News from the Patient Participation Group - June 2026

Issue 39 June 2026

About the Patient Participation Group (PPG)

Every GP practice in England is required to have a PPG, a group for patients to participate in with their practice to improve and develop its services. There is no set way in which a PPG works. At Paxton Green Group Practice the PPG is run by patients, and anybody registered at the Practice is eligible to join.

Meetings continue to attract new members

Our meetings continue to attract new members, but we are always keen to welcome more. Contributions from our members play a significant part in how services at the Practice are organised and so it is important to us that we try to represent all sections of the practice population. We appreciate that people lead busy lives and may not always be able to attend our actual meetings (which are held in person and online). However, all members receive meeting papers, including minutes and are offered the chance to give us their feedback.

Learn more about our PPG and request to become a member

Summer hot weather advice

How should we be keeping an eye on our health?

So, now that summer is upon us (and having already experienced high temperatures in May), how should we be keeping an eye on our health? When the sun is out, how tempting it is to spend time in it and perhaps try to get a tan. But we should be aware of the risks. Sunburn increases our risk of skin cancer and does not just happen when we are on holiday.  

We can burn in the UK even when its cloudy. Whatever the colour of our skin, we should aim to strike a balance between protecting ourselves from the sun and getting vitamin D through sunlight. To do this, we should spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest (between 11am and 3pm) in the UK, cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses and use a factor 30 sunscreen.  

Particular care should be taken with children, and babies under 6 months should be kept out of the sunlight. For further details including advice for those who should take particular care and how to deal with sunburn, read the NHS guidance on sunscreen and sun safety

Hot weather

The main risks posed by a heatwave are not drinking enough, overheating, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. A heatwave can affect anybody, but older people, people living on their own, people on multiple medicines and those who find it hard to keep cool such as the very young, people with addictions or Alzheimer’s disease are among the most vulnerable. 

In these circumstances, apart from staying in the shade if you have to go out, cool yourself down with cold food and drinks, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks. Have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.  

Find further clear and simple advice on recognising symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke

You can also get help from the environmental health office at your local council, if you think a hot house is affecting your health or someone else's. They can inspect a rented home for hazards to health, including excess heat.

Free NHS Health checks

If you are aged between 40 and 75 and do not have a long-term condition, you are entitled to a free NHS Health Check every five years. This is a health assessment that looks at your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease. It checks your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and how active you are.

If your results show any concerns, your GP will discuss the next steps with you. This is the best evidence-based health check available to you for free. At Paxton Green, the health check clinic is run by the nursing team, practice pharmacists and the physician assistant. If you receive an invitation for a check, please contact Reception to make an appointment.  

Find further details about the NHS Health Check on the NHS website

Our social prescriber

Social prescribing link workers connect people to community-based support, including activities and services that meet practical, social, and emotional needs which affect health and wellbeing. Their role includes signposting people to statutory services such as those offering housing, financial and welfare advice. At Paxton Green our social prescriber is Jane Darling. She is based at the Practice on Thursdays and appointments with her should be made via Reception.  We asked Jane if she could write something for this newsletter and she responded as follows:

“Demand for my service remains very high, which means my waiting list - along with others - continues to grow. I was really upset that Centre 70 had to close its doors, quite suddenly, as they were a brilliant resource for our patients, and other people in the area, supporting adults who were facing social, mental, financial or other personal difficulties. Sadly, there is no replacement which means once again that other advice centres are even more stretched and patients suffer from increased waiting times.

On the upside the services that are still running are doing a fantastic job despite dwindling resources.

The whole team at Paxton Green Group Practice do their best to help their patients, so I would encourage anyone who is struggling to contact the Practice and we will offer our support and help wherever possible.”

ClearCommunityWeb

Working primarily with older people, vulnerable adults and carers, ClearCommunityWeb offers them classes, workshops and individual support to develop digital skills, awareness and confidence to learn new things, live more independently and connect with their community. It believes in a society where people have equal access to information and services, where technology is not a barrier and everyone can be safer online.

To find out more, telephone 0300 102 4418 or visit the ClearCommunityWeb website

Become a PPG member

If you would like to enrol with the PPG, please speak to Reception or request to become a member online

Our next meeting is scheduled for Monday, 27th July 2026 from 3:30pm to 5pm.