Patient Participation Group for Orchard Surgery

29/03/2025

Let’s talk…about us!! 😊😊

Who are the Patient Participation Group (PPG) and what do they do?

We are a group of registered patients who volunteer time to discuss (with the surgery) issues and any potential improvements affecting Orchard Surgery’s patients.
All surgeries in England are required to have a PPG.

What don’t the PPG do?

We don’t get involved in lobbying and can’t get involved in individual cases.

How can patients contact the PPG?

Why don’t you come to Orchard Surgery Open Day next Saturday 5th April (10:00-12:00) and meet us?

Patients can also contact us through Facebook Messenger, email us orchardchairppg@gmail.com or use our new suggestion box in the surgery (located under the PPG noticeboard).
(Please don’t forget that we do not get involved in individual cases but general feedback is always welcome).

Maybe you’d like to join us?

We currently have 2 vacancies.
If those get filled then you’d go onto a waiting list.

14/03/2025

🤩🤩🤩
Our (Patient Participation Group PPG) Spring ‘25 Newsletter is now available!!

Please see photos for details 😊

13/03/2025

📣📣 February Missed Appointments

There were a total number of 102 appointments last month which patients missed.

102 appointments that other patients may have needed and could have taken.

The breakdown is:
GP - 19
Nurse Practitioner - 11
Nurse/HCA - 72

It’s much easier to cancel an appointment now, just head to the surgery website where you can cancel your appointment or phone the surgery.

Remember if you phone the surgery, you won’t get caught up in any queues as you can leave a message without speaking to a receptionist/care navigator, it only takes a few minutes👌

We had a comment from a patient last month asking how do they know if their appointment has been cancelled once they have phoned the cancellation line, as no texts are sent out for cancelled appointments.

We discussed this with the surgery who thought it was a great idea and implemented it straight away!

So, now when you cancel an appointment you will receive a text once the cancellation has been actioned 🙌

Please, if you no longer need your appointment or you can’t make it for whatever reason, cancel it so another patient can use it.

26/02/2025

The Surgery Website has had a makeover!🎉🎉

Making it much more user friendly and far easier to navigate! 🤩👌

Have you had a look? 👀👀

07/02/2025

📣📣 Orchard Surgery Refurbishment Update!

We popped in to the surgery today to see how the refurbishment is coming along and wow it’s all starting to take shape now!

There will be 3 new extra clinical rooms, all complete with the new requirement spec.

The refurbishment is on track to be completed by the end of March.

The surgery will be hosting another Open Day 10:00-12:00 on Saturday 5th April, so why don’t you pop in and see the refurbishment for yourself and meet the team!

There will also be local organisations/charities available and there’ll also be cake and refreshments!

Here are some photos we took this afternoon, thanks from the Patient Participation Group for Orchard Surgery 😊

06/02/2025

📣📣 It’s that time of the month when we talk…Missed Appointment Numbers.

There’s good news and bad news this month…

The total number of appointments missed in January was 124, which is down by 44 appointments on the previous month, so thank you if you have cancelled an unwanted appointment! 🙌

HOWEVER, this does still mean there’s 124 appointments missed that could have gone to other patients 😢

The breakdown is:
GP - 27
Nurse Practitioner/Practice Nurses - 15
Nurse - 43
Healthcare Assistants - 39

Total 1️⃣2️⃣4️⃣

➡️ Did you know you can cancel your appointment by phoning the surgery, pressing option 1 and leaving a message?
No hanging on the phone to speak to anyone to cancel!

➡️ Or you can cancel your appointment
through the surgery website.
Click on Appointments, then click on Cancel an Appointment, then click no to Online Services, fill the form in and submit!

➡️ The surgery will also send a reminder of your appointment to your mobile phone the day before your appointment, BUT does the surgery have your mobile number, or have you changed your number and not updated your details with the surgery?

➡️ Again, you can do this through the surgery website quickly and easily, (general enquiries, change personal details), through Systmonline or phone/call into the surgery.

Please do cancel any appointments you no longer need so other patients can use them 🥰

And please update your mobile number so you can receive appointment reminder texts (and also so the Surgery can contact you quickly and easily if they need to).

Thank you from the Patient Participation Group for Orchard Surgery 😊

01/02/2025

📞☎️📞☎️📞☎️

Let’s talk…telephoning the surgery!

One of the most common things that patients tell us is how long they have to wait on the phone when phoning the surgery.

The easiest way to book an appointment is through the Orchard Surgery website, GP requests are open until 12:00 and all other appointment requests are open all day.

However, not everyone is able (or wants) to use a computer/smart phone and prefers to phone the surgery, although you know if you do phone, then you could be in for a lengthy wait before you speak to a Care Navigator/Receptionist.

Well…from Monday there will be an option for you to leave a message and you will get a call back, meaning you no longer have to wait in the telephone queue!

The call back facility will be in place during busy periods.
Once your call back has been requested, please don’t keep trying to call as that will make the lines even busier.

The call back facility is optional, you don’t have to use it and you can continue to hold if this is better for you.

Don’t forget if you want to cancel an appointment you can do this through the website or if you phone the surgery and select option 1 then there is a dedicated cancellation line where you can leave a message.

Phoning for your test results?
Download the NHS app on your smartphone and you will be able to view your results on the app…even easier!

23/01/2025

📱☎️📞📱

Let’s talk…Phone Numbers!

When you buy a new phone, one of the first things you do is tell people your new number…your family, your friends, your work colleagues etc but have you told the Surgery and updated your new number with them?

If the Surgery has your number registered, then not only can you receive text messages reminding you of upcoming appointments 💬💬💬
but the Surgery can phone you if there is a need to, quickly and easily 🤩

If you need to update your phone number with the surgery, the easiest way is through the surgery website…

➡️General enquiries
➡️Change personal details
➡️Yes - Systmonline, follow the link
➡️No - Fill in the form and submit

You can also phone the surgery or call in.

Please update the Surgery with your new telephone number if you haven’t already, thank you 😊

18/01/2025

📣📣 Missed Appointments

November ➡️ 141
(GP 21, Nurse/NP 60, HCA 60)

December ➡️ 168
(GP 14, Nurse/NP 74, HCA 80)

Please, please if you no longer need your appointment or cannot make your appointment for whatever reason, please cancel it so it can be made available for another patient.

☎️ You can cancel your appointment by phoning the surgery, pressing option 1 and leaving a message…no hanging on the phone to speak to anyone to cancel!

💻 You can also cancel your appointment through the surgery website by clicking on ‘Appointments’, then clicking onto ‘Cancel an Appointment’, then clicking onto ‘Online Services’…fill the form in and submit!

😳😳 In the last 3 months of 2024 there were a whopping 5️⃣1️⃣9️⃣ appointments that were missed at Orchard, yes 519 appointments!!

519 appointments wasted that could have been freed up for another 519 patients to use.

Please let’s all try and help and if that appointment is not needed anymore, please cancel it!

Thank you.

16/01/2025

Update on Fire at Barwells Court Public Toilets

We are sorry to say that at 6pm on the evening of the 15th January 2025 a group of people took it upon themselves to remove a wheelie bin and set it on fire within the urinals.

Fortunately, there is good CCTV coverage of the area. Extensive footage clearly showing all those involved has been passed onto the Police.

This is a criminal offence and the Police are treating the matter very seriously.

Of the group present, even if you did not start the fire, you could be found guilty of an offence, and you may face prosecution.

Barwells Court Toilets are therefore currently closed, and will be re-opened as soon as repairs have been made and it is safe for the public to use them again.

13/01/2025

Fantastic job opportunity! 👀

14/12/2024

09/12/2024

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄
Full details of pharmacy opening times on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day have now been released, please see photo.

💊💊💊💊💊💊💊💊💊💊
If you are due to run out of medication over the festive period, please ensure you order your repeat prescription in advance, allowing sufficient time for the surgery to process your request and your nominated pharmacy to prepare and dispense your medication.

Thank you 🥰

29/11/2024

Friday 29th November

The phones are now working 😊

29/11/2024

Friday 29th November

28/11/2024

Thursday 28th November