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Patient Group
Our Patient Group (PG) meets to provide a forum for discussion about the practice.
Welcome from the Woodlands’ Patient Group Chair, Keith Allen
Every registered patient of the Woodlands’ Practice is entitled to belong to its Patient Group (PG). Our message is: “Patients and Practice, working in Partnership.” We exist to help improve services for patients.
Patient Group Committee Members:
- Lay members: Keith Allen (Chair), Wendy Price (Vice-Chair), Flavia Leslie, Kevin Fitzgerald, Barbara Capps, Mary Harrison, Jim Sayers, Gaynor Thomas, Valerie Thwaites, Geraldine Gadsby
- Practice members: Dr Helen Miles (Practice Partner representative), Kathryn Hall (Practice Manager) and Caroline Bodinham (Assistant Practice Manager)
Joining the Patient Group (PG):
If you would like to be kept informed about the work of our Patient Group, please let us know via this form. We will add a code to your record to ensure that you receive regular communication from the Patient Group and the Practice. If you no longer wish to hear from us, please use this form and ask us to remove that code from your record.
Further information
Patient Group Terms of Reference
Overall mission: Patients and Practice, working in Partnership
Membership:
- Membership of the Patient Group is free, voluntary, unpaid and open to all Patients of the Woodlands Medical Centre
- The business of the PPG is conducted by a Committee comprising up to 10 Patients, plus the Practice Manager and a Practice Partner
The PPG Committee aims to:
- give voice to Patients’ interests
- act as a critical friend to the Practice
- help with communication to Patients from the Practice
Committee meetings will:
- normally be four times a year, plus an AGM before the end of June
- be managed by a Chair and Vice-Chair selected from the patient-members, with support from the Practice Manager, who acts as Secretary and Treasurer
- produce minutes that will be published on the Practice website
The PPG Committee will:
- endeavour to understand the general concerns and needs of the wider patient group
- work with the Practice to identify potential improvements in its service
- work with the Practice to organise health-focussed events
- endeavour to keep Patients informed on key issues
The PPG Committee will not:
- provide medical advice to patients
- deal with personal/medical issues
- address individual patient complaints
Additional practical information:
- All patients of Woodlands may request that their names be added to the mailing list for the wider Patient Group. These people will be emailed with information on surveys and events, and with copies of newsletters.
- In addition to the quarterly PPG Committee meetings, the Committee will conduct much of its business via email. Committee members who are unable to attend regularly may be asked to vacate their positions on the Committee.
- When there are vacancies on the Committee, the wider Patient Group will be contacted in order to identify new possible members.
- The quorum for Committee meetings is at least one of the Practice Manager and a Practice Partner, the Chair or Vice-Chair and at least 2 other members.
- The PPG Committee holds a small discretionary fund for activities that support the overall mission.
- Advance notice of the AGM will be sent to the wider Patient Group at least 4 weeks before the meeting.
- Extraordinary General Meetings may be called at the discretion of the Committee or upon receipt of written requests from 10 Patients. At least 2 weeks’ notice will be given of an EGM.
- Patients who wish their names to be withdrawn from the wider Patient Group should contact the Practice
Latest PPG Meeting Minutes
Thursday 24th September 2026
Attendees
- Present: Keith Allen (Chair), Wendy Price (Vice Chair), Flavia Leslie, Barbara Capps, Geraldine Gadsby, Valerie Thwaites, Dr Helen Miles (Practice Partner), Kathryn Hall (Practice Manager)
- Apologies: Jim Sayers, Gaynor Thomas
Minutes from last meeting and matters arising from those minutes
The minutes from the last meeting were approved.
Update from Chair
Keith explained that since taking on the role of Chair, he has been researching ideas about best practice and the role of the PPG. He advised that the role of the PPG is meant to have a focus on health promotion rather than only focusing on how the practice works.
Kathryn explained that there is a plan for a future education session to look at Healthy Eating which seemed to be a popular part of the session in May on Pre-diabetes.
SOPA – Keith attended the South Oxfordshire Patient Alliance which covers 10 PPGs and is chaired by Shelagh Garvey who chairs Didcot Health Centre PPG. At the meeting he found out a bit more about the local government reorganization and also plans for Neighbourhoods. Didcot will be classes as a neighbourhood with a population of around 50,000 and it will require the GP practices to work together, much as they do now with the Primary Care Network.
There is ongoing work about the position of Oxfordshire as a Marmot Place which has come froma report by Sir Michael Marmot and is aimed at developing strategies to reduce health inequalities.
There is ongoing work to try and retain the role of Healthwatch which was proposed to be abolished under the previous Health Bill. The role of an independent health and social care watchdog is felt to be invaluable.
There is digital help for people at the Didcot Library which as a Digital helpers session on Monday and Saturday mornings. This could help people with getting onto the NHS app or appointment system. Information about this has been circulated in the latest newsletter.
There is an updated PPG Noticeboard next to the queue to reception.
Treasurer’s Report
There remains £229.34 in the Woodlands account that belongs to the PPG.
Update from the Practice
The list size was 18963 as at 17th December. The Chair asked if they could have an update on the number of patients per GP session. The number is 280 for experienced GPs but the newly appointed GPs have a lot less whilst they are familiarizing themselves with the practice processes and associated admin workload for holding a list.
The appointment system continues to work well and the positive Friends and Family feedback suggests that the majority of people are happy with it. We have produced an updated leaflet for patients who are new to the practice which explains how the appointment system works. We will also look at the website configuration to try and simplify the pathway for patients.
The front desk at reception has been adjusted slightly to lift the screen up to improve visibility for staff who were finding that the frame blocked visibility when they were sitting down.
The practice is having a problem with the lift. It needs a replacement hydraulic ump which is proving hard to source and we are considering if the lift should be replaced completely and are currently sourcing quotes.
We recently invited an external audit from the ICB to review our Infection Control processes. The practice scored 89% which was a good score. We have an action plan in place to address areas where we need to make some improvements.
The practice will be offering flu and covid jabs to those who are eligible. There is a big clinic planned for Saturday 3rd October and also 17th October. There will also be week day clinics and a specific Blewbury clinic. At the time of the meeting, the clinics were almost fully booked but we expect a high DNA rate on the day based on previous years which is obviously disappointing. The pharmacies are all offering flu and covid as well.
Surveying Patients
It is proposed to carry out a patient survey on the morning of the first flu Saturday which will pick up a lot of older patients and will be useful to understand how they manage with the appointment system and whether they use the NHS App. Keith had circulated a proposed questionnaire with the meeting papers.
Keith, Wendy and Geraldine re able to help with speaking to patients on the 3rd October. We will have badges and hi-viz vests to distinguish them at the practice.
Any Other Business
Mary asked if we could have some information on the TV screen about Heart Attack Symptoms and the difference between Men and Women. Kathryn said she would try and source something suitable.
Date and Time of Next Meeting
Thursday 14th January 2027 at 10:30am at Woodlands Medical Centre
Patient Participation Group Annual General Meeting Minutes
18th June 2026
Update from Chair, Flavia Leslie
Mrs Leslie reminded the audience that the role of the Patient Participation Group Committee is to act as a critical friend to the Practice and to represent the interests of patients registered at Woodlands Medical Centre. They will work with the practice to try and improve the experience for patients. Over the last year, the Committee has worked with the practice to understand the pressure on the phone system and the change to requesting appointments online but also ensuring that patients who need to phone in can still do so. They have reflected the mixed experience of patients using the online form.
They have observed the difficulties seeing the room board screen behind reception and the practice has responded by reducing the size of the reception desk screen to improve visibility.
They have recommended education talks on dying matters and also pre-diabetes. The two recently held education sessions have been excellent although it is recognised that sometimes the people who need that information most may not be able to attend.
At the last committee meeting we discussed the difficulties understanding the pathway for accessing physiotherapy and will work with the practice to improve the information available to patients to explain this better.
Treasurer’s Report
The committee has a sum of £229.34. This money sits within the business account for Woodlands Medical Centre but is understood to be ringfenced for the discretional use by the PPG Committee. It is understood that recent education talks and room hire have been funded by the practice. It was suggested that this money might be added to and further funds raised for a future purchase of something for the new practice building on Great Western Park.
Committee Membership
It was agreed and confirmed to reappoint the existing committee members to continue to serve on the committee.
Mrs Leslie advised that she was stepping down as Chair of the committee but would remain as a member of the committee. It was proposed that Mr Keith Allen be appointed as Chair of the Committee and this was approved.
The practice and the committee presented Mrs Leslie with a Rose bush to thank her for her work on the committee over the last few years.
Update from the Practice,
Presentation by Dr Adam Jones, Senior Partner
Dr Jones gave a verbal update about the practice as the presentation equipment was not working at the Civic Hall that afternoon.
He explained that whilst it is often the case that the senior partner at a GP practice is the most senior doctor in the building, at Woodlands Medical Centre they have decided to have a rotational approach to ensure that the leadership role remains positive and relevant and that the person in that role is able to remain fresh
He gave an update on the plans for the new build on Great Western Park. The original developer was too expensive and so the project became unaffordable. A new developer has been appointed – Aspley Henley Medical. They have brought over the original design team and we are now in the active second stage of design which involves a more detailed plan for the layout of individual rooms and making sure that the building has flexibility for use of the space in the future. According to the planning timetable, they will start physical work on site at the end of March 2027 and the building should open 18 months later. He advised that we are cautiously optimistic.
Dr Jones then gave a brief overview of how the role of the GP practice might change over the next 10 years with the 10 year plan. The aim of the 10 year plan is to organise areas into Neighbourhoods and Multi-Neighbourhoods in order to structure service support more holistically including other interventions such as social support or housing. However, there isn’t really a firm plan of what this will look like yet. He also explained that funding is being prioritised for more deprived areas and explained that Didcot is in the 10% least deprived in the country and so doesn’t qualify for extra resources. He also talked about emerging technology including AI which is already being used as a signposting tool to help patients get to the right place quicker. The practice is starting to use an AI scribe to help with writing consultations and referral letters but this is only with patient consent.
Brief presentation from new Chair, Keith Allen
Mr Allen explained that he joined the committee 18 months ago but has a background working in schools and education. He is keen to work with the practice to improve services for patients and also keen to understand what patients want, but more importantly, what they need. The committee has recently reviewed the PPG constitution and created a fresh Terms of Reference.
Mr Allen was very positive about the recent recruitment of two new doctors who have both trained at Woodlands and were keen to remain at the practice once qualified.
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