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Patient Participation Group (PPG)
About the Patient Participation Group
Patients are occasionally contacted by email and invited to take part in various activities e.g. Patient Surveys. If you would like to sign up, you can either complete our online registration form, or you can fill in a request form available from the front desk in Reception.
Whilst feedback from all surveys including the National Surveys, has always been very positive, we do not take our patient’s good wishes and support lightly. We are very keen to solicit feedback from our patients in as many forms as we can. A phone call or a word at the front desk is just as welcome!
We also hold regular Patient Participation Group (PPG) meetings to which all patients are invited.
If you would like to attend, please let reception know or just come along on the night. Everyone is welcome.
Patient Panel West Berkshire
The Patient Panel is a group made up of PPG representatives from all local surgeries belonging to the Newbury and District Clinical Commissioning Group which the Eastfield House Surgery is part of. The Patient Panel meets six to seven times annually at the West Berkshire Community Hospital; to discuss current topics which can then be fed back to the individual PPG groups.
Latest PPG Minutes: Tuesday 15th September 2026 at 6:30pm
Present
- Mark Galliver, GP Partner
- Liz Pope, Practice Manager
- Andrea Allan Assistant Practice Manager
- Libby Archer, Social Prescriber
- Jo Booth, Reception Manager
- 13 patients attended
Welcome and introductions
Liz Pope thanked everyone for coming, it was lovely to see some new and familiar faces. Liz introduced the staff members in attendance to the PPG members.
Staff update
We have had a few changes to staff since our last meeting:
- Tanya, a new Receptionist started last month.
- Dr Mubarok Husein, is our new GP Partner who joined on 1st September. He will be taking over Dr Arek Hassy’s patient list.
- Dr Hassy is sadly leaving our surgery to join a surgery closer to his home town.
- Dr Shalim Zorana is now on Maternity leave and Dr Rehala Choudhry, a GP Locum will be looking after her patients during this time. Dr Choudhry has provided locum cover at our surgery in previous years so some patients may already know her.
- Libby Archer is our new Social Prescriber, who has taken over from Kathy Sandell. Kathy has moved to a new position at West Berkshire Council to develop and grow her skills within the learning disability team.
- Abbie is a Student Nurse Associate on a 6-week placement, who will be joining us next Monday 21st September to learn and understand more of the roles in Primary Care. We are now recognised as an Educational Environment Practice.
- There will be a sign on the clinical rooms to state that a student is present, but she is more than happy to remove herself during any sensitive or private consultations that any patient would rather just discuss with their own GP/clinician alone.
Surgery update
Liz explained that from 1st April 2026 GP surgeries have to be accessible from 8am to 6.30pm for online and face-to-face contacts. This may mean that if a patient has an urgent need and the surgery has reached capacity, the Triaging GP will signpost the patient to another service (NHS111, Urgent Care Centre, A&E).
Premises update
We have not received any further planning update from either Greenham Trust or West Berks since our last PPG meeting.
A PPG member asked if we had any concerns about the list size continuing to grow. Liz explained that NHS England has recently done a list cleansing exercise for all practices, and we have found that our list has reduced by about 200 patients. These are patients who have moved abroad and have not accessed the practice in a number of years. Our practice list size is now stable at around 15,200 patients.
There are current discussions around a new way of working within Neighbourhoods. The idea being that East and West Berkshire will be split in half patients from both sides will have access to a HUB which will employ a multidisciplinary team of staff. There is a community space on the plans for the Sandleford development, and this may well be one of the Hubs in the future. A decision about the Neighbourhood workings needs to be decided by the Health and Wellbeing Board by 30th March 2027.
Autumn flu and COVID boosters have been launched already
The Autumn Flu programme started on 1st September for 2 to 3 year olds and pregnant women. From 1st October, the following Cohorts will become eligible for flu and COVID boosters:
- Patients aged 75 years and over
- Residents in elderly care home.
- Patients 6 months and over who are immunocompromised
Patient survey results - 2025
Liz shared the results of the Patient National Survey and compared them with the Eastfield House Survey done over the Summer. The survey was both digital and paper forms and ran for two weeks with over 6,000 invitations sent out. Thank you to the PPG members who also helped and promoted the completing of some paper forms especially for those who could not complete the paper forms while in the surgery.
Women's health matters
Liz shared a virtual educational evening on online for those interested in Women’s health concerns.
This will be held on 14th October by consultants at Oxford University Hospital from 6:30 pm to 8:40pm. Posters and QR codes are up on the surgery waiting room notice boards, our Facebook page and our website.
Time to Talk
Liz shared this free, confidential, face to face counselling service for young people aged 11 to 25 years.
They also offer counselling for parents of young people to help cope with this stage in their lives. They will be working out of the surgery on a Friday afternoon between 4.30pm to 6.30pm, coming soon.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm screening programme
For men in their 65th year of life, it has been running since 2013. Men are found to be four times more likely to have AAA. Age, family history, smoker, high blood pressure and gender are risk factors. Those who for some reason have missed their screening can contact the AAA team to make an appointment.
Fairclose Day Centre and Camilia Club
Dr Letham, a previous GP Partner of Eastfield House Surgery is the Chairman of this service, run to help those with Dementia and Carers for Dementia patients to provide respite.
Find out more information on this service and enquire about availability.
AOB
Liz mentioned that next time a member of the Pharmacy team at Eastfield House will help the PPG members understand this service better.
A PPG member mentioned the service he has received by Medwell Pharmacy, Bartholomew Street and how impressed he has been with them. They are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
Date of next meeting
Tuesday 12th January 2027
