Patient Participation Group

 

We are a newly formed Patient Participation Group serving the three surgeries of Lakeside St Neots - Cedar House, Eaton Socon and Dumbelton.

We meet regularly with Lakeside staff and provide feedback to the practice with the aim of improving the patient experience.

We  encourage patients from all ages and background to join us so that our diverse population is fully represented. 

To join our PPG please complete our online form or pick up a paper application from the surgery

Virtual Patient Participation Group

We now have a Patient Facebook Group for those who would like to be involved without the need to attend meetings. This group is open to any Lakeside St Neots patient. We have already completed a patient survey and the results were taken to our November meetings with Lakeside staff. 

Please join our Lakeside St Neots Facebook Patient Group

Latest Minutes

Monday 29th September 2025

Attendees:

  • Jonathan Banting – Chair
  • Dr Thaven Chetty
  • Sarah Parren – Hub Manager        
  • Jeanette Teague - Secretary
  • Helen Banting – Treasurer
  • Dave Young
  • Joy Round
  • Sylvia Rhodes

Apologies:

  • Peter Lane
  • Colin Eckloff
 

Apologies and Resignation

David Denton has resigned from the PPG.  Peter and Colin send apologies.

 

Total Triage – Feedback re the new system

The system started on 3rd September 2025 and most patient comments on local social media have been positive. Anima opens at 7:30am and is available all day. Sarah said that staff are happy with the way triage is working. The contacts which Reception now have with patients is positive, ie offering appointments and helping people use Anima. There is a video on Lakeside website on using Anima, and Reception have a tablet they can use to demonstrate the system.

Q&A

  • Q. Patient reported that he recently put a case on Anima but didn’t log into his computer again until later that day.  He then discovered that he had been allocated an afternoon appointment which he had missed by then, so the case had been closed.  He didn’t receive a text or phone call informing of the appointment.
    • A.Patients should receive a text, phone call or email.  If a same day or next day appointment is offered it will be a phone call.  This incident was early in September so probably due to teething problems.  Patients should check that their contact details on Systmonline are correct.
  • Q. Patient reported that an elderly friend had phoned the surgery for a GP appointment, but was told that she would have to go into the surgery to fill in a form.  
    • A. This was incorrect advice.  If patients cannot use Anima, or if they phone the surgery, then Reception will input the information.  
  • Q. Sylvia is part of a digital inclusion project locally where patients could get help using Anima at the Citizens Hub.  
    • A. Sarah will supply the PPG with leaflets about Total Triage (Having added “Lakeside” to the front of the leaflet)
  • Q. There have been reports of patients being given appointments with clinicians other than GP when they specifically wanted a GP appointment. 
    • A. As each case is now triaged by a clinician, they will make the decision as to who is the most appropriate staff member based on need and staff availability.
  • Q. If the result of the triage is that the patient is advised to go to A&E even if GP appointments are still available is there any appeal?
    • A. The clinician may make the decision that A&E is the safest solution for the patient based on their symptoms.   This may also be the case if it is late afternoon and there is no capacity in the surgery.
  • Q. A patient suffering side effects from current medication was offered an appointment in a week’s time.
    • A. Patients should speak to Reception to explain that they need an urgent appointment.
  • Q. How can patients be informed of same day appointments made on their behalf if they are unable to receive phone calls during the working day?
    • A. They should also give as much information as possible on their availability in their Anima case. If unable to take a call then a Voicemail would just be left asking the patient to contact the surgery without any details of the appointment (due to confidentiality).  There are prebookable appointments in the evening and on Saturdays.  The surgery is going to send texts to patients to remind them to check their contact details in SystmOnline and this is also done when patients use the Health Kiosks in the surgery.
  • Q. Are bookable links for non urgent appointments being sent to patients (we understand not for same-day) or are patients just getting an appointment booked for them?
    • A. Appointments for same day or next day will be telephoned to get confirmation that the patient can attend.  Future appointments will be sent a link to choose date and time.
  • Q. Are requests for appointments being met on a daily basis or are some patients still advised to contact 111 or A & E? 
    • A. So far, all requests have been dealt with daily. From the 1 October (start of new contract) Anima will be open from 7:30am to 6:30pm for non urgent cases. For urgent cases (i.e. needing same day appt) then Anima will also open at 7:30am and close late afternoon (to allow the cases to be triaged before the surgery closes) or earlier if all urgent appointment slots for that day have been taken.
  • Q. How many appointments per day are now reserved for 111 cases?
    • A. 8 per day (no change)
  • Q. How many appts per week are being managed via Total Triage. Also how do you balance same day vs later
    • A. Approximately 325 per day and the surgery hasn’t reached saturation as yet.  Prebookable appointments will be offered asap in order to avoid wasted empty appointments.
  • Q. Will the quarterly statistics be updated as call queue waiting time etc
    • A. Phone call waiting times have already decreased.  It is likely that the total number of appointments delivered will show an increase as Total Triage allows greater efficiency.
  • Q. Are people still queuing outside before 8am? 
    • A. Queues are no longer forming
 

Blood Tests

Maximum waiting time has reduced to 3.5 weeks.  More staff are being recruited and there are some temporary staff helping.  Triage is increasing the number of referrals.  Some GP’s can do urgent blood tests during the consultation, or there are some bookable urgent appointments if required.

 

PPG Funds

Dr Chetty has identified some wall mounted toys.  The PPG will choose and order one to trial.  There will need to be a cleaning schedule.

 

TV screens in waiting rooms

PPG noted some unsafe trunking in Eaton Socon.  The screens go into sleep mode occasionally.

 

Vaccination clinics 4th and  11th October 2025

PPG offered help in the car park as last year. Dave, Joy, Jeanette & Jonathan to help on the 4th. Sylvia on the 11th.

Sarah confirmed that other vaccinations eg Shingles and Pneumonia are run as specific evening clinics due to the demand for blood tests during the day (blood needs to be transported to Addenbrookes labs)  and to make them available to as many people as possible. The surgery gets vaccine deliveries weekly and can only hold a restricted number due to storage and expiry dates, so bookings at clinics are important in order to monitor stocks.

 

Staffing

A new GP Partner starts next week – Agnieszka Rzadzinska-Prosser.  There are now 5 fulltime Partners, and one working 7 sessions and another 6 sessions.  There are 4 salaried GPs (1 fulltime) and 3 Registrars.  Recruitment is happening for Health Assistants and a Diabetic Nurse.  The Health & Wellbeing coach will not be replaced due to budget restrictions.

 

Digital Switchover

Sylvia explained how telephone digital switchover can affect some medical equipment.  Sarah confirmed that the practice no longer uses fax machines and the phones are already digital.

 

Response from NW Anglia Healthcare Trust

Response re Hinchingbrooke dated 11 September received by the PPG and forwarded to Sarah.

Letter from North West Anglia Foundation Trust dated 11 September 2025

Dear Jeanette

Re: Lakeside St Neots PPG Feedback

Thank you for the handwritten questions you provided at the Healthwatch Huntingdon meeting on 1 July 2025, on behalf of the Lakeside St Neots PPG and GPs. Please find below our responses to the questions raised.

From GPs:

1. Long wait times for patients to be seen/have procedures resulting patients returning multiple times to the GP to try to expedite or seek further advice on managing ongoing conditions.

The Trust does not want patients waiting long periods for treatment and is working hard to reduce waiting lists, we are already ahead of plan. In terms of communications, these should be directed through the ICB. The operational teams are working with both the Trust and ICB communications teams to ensure the patient waits are the correct ones, as unfortunately, NHSE are publishing them incorrectly on the My Planned Care portal.  The point of contact for the speciality is the medical secretary teams.   All this is part of the Outpatient Improvement Programme.

2. Communications asking us to kindly do to things that we aren't commissioned to do, often telling patients that we will do for them, resulting in either feeling obliged to do it or us declining with the patient feeling like we are being unnecessarily unhelpful.

The challenge is in secondary care, where different GP practices are commissioned and deliver different services, making it challenging for clinicians to know which practices provide certain services. We have been engaging with Primary care colleagues to understand better the services provided in primary care, even having the LMC present at a grand round. However, there is work still to be done to improve the system, understanding, communicating and GIRFT interface work. We have also been working with primary care to work through specific pathways to ensure the effective transfers of care and deliver the best outcomes for patients. We have also been in communication with the ICB regarding any potential commissioning gaps.

3. Push back when requesting patients to be seen and given us advice of things to try, resulting in multiple contacts with us where one appointment in secondary care would have resolved the issue.

In line with the GIRFT bridging the Interface approach, A&G enhances patient care, reducing unnecessary referrals, which increase waiting lists, and enabling community based support, without the need for face-to-face consultations. It is recognised that A&G has not been as streamlined as possible; the Trust is working with the system on the Referral Management Centre workstream, which covers improving the A&G process.

4. Patients discharged with inadequate care plans

Are there specific areas or pathways where this is happening? If you could share some examples, the Trust would be keen to work with you to improve care plans.

5. Patients discharged without enough medication, resulting in contacting us urgently to prescribe.

As part of the ongoing education within the Trust, we have been working with clinicians to ensure that, where possible, adequate medications are provided on discharge. Furthermore, we will be working on the GIRFT interface recommendations to prescribe medication for 28 days, where clinically appropriate, on discharge. This is not currently without challenges in the clinic, where only hospital prescriptions can be provided, as such patients can only be dispensed with 2 weeks of medication.

6. Patients discharged without Med 3 (Fit note) resulting in it having to do so.

The Trust has been educating and guiding clinicians regarding Fit notes. As the approach now is that these are provided for the anticipated duration, the patient will be off work. This has taken time to change in practice. The Trust is committed to ensuring Fit notes are in line with requirements to support patients. If there are current areas where this is not happening, please share these.

From Patients:

7. Blood tests taken at Hinchingbrooke- results are not available online to either patients or GP (unless referred by the GP). Addenbrookes uses MyChart where patients can view results. Lakeside GP blood tests are available on the NHS app and System One online. One patient under Hinchinbrook Urology needs regular monitoring of PSA levels, but has no way of checking the results quickly online.
We recognise our IT and digital infrastructure requires improvement, this is why the Trust have been working hard to source an Electronic patient record, which would allow support improved patient care and sharing of information. Due to several challenges, unfortunately, this is still some way off.

In terms of the process that should be taking place if PSA levels are raised, patients should receive a telephone call with the Clinical Nurse Specialist. If they are normal, they will be reviewed internally with a letter stating the result being sent to the patient.

We have also been in discussion, which is still ongoing, with the ICB and the wider system regarding PSA tests and where the most appropriate place for these tests to be undertaken is to support access for patients.

8. Child referred to Hinchingbrooke A&E by GP for abdominal pain after waiting six hours, parents told staff they couldn't identify the cause of the pain and advised them to speak to the GP (at 4:30 AM) when the child was still in pain. Parent asked for complaints form and a paediatric dr was then called – diagnosis and care plan were sorted.

Sorry that your experience was not to the standard of care that we would like for our patients.

9. Paediatric doctor referred child for urgent tonsillectomy, but Peterborough Hospital, which books appointments, said that the child would have to be reassessed. Case was resolved when Peterborough said that the case has not been marked as urgent by Hinchinbrook Hospital.

Seamless transitions of care between sites, which do not seem to have happened in this case, for which the Trust apologises. Without patient details, in this case, we cannot say why it was not marked as urgent. However, there have been discussions with the surgical divisional leadership regarding the flagging of urgent patients.

10. Patient referred Hinchingbrooke Eye Clinic for an eye test as they have been on high Hydroxychloroquine for some years and should have an annual eye test. The annual eye test never happened and the patient advised they are the waiting list.

For the Trust to be able to provide more details in this case, we would need patient details. If these could be provided, we can investigate and provide a full response.

I hope the information provided in my response addresses the queries raised, and I look forward to hearing from you regarding the details we’ve requested.

Kind regards

Charlotte Williams

Deputy Chief Executive

 

Next Meetings

  • 24th November 2025 and then 19th January 2025 - AGM