MARYLEBONE HEALTH CENTRE
PATIENT PARTNERSHIP GROUP
Minutes of Meeting
24th November 2025
1. Present: JM, IA, MB, SL, CB, YT, JC, & MF Apologies: BD, BH, JMcG,
2. Minutes of last meeting 2025
approved
3. Matters Arising
Home visits: are offered for housebound patients who are routinely visited annually by their allocated GP although it tends to be twice a year and for anyone who is unwell and the GP feels is unable to attend surgery.
Delays in forms and reports: should be 28 day turn around. They are completed after NHS clinical work. We receive large numbers (all patients insist theirs are urgent/priority) clinical referrals are prioritised based on clinical need. Sometimes they can be done very quickly, it depends on clinical demand from patients. We do try to get shorter forms done more quickly but all need GP review and are returned in order of arrival.
Follow up: GPs have follow up appointments on the system up to 4 weeks ahead which they can book patients directly into, and a diary reminder system where GPs can leave messages if concerned a patient may not book to be seen again and beyond 4 weeks. This is reassurance and safety. Only GPs can arrange these.
Educational Events: JC has spoken to Uni of Westminster who asked MHC to pay them if we want to attend the Uni and offer health promotion and yes they were aware this was an NHS service. MHC have declined to pay for us to provide them with the services.
4. Practice update given by JC
4.1 Staff changes
Francesca Udeh is a qualified Nurse from a hospital setting who wishes to train to be a Practice Nurse. Nurse Karen is a teacher and currently training Francesca (Practices need good nurses so we are delighted to support this)
4.2 Telephone systems
MHC have always received excellent reviews from patients about how quickly we pick up the telephones when patients call and Daniel and JC review this in monthly meetings. Due to leave sickness we haven’t done a review for 2 months and when we did we found at times patients had waited 10 mins to have a response to their call which is unacceptable.
We noted when we reviewed that this was a recent occurrence and tended to be at lunchtimes or staff handover times. Also staff were putting phones on DND, rather than logging off, and the system tries to put calls through to handsets on DND which causes delays. So we staggered our lunch breaks so we have enough staff answering calls during break handover times, all staff now log off so calls do not bounced around handsets on DND, and we have one person managing the ‘wall board’ which monitors the numbers of calls coming in. If it gets busy we can put more staff onto answering. We used to have handsets switched low as we have 2 neuro divergent patients who complain the telephone ringing is a distraction which means when reception is noisy we may not hear the phone. Staff have now been given headsets which has really helped.
The small changes have made a massive difference and the vast majority of calls (98-99%) are answered in 1 to 5 mins (the system does break it to indicate exactly the pick up time but most within 2 mins from our internal audits)
4.3 Newsletter
The Spring Newsletter is planned for early Feb so we can advertise the patient events in good time.
Immunisations/Events/Telephones/PPG information/Cancer Care are prepared to be included. Andy may like to do an article on Mens Health as his talk was well received, and a piece on Reports and Forms. PPG to let JC know if they have any ideas of information which may be useful.
4.4 Visio Blood Pressure
This monitoring at home was a system where patients could upload BP results and they were seen and reviewed by a GP. Lots of patients registered for the service but didn’t participate and it was costly to run as a GP had to be engaged to manage this for the whole federation practices so the scheme ended. JC said MHC had contacted patients and managed to transfer pts of clinical concern to Saiqa/Andy. Pts advised to email MHC their results.
4.5 DNA POLICY
A patient had made and failed to attend a high number of appointments (5). The Practice is clear if they do so again they may be asked to register elsewhere. JC reminded PPG that the policy was not instigated for patients clinically at risk, unable to manage diaries etc (dementia suffers for example). Patient angry as she attended 30 minutes late and it was counted as a DNA.
PPG agreed a missed appointment is a ‘did not attend’, and DNA policy should be followed as we had reduced wasted appointments dramatically since it was introduced. PPG asked JC that MHC remain flexible and mindful of patients in need. They asked MHC continue to send text reminders which are useful prompts.
5. Stakeholders
JM described the Future Health research patients engagement programme that she already participates in but they need more volunteers. JM will give an update when she knows more
6. Event programme
Spring events need to be itemised in the next Newsletter. Mental Health will be the first event in the new year. Date to be confirmed.
JC reminded Judith/Yvonne and Jim re the Centre Review where 3 PPG reps attend the practice annual meeting to participate in planning the MHC year ahead to make sure the patients views and voice are included.
7. Complaints review (apologises given in all instances)
Patient attended appointment with son on wrong day. PT was angry GP unable to see. JC listened to the telephone call where appointment was booked and the receptionist was clear about the week of the appointments she was offering and she booked ‘that Thursday’.She did not give the explicit date which they have been asked to do going forward. The correct date/time had been sent as a text but the patient hadn’t seen it. PPG understood how the error was made and were pleased reception would give exact dates going forward.
PT attended late for appointment-see DNA policy discussion.
Patient has a medical condition (anaemia) and attended for bloods which nurse performed. But the patients had a very unusual form of anaemia which required specific bloods taken and these had not been performed. The patient had to attend again and have bloods repeated. Clinical team had reviewed for shared learning and now all understand what was required.
PT invited to a lifestyle programme run by an MHC GP but funded by NHSE. He ran a search on S1 using a range of clinical parameters. The search produces a ‘number’ of patients (no specific date) and right click and a text that can be sent or an email to a whole group. PT was unhappy to have received the email from the GP as it appeared to be from an external source/service. The GP had in error use the wrong header and footer on the email which would explain the concern. This was human error and GP had apologised. PPG could understand why the patient was concerned data had been breached and suggest the GP takes extra care when contacting patients going forward.
Waiting time-PT attended the surgery and marked in the self check in screen. He was not called and after 30 minutes asked reception why he had not been called and they explained he was not marked in. GP did see him, we apologised for the delay. The system seemed to have been working OK-no other incidences that day. An immediate check was performed which indicated the system was operational. Unable to explain what went wrong.
SL said she had experienced an incident when an appointment was made incorrectly and she found it very frustrating. JC said she would look into this matter separately.
8. AOB
8.1 2026 Meeting dates
5th Jan, 16th Feb, 30th March, 11th May, 22nd June, 3rd Aug, 14th Sept, 26th Oct and 7th Dec
JC will advertise in waiting area, website and add to minutes and agendas.
Next meeting 5th Jan 6pm.
8.2 F and F review
There were 2 responses which were negative and JC felt required investigation.
- JC confirm that the private psychiatrist had been contacted and the delay was communication between the patient and private service. JC described how some patients on medication such as controlled med/ADHD medication require shared care agreements between GPs and consultants, even NHS consultants. This is a formal templated document without which we cannot prescribe.
- The patient who said they felt that some Drs didn’t understand the patients need.
- MHC were unable to identify the patient but will take on board comment as a team learning.
8.3 Local Pharmacist
MB commented that some local pharmacist provide excellent services which JC agreed. He had noted that a local pharmacy was under review by the NHS commissioners.
Future meetings
5th Jan, 16th Feb, 30th March, 11th May, 22nd June, 3rd Aug, 14th Sept, 26th Oct and 7th Dec 2026
Practice website address: www.marylebonehealthcentre.co.uk
NHS North West London North West London – North West London Critical Care Network (londonccn.nhs.uk)
Central London Health Care (GP Federation MHC members of) www.centrallondonhealthcare.co