Patient Participation Group

Quote / Testimonial:

The surgery is actively encouraging new members to join the group.

We have an established Patient Participation Group at the surgery incorporating a patient support group. This group enables our patients to become more involved in the services we provide. Meetings are held quarterly and if you would like to become involved please contact the Practice Manager.

  • Mrs P Rowe
  • Mr K Phul
  • Ms B Tippett
  • Mrs I K Chohan
  • Mrs J Chakravarty
  • Mr J Karir
  • Mr T Prabhudas
  • Ms S Patel
  • Ms E Danso
  • Mr S Sajjan
  • Mr E Bekoe
  • Mr N Lotay

The Aims of the Patient Participation Group

“To work with their practice to provide practical support, to help patients take more responsibility for their own health and to provide strategic input and advice. PPGs are based on cooperation between the practice staff and patients”.

Purpose of a PPG

  • To give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest in their own practice.
  • A forum for patients and staff to improve and develop services within the practice by co-production.
  • To provide an opportunity for patients to make positive and constructive suggestions/ideas about the practice and specific medical conditions as an ‘expert’ or ‘experienced patient’.
  • To encourage health education activities within the practice.
  • To involve further patients from the wider population.
  • To involve patient participation in future Commissioning of Health Provision.

Benefits for the patient:

  • Patients will be more responsible for their own health.
  • Patients will have a better understanding and knowledge of the practice and its staff.

This allows up to date information to be given to patients and will inform what decisions can be influenced and what cannot. It will also allow the practice staff to gain an understanding from the patient’s perspective. It may also be useful for the chair to have meetings with the Practice Manager on a regular basis or attend management meetings of the practice. This ensures that two way communications are achieved.

  • Patients will have a forum to suggest positive ideas and voice concerns
  • Patients will benefit from improved communications between patients and staff

Benefits for the practice:

  • GPs and their staff will be able to plan services jointly with patients in order to increase their effectiveness.
  • They will be able to get help from patients in meeting targets and objectives.
  • They will have a forum to voice concerns, ideas and suggestions to patients.
  • They will get closer to the community for whom they care.

Being Representative

A common criticism of many PPGs is that they are not representative of the practice population. It is always going to be difficult to get a group that exactly reflects the demographics of our practice, and volunteer roles tend to attract those that have a certain level of confidence and free time, and have flexibility about working and earning money. However, a PPG is there to make sure that the patient voice is listened to and not necessarily always to be the voice itself. Therefore if you wish to volunteer please contact the Practice Manager or Practice PPG Champion.

Ground Rules

These are important as a point of reference for behaviour for when the group meets, and were agreed at the first couple of meetings. We agreed that the group should not be a forum for pursuing individual personal complaints or agendas, that patient confidentiality is of the utmost importance and that everyone on the PPG should be treated fairly, equally and with respect.

Communication

We aim to make the group as transparent as possible. We will publish minutes of every meeting on this website. At the members’ request their names have been removed and replaced with their initials but other than that the minutes are a true and accurate reflection of what was discussed and agreed.

We are striving to have a mix of the following people:

  • Active volunteers – people with time and commitments to action decisions
  • Interested professionals – the doctors and administrative staff who work within and know the system and can be co-opted onto the group as required
  • Key supporters – people with influence within your locality, e.g. local councillors, community workers or business people who help raise the profile of the group, and improve the chances of your group finding financial or other forms of support

Introduction

Our practice has a diverse patient population with patients of different ages and a wide variety of different needs. Our PPG members comprise of male, female, employed, unemployed, retired, disabled and carers. However, to be truly representative we would also welcome more volunteers particularly from any under-represented groups.

Shrewsbury Road surgery Patient Participation Group was established in 2001 to provide an independent overview of services and facilities and continues to work in the best interests of patients to have a good relationship.

Group meets quarterly at the surgery on a Friday afternoon from 1.30pm to 3.00pm, to discuss various aspects to improve practice services.

We are always happy to accept new members. Expressions of interest in joining PPG Committee are always invited at the practice. During the opening hours of the practice all patients attending the surgery were asked if they would be interested to join the Patient Participation Group.

Structure at Shrewsbury Road Surgery

The Committee consists of 12 volunteer practice patients at present. There are 7 female and 5 male representatives. Although the group is small for our practice population of 13,200, it has been in place now for many years and the practice continue to encourage patients to join the group. They represent the patient population of the whole practice and voice concerns at our quarterly meeting. The group however has worked well with the practice to achieve many changes. Practice still encourages patients to join PPG at every face to face opportunity and also advertised on Led Board and notice board at the practice premises. Application is made available to the entire patients at the practice.

Practice always:

  • Encourage PPG membership and promote this opportunistically and at new patient registration.
  • Consider the representation priorities for the group and promote awareness of this requirement. (E.g. Ethnic representation etc.)
  • Promote the group via posters, leaflets and hand outs
  • Ensure that every group member receives a regular contact
  • Agree the initial priorities for the practice with the PPG, and identify these under the following headings
  • Patient priorities and issues
  • Practice priorities and issues
  • Common themes from complaints
  • Practice development plans
  • CQC issues
  • National GP patient Survey results and matters arising

Other issues may include:

  • Patient surgery facilities
  • Standards of care
  • Access
  • Reception / administration issues
  • Referral to secondary services
  • Alternative pathways and treatments

Invite to join PPG

Expression of Interest In Joining PPG (.docx, 87KB)

  • Displayed the above poster in the Practice waiting area
  • Publish information on practice website
  • Advert on LED screen and online check in patient