PPG Meeting Minutes

July 2024

Meeting Date: Tuesday 2nd July 2024 Start Time: 1pm
Location: Norman Centre, Public Hall End Time: 2pm
Present: David Forward (DF); Robert Harland (RH); Sue Lake (SL); Mark McGlade (MM); Deborah Mitchell (DM); Lynette Oram (LO); Jacqui Ruhlig (JR); Judith Sedgwick (JS); Julia Vaughan Smith (JVS); Judy Wright (JW)
Absent: Peter Frean (PF); Chris Kitson (CK); Liz Plaatsman (LP)

1. Welcome and Apologies

Peter Frean, Chris Kitson, Liz Plaatsman

2. Approval of the minutes of the last meeting dated July 4th 2023:

The minutes for the May AGM have been circulated to all members.

3. Clarepharm

Ronak Maroo joined the meeting to update the PPG on Clarepharm in Budleigh.

Ronak explained that Clarepharm is a family business.  Historically Clarepharm in Exmouth had had multiple owners in WEB.  He took over the business in 1994 when it had been Boots 60%, Tesco 30% and independent businesses 10%.  Clarepharm expanded to Honiton in October 2022 and Budleigh in June 2023.   The licence in Budleigh was consolidated to one soon after they took over the business.

Repeat medication and trays are done from a hub in Liverton.  This leaves the shop staff time to prepare acute medications.  Clarepharm offer a free delivery service.

Ronak advised that he believes pharmacies are part of primary care.  This is recognised in that NHSE are promoting patients seeing a pharmacist instead of a GP for certain conditions (see table below).  There is a full-time pharmacist, Paul, who is able to see patients referred to from the GP surgery or “walk-ins”.

Clinical Pathway Age Range
Uncomplicated UTI Women 16 - 64 years
Shingles 18 years and over
Impetigo 1 year and over
Infected Insect Bites 1 year and over
Sinusitis 12 years and over
Sore Throat 5 years and over
Acute Otitis Media 1 - 17 years

The pharmacy would like to increase the referrals to 30 per month and the practice will liaise with Ronak regarding this.

He advised that consent to contact patients is not required for “direct patient care” and this is why patients have received SMS inviting them for blood pressure checks.  The check is free and a copy of the results is sent to the patient’s GP electronically.

RH shared that he felt the store was quite chaotic although he had received a good service.

LO felt that the signage for patients queuing could be better.  Ronak will review the patient flow.

Medication shortages continue to be an issue but this is outside of the pharmacists control.  Being an independent pharmacy they are able to use all wholesalers rather then just one and this can be an advantage.  It does take time to source stock and this is not always a guarantee to secure stock.  WEB pharmacies have a WhatsApp group to check on out of stock medications.

It was agreed that Ronak would attend a follow up PPG meeting when required.

4. Practice Update

DM distributed a flow chart for “Prescribing Process for Repeat Medications”.

The practice will be piloting a “Monthly Drop-in Advice and Guidance Session” at Wesleys.  This is non-clinical.

5. Patient Survey

RH and JR expressed their concerns about the way in which it was proposed the survey should be done.  This will be discussed further at the next meeting.

6. Next Newsletter

August 2024.  DM to liaise with SL about a date.

7. PPG Member Feedback

8. Any other business

SL has suggested the PPG look at areas to focus and has asked all members to contact her regarding any ideas.

9. Next meeting:

Tuesday 10th September 2024, 1pm Norman Centre, Public Hall

Patient Participation Group