MARYLEBONE HEALTH CENTRE
PATIENT PARTNERSHIP GROUP
Minutes of Meeting
11th May 2026
1. Present: JM, MB, YT, BD, SL & JC Apologies: JG, CB, SF, MF, IA, AG/DO’D
2. Minutes of last meeting 30th March 2026 approved
3. Matters Arising
CORA Health – The meeting focused on updates regarding Cora Health’s response to complaints about their MSK services. JC reported receiving a quick response from Stephen Sandbrook, Head of Operations, though concerns remain about patients being discharged without proper follow-up options. They also asked PPG share patient identifiable details to CORA so they can investigate. PPG did not feel appropriate. The ICB seemed to feel that MHC PPG were the patients were alone in concerns re the service. PPG keen to find out how other staff find the service.
See stakeholders item 5
4. Practice update
4.1 GP Staff update
ARRS funded GP Dr Roshni Bhudia has now left MHC and Dr Alex Telfer who some MHC patents know will be starting in June. Discussion about ARRS funding lead to information on changes and challenges with appointment availability due to staff shortages and recent strikes, noting that while they’ve managed to accommodate patients, the situation has been difficult to manage.
4.2 Feedback and complaints
- JC advised PPG that there is currently a 3 week wait for routine appointments. 2 months of bank holidays, staff leave for tube strikes, usual holidays and saving routine appointments for same day during the drs strike has meant fewer availble appointments than usual.
We do release appointments every day (urgent and book on the day) and 2 weeks ahead and 1 week ahead. We always make best use of cancellations and have low numbers of did not attends. PPG asked JC to keep them updated. No patients complaints but it is a concern for the team.
- Feedback from Patients Survey in March was noted as very positive. One comment was useful to consider:
PPG discussed the frustration if patients attend and doctor may have no understanding of why the patient is attending/what the patient needs are. MHC have discussed this comment and agreed reception will ask patients booking appointments if patients would like to tell us why they want to book. PPG understand that some patients may not want to say, nor should they. JC will monitor the issue and see if staff face challenges or seems to help pts/drs when they attend.
- Px was contacted by the GP Federation pharmacy team for a medication review. This was an unexpected call, Px had not been advised to expect the call and had a review 2 weeks ago with an MHC pharmacist. Px was understandably concerned that the call was a spam and unhappy to have been asked questions related to her health. JC was disappointed as HCL had been asked NOT to contact MHC patients until they were clear how the patients would be notified. JC will raise it with HCL. Action JC
4.3 Changes at ICB (was NHSE and Commissioner Local Boards)
The Board and Executive Team of NHS West and North London Integrated Care Board (ICB) provide strategic leadership for the NHS across West and North London. Together they are responsible for setting the organisation’s direction, making key decisions about how NHS resources are planned and invested, and ensuring the ICB meets its statutory duties. Their work focuses on strategic commissioning, system leadership and oversight, working with partners to improve health outcomes, reduce inequalities and deliver high‑quality, sustainable health and care services for a population of more than four million people across 13 boroughs. NHS West and North London ICB | Health and Care Services
4.4 Medical Services
The group discussed changes to medical services, particularly how GP Federations are now organizing minor surgery services after hospitals stopped providing them. JC explained that MHC practice now provides ECG services for 13 practices and 24-hour blood pressure monitoring for 13 practices, while also handling anticoagulation services for Central London.
5. Stakeholders
JM will continue to share links to external stakeholder meetings
JC said now HCL patient meetings have ended the PCN should consider starting a patient group of PCN PPGs. Perhaps 1 rep from each practice? The PPG could have their Agenda item to ask the other PPGs if they have concerns re CORA Health. JC to ask PCN- action JC
6. Immunisations at MHC
Small working group, Dr Drew, Nurse Karen Sanderson, Gill, Daile, JC, Rejia and SF (as PPG rep and who has masses of expertise with this work) met to discuss immunisation programmes at MHC. The team reviewed their immunization uptake rates, finding them to be standard for the area with 62% flu vaccine uptake and 92% childhood immunizations, both slightly below but comparable to local averages. It was decided to look at children’s imms first as MHC never quite hit public health targets for coverage. They considered imms on offer, how MHC send messages, invites and follow ups. They looked at website information and general imms information. They also looked at practice systems. SF, an expert with WHO experience, worked with the team to redesign communication materials and develop more welcoming letters for patients, particularly focusing on improving information for parents making immunization decisions.
Despite planning a “Meet the Doctor” event for 50 parents of children under five, they had no attendees, and plan to hold a similar “Meet the Nurse” event this Thursday to better engage with the target demographic.
ACTIONS: GK/SF were working and improving our communication systems and DO and Nurse KS at advertising and pulling data together. The group will meet again in June (pre next PPG meeting) to feedback work completed and agree changes to be implemented.
PPG suggested the group look at setting up a mums next type group or advertise on a group like mumsnet. MHC can look at adult imms programmes next.
7. Event Planning and delivering MHC strategy
7.1 Events
Dr Goodstoneheld a Men’s Wellbeing event on 15th April at MHC which BD said was very useful and interesting.
7th May and 14th May we are holding ‘meet the Dr and meet the Nurse events’ aimed at parents of young children to discuss health of under 10s and immunisations. 67 parents were invited and so far NIL attended. There is hope 14th will be busier.
Next event in June will be Gills tea party which is always popular
Question– Would virtual meetings be a way of engaging more attendances?
MHC is revisiting their strategy in June and will update PPG. (it’s after next PPG meeting)
Action-Next PPG meeting. For further discussion for autumn events and consideration of virtual groups
7.2 Newsletter
Planned for preparation in July for end of August/early Sept circulation. It was agreed to create a vaccine table for both children and adults, including information on which vaccines are free and not free. This is to be shared with the Doctors and to be posted on the website.
JM’s Intro will mention the Vaccination Table and the recording of consultations (see Item 8.1).
8. AOB
8.1 Recording of notes and telephone conversations
MHC confirmed all calls into and from MHC are recorded as are all consultations. Recordings are NOT fed into the patients notes and the GPs do not save recordings in the notes. The calls are kept on the telephone system and can be retrieved if required. They are destroyed after a short period, though NHS England is encouraging the use of transcripts. This has happened when patients have asked for confirmation or details of the call. MHC do advertise this on the website and on the answer message when patients call. Both notices provide cover required for data governance purposes. PPG ask this is also noted in the next Newsletter as not all patients are aware. JC needs to investigate how to disable the recording system before making any recommendations to patients about opting out. Action JC
8.2. Digital registrations
Most registrations to MHC happen electronically. There is a good system in place and an NHS IT company support the registration process which has much improved the registration function and rarely do we have registration rejections. MHC do pay for this from the staff budget.
There is an opportunity for patients looking to register with a GP to be able to choose the ‘first available appointment’ when choosing which practice to register with. The company facilitating this would be paid per newly registered patients. This was felt inappropriate to MHC who declined the company’s offer to operate this. MHC felt it was not OK for patients not yet registered to be able to access a GP before registered patients who may have more clinical need. They felt it encouraged practice hopping, was bad for GP continuity and not in the spirit of the NHS contract in regards to competition and open registration for free.
The ICB agree that this system requires further investigation and have asked any practices delivering this service to pause. PPG were pleased that MHC did not participate.
8.3 Safety at MHC
Regarding safety, SL raised concerns about the practice door being left open, but JC explained that a recent security inspections found the practice to be at lower risk than typical High Street shops, with additional security measures implemented including staffed reception and homeless individuals helping with security. CCTV gives addtional protection and cover. Staff can lock doors in quieter times and there is always 2 staff on duty.
8.4.Victoria Medical Centre
Recent experience by a MHC patient of VMC’s minor surgery service which she felt was excellent. JC explained the Federation model which PPG felt worked really well. Action JC to feedback to VMC PM.
8.5 HantaVirus PPG asked if MHC are taking proactive action for hantavirus outbreak. JC explained system of alerts and information received from Public Health England (PHE). At the outbreak of COVID the information was slow coming out but it was a god-send during the main outbreak. In other recent outbreaks, MonkeyPox, MENB in Kent and Measles the information from PHE has been very good. For guidance, pathways etc. MHC front desk team are trained to look out for symptoms presenting at reception.
UKHSA update on the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak – GOV.UK
8.6 NHS APP
The app is the best way/with S1 to request medication. It is quick, efficient, and auditable. It can also enable patients to see their GP and some hospital records, and the system has merged with Patient Knows Best.If patients switch on notifications on the NHS app the NHS stops having to pay for text messaging. From the end of May unless a patient is unable to use smartphones IT systems MHC will be asking patients to request medication on the NHS app rather than email as email requests often contain errors and require manual processing, Even so it is accepted there are challenges with the NHS app’s user-friendliness at the moment.
8.7 Patient data repository
When Pxs move GP surgery their records are sent electronically to their new surgery. Some records arrive by snail male and MHC scan them into S1 and summarise. The ‘snail mail’ is an NHS system and to improve this the ICB suggest the uploading of notes to a secure patient records repository and then should patients move the Px’s notes can be downloaded. There are pros and cons to this as lots of notes need to be uploaded for this to work. Sadly this does not enhance record sharing and involves only those for the GP but not hospital notes.
Future meetings
22nd June, 3rd Aug, 14th Sept, 26th Oct and 7th Dec 2026
Practice website address: www.marylebonehealthcentre.co.uk
NHS North West London NHS West and North London ICB | Health and Care Services
Central London Health Care (GP Federation MHC members of) www.centrallondonhealthcare.co