About out Patients Participation Group [PPG]
We have a Patient Participation Group up and running. We still require representation from our young adults, so if you are interested, please click here PPG member invite and have your say.
The PPG Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held here at the surgery on Monday the 16th October 2023 at 6pm. Downing Drive Surgery patients were welcome to attend.
Patient Participation Group (PPG) works by building a relationship between the Practice and its Patients.
A PPG provides a link between the Practice to better understand its patients and encourage better healthcare through communication. It can:
Contribute to the continuous improvement of healthcare services and involvement in the NHS.
- Develop improved relationships and communication between practice and patients.
- Provide practical support and help to implement change and innovation.
- Diverse to suit local needs, each group is determined by the needs of the community.
If you are interested in joining the PPG, please contact the surgery and ask for Salma Patel, our Operations Manager or contact the PPG directly via email on downingdrivesurgeryppg@gmail.com
Our PPG meetings are often on a Monday evening at 6pm at Downing Drive Surgery and lasts for about an hour.
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PPG Coffee Mornings
The Downing Drive Surgery PPG hold a coffee morning each Monday between 10am and 11.30am (except Bank Holidays) at the Church of God next door to the surgery on Downing Drive. Tea, coffee and biscuits are available for a small cost but please come and have a chat and make friends.
PPG NEWSLETTER
Our PPG has produced their latest newsletter for September 2023. It has some useful information about our services and staff. Please click of the following link to view it PPG Newsletter
PPG Members
Downing Drive’s Patient Group is made up of the following members:
Kam Mistry. Comes from a Retail background working as a Service Desk Analyst in the IT department. Also a school governor at a local large secondary school. Joined the PPG to put across the patients view and ensure the NHS services provided by the practice Doctors and Nurses meets the needs of the registered patients. Always looks forward to patient feedback be it good or bad in regards to the practice, so improvements can be made.
Jeanette Robertson. Has worked on various health committees for over 30 years and at present is a member of Leicester LINKs, plus a member of Health Related Forums. Working life started as a teacher before running 3 small businesses and then moved onto running Volunteer Bureaus and Councils of Voluntary Services. She has lived in Evington for the past 59 years. Jeanette was instrumental in setting up the PPG here at the surgery.
Chris Mitchell. I have been registered with Downing Drive Surgery since 1995. I spent my working life in the automotive aftermarket and sold my company, Mitchell Marketing Ltd, (which specialised in motor accessory and car care product distribution) to an American company in 1992. Since then I have not had a full-time occupation though I have been involved with other smaller investments. I have been a member of the Leicestershire Lawn Tennis Club for 60 years and still play three times a week. I was a trustee of LOROS for 15 years and became one of the four Honorary Officers for three years. I am a member and ex-chair of the LOROS shops committee controlling 30 shops and I find this very rewarding.
Janet Hall. I came to Leicester in 1965 having just left school, and joined the Surgery under Dr Forrester. I have lived in the Evington area ever since. I have 3 children and 5 small grand children. I worked as a Primary School teacher in main stream schools in the city and then at a Special School, teaching children with many abilities and disabilities. I volunteered at the Special Olympics National Games in Leicester in 2009, then in Bath and Sheffield 4 and 8 years later. I helped to set up a sports club for people with learning disabilities which meets weekly. I also volunteered at the 2012 Paralympics and the Rugby World Cup in Leicester. I have been a Beaver Scout leader, helped at the Evington fete and I deliver Evington Echoes in my area. I am a member of the U3A where I enjoy Walking and I am a keen tennis player. I am looking forward to contributing to the work of the PPG at Downing Drive Surgery.
Gordon Squires. I was born in Leicester in May 1939 and have lived in Leicester all my life. I was educated initially at local schools and then went to Oundle School in 1953. I passed my O level exams and in 1957 I joined a firm of chartered accountants in Leicester. I qualified in 1963 and after a varied career in industry and the profession I retired in 1999.
I am married and have 2 adult chidren and 5 grandchidren. I live with my wife in Stoughton Lane. I enjoy helping her to look after the garden. I am interested in most sports and play tennis at least twice a week. I am a member of our local Probus group and in my spare time enjoy holidays and walking in the countryside both in the UK and abroad.
Pam Goodman. I was born and brought up in the Northeast near Newcastle upon Tyne. I moved to Leicestershire in 1968 when Steve and I married. In the Northeast I worked in Marine Survey at the Board of Trade as it was then. I transferred to a BoT office in Leicester but then joined British Enkalon in their sales dept., where I found the work more interesting.
I left work in 1970 when my daughter was born. We went to on to have 2 more children, both sons. Our children have now added five granddaughters to the “brood” between them. In 1985 I went back to work, this time for Leicester City Libraries. My role involved face to face interaction with the public which I really enjoyed and I stayed with the library service until I retired in 2017.
Outside of work I have been involved in:
- The setting up and development of the tennis club in Houghton on the Hill where we live. I served on the TC committee for over 6 years.
- I served on parents’ committees at my children’s schools
- During the Covid pandemic, together with Steve, I volunteered to take part in an ONS/Oxford Uni infection survey for over 3+ years. We felt this was one small thing we could do to help.
Steve Goodman. I was born and brought up in Leicestershire. I spent the first 20 years or so of my career as a manager and director in several different businesses. I was lucky enough to gain experience in a wide range of business functions, including operations, purchasing, sales, finance and customer service. I liked having a variety of challenges and situations to work on so in 1987 I set up a management consultancy business to provide the variety I was looking for.
Then I discovered “coaching” and switched my focus to business coaching. With my partners I worked with a wide variety of organisations and projects, from the shop floor to the boardroom and back, until 2020 when I decided to retire.
I have a particular area of expertise in customer service and how this can be used to drive excellence into all aspects of an organisation. In 2010 I gained a Diploma in Customer Service Management from Leicester Uni.
Outside of work I have:
- Coached Mini and Junior Rugby
- Been Chair of Houghton Field Association which is the trustee body that looks after the Houghton on the Hill playing fields on behalf of the village.
- In this role assisted in the development of the Houghton Neighbourhood Plan.
- Became a NHS responder during the pandemic.
- With Pam took part in the ONS/Oxford Uni infection survey.
- Active member and currently Hon Treasurer of Houghton Tennis Club.