Can you help us to develop the practice to suit the needs of our population?

A Patient Participation Group is a way that patients of a practice help to influence how we work, acting as a critical friend.  We also want to understand more about what makes you feel well and how we can encourage and direct our patients to some of those things in the community.

If you are interested we'd love to hear from you, we hold regular meetings.. This will then be an opportunity for you to volunteer and shape how we collaborate with our community.

Its an exciting time for us as a practice and we want to make sure you, our patients are at the forefront of everything we do. We can only do that with your support.

We aim to gather patients from as broad a spectrum as possible to get a truly representative sample. We need young people, workers, retirees, people with long term conditions and people from non-British ethnic groups.

PPG Meeting Minutes: 22nd September 2025

6.30pm at Cross Road Surgery

Present

• Colin Huckle (Chairperson)
• Michael Lidstone (Secretary)
• Hilary Lidstone 
• Abbigail Langstone-Wring (Vice chairperson)
• Angela White 
• Geoffrey Pritchard
• Ellen Zapiec
• Janice Moss
• Tina Usher (Trainee ACP and Partner)
• Kerri Durant (Paramedic) 
• Sue Wilkins  (Practice Manager)

Note: Before the start of the agenda items, Sue reported some major changes affecting our surgery with effect from April next year, when Cross Road Surgery will merge with the Royal Manor Health Centre in Easton, Isle of Portland. She stressed that both surgeries will continue operating as at present, with the same staff. The purpose of the merger is to improve efficiency and to help reduce costs, as part of economies of scale measures. Also, both surgeries will provide better care in the community. 

Due to a large number of recently constructed new build houses, especially in the Chickerell area, the plan is for both surgeries to oversee and to advise on the construction of a new surgery. 

Sue had produced an information sheet for patients, which was distributed to members of the PPG group. There was a brief discussion on how best to consult the public on this merger, which has happened with other surgeries in Weymouth. 

1. Apologies for Absence

Marian Huckle, Tracey Dolbear and Mary Webb (Mary is unable to attend due to health reasons, but wishes to remain on the PPG). 

Note: As this was Kerri’s first attendance on the PPG, Colin asked if members of the group could introduce themselves

2. Approval of Minutes of Meeting on 4th June 2025

These were unanimously approved. 

3. Matters arising 

Mike asked if copies of approved minutes of PPG meetings could be displayed on the new PPG noticeboard. Copies on a table from the previous meeting had already been taken by patients. 

Jim mentioned that due to proposed reductions (up to 50%) in central government funding and reorganisation of health services, fewer staff will be employed. Dorset, Somerset and part of Wiltshire would become a new combined health authority; further announcements are now awaited.  

4. Surgery update

Following the redecoration of the waiting room and new flooring, Sue mentioned that the corridor areas will be next in line. Also due to increased number of clinical staff, rooms are now shared, as and when available. 

Following the merger of the 2 surgeries, it is anticipated that there will be about 20,800 patients. 

Colin mentioned that the new surgery at Chickerell is still awaiting planning permission, and will be built by a developer yet to be appointed.   It is anticipated that there will be a timescale of 3 years to completion. Our surgery will oversee the design for this facility. 

Mike enquired about the provision of a health centre for the new development at Littlemore. It is anticipated that it will generate about 500 more patients which will be absorbed by existing nearby health centres

5. Questions from Janice

The process of repeat prescriptions

The accuracy of patient’s notes

Information on the process of repeat prescriptions can be found on the surgery web-site, but help is available for the few patients who do not have access to the internet or smartphone. It was explained to Janice that it is not a perfect system and delays can be caused by small administrative errors, or problems of pharmacies not being able to access certain drugs especially since Brexit. There is a WhatsApp group used by pharmacies, to ‘shop around’ for a particular drug urgently required by a patient. Jim reminded the group that these problems are not unique to our area. Communication problems (and delays)  between surgeries and pharmacies, can be an inconvenience and create stress for patients. Hilary mentioned that any medications prescribed by the hospital and requiring repeat prescriptions, must give authorisation for the patient’s GP to be able to prescribe them. 

There was a general discussion about the recording and notification of test results. Mike enquired if the surgery could contact all patients with these results, whether normal or not. However, due to the very large number of tests carried out, there are not the resources available to notify all patients whose results are normal. 

6. Chairs of PPG groups meeting 

Colin reported a few feedback items from the Primary Care Network meeting. These included mental health issues in schools and colleges which are of growing concern, the recruitment of healthcare heroes and access to dedicated digital resources. It is anticipated that the healthcare heroes will meet once a month and can send out helpful e-mails. Further information is available on the PCN Weymouth and Portland web-site. 

Other useful information and advice is available on the Livewell Dorset web-site, which provides help for those wishing to give up smoking or lose weight for example and there is the option of self-referral. 

There was a general discussion about the army camp at Chickerell which until recently had housed 1,200 Afghans (including children), who had escaped conflict in their own country and now live in peace in the UK. Local surgeries had provided healthcare for them, when the camp was in use. 

Other items Colin raised included £15k funding from Sport England for Live Well Dorset to be used for physical activity projects in the community, and the PCN website which is now more user friendly.

Also the Bridge Surgery refers those patients who lack basic cooking skills to attend cookery classes provided by volunteers at the Salvation Army. Funding for this is provided by Weymouth Town  Council and Dorset Council. Hilary mentioned that Dorset Blind Association provide similar cookery classes for blind or partially sighted people. 

7. Any other business

None

8. Date of next meeting

To be decided but will probably be in early December.