The remaining wheelchair is now kept by the reception for better security. Staff changes: Lorraine, our long-standing nurse at Highfield branch, retired in mid-March. We are actively recruiting nurses, but it remains a challenge. We are currently filling gaps with locums and prioritising based on clinical need. GP Updates: Dr Dharsi is leaving to work closer to home. Dr Duke is relocating abroad. Dr Greening will be retiring in June. Dr Rana will be going on maternity leave. Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Naomi will also be on maternity leave from May. We have been working hard to recruit to cover vacancies and will be engaging long-term maternity locum covers. Expansion and Facilities: We have received approval to divide the expansion space, with work provisionally scheduled for the bank holiday weekend in May. Approval has also been granted to move the Lloyd George paper notes to a storage facility, funded by the ICB. We are starting to get quotes to partition the space into two sections: One section will remain for use as a main meeting/Training room. The other section will be converted into an additional 3 to 4 consultation spaces for staff to see patients, staff include, pharmacists, mental health nurses, and health and wellbeing coaches. Suggestions/discussions Consider alternating meetings between Lincoln House and Highfield sites. Action Items Next meeting 15th July 2025
Present (Surgery)
Vipul Parbat
Samantha Seabourne
Tracey Wootten
Present (Patient)
Brian Malyon
Kimberley Vyas
Carys Faichney
Anup Vyas
Rachel Boulter
Barry Dixon
Jaki Smart
John Stacey
Apologies:
Chris Cook
Juliana Reinaldos
List size now 23000 patients and growing.
DNA rate approx. 4% (previously 2.5% before Highfield merger).
Highest DNA rates Oct-Dec, possibly related to flu clinics.
E-consult usage – approx. 20% completed via reception rather than patient online.
Checking-in machine on second floor not working and unrepairable (£5-6k replacement cost).
Signage issues identified – need to review and look to improve directions for nurse appointments and check-in process.
Text appointment reminders cannot specify clinician or floor location due to system limitations.
Refresh virtual PPG group membership.
Positive messaging for DNA rates (e.g. “92% of patients attended their appointments”).
Consider patient-led support groups (e.g. diabetes).
Parking remains adequate but can be busy at peak times.
Review signage from patient perspective
Check possibility of ground floor check-in machine
Continue PPG recruitment, focusing on under-represented groups
Develop website messaging about online consultation usage
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