Patient Participation Group

Our practice has a diverse patient population with patients of different ages and a wide variety of different needs. Our Patient Participation Group 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.

We are always happy to accept new members. Expressions of interest in joining Patient Participation Group 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.

The group meets quarterly at the surgery on a Monday afternoon from 1:30pm to 3pm, to discuss various aspects to improve practice services.

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 17,000, 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 Patient Participation Group 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 Patient Participation Group 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 Patient Participation Group, 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

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. Patient Participation Groups are based on cooperation between the practice staff and patients.

• 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.

A common criticism of many Patient Participation Groups 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 Patient Participation Group 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 Patient Participation Group Champion.

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 Patient Participation Group should be treated fairly, equally and with respect.

We aim to make the group as transparent as possible. We will publish the latest minutes of a 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.