Join our Patient Participation Group (PPG)

Patient Participation Group (PPG) is made of practice staff and patients that are representative of the practice population. The main aim of the PPG is to ensure that patients are involved in decisions about the range and quality of services provided and commissioned by the practice.

Using the PPG, we aim to promote the proactive engagement of patients and to seek views from our patients through the use of practice surveys, comments or suggestions and complaints.

What is the Patient Participation Group or PPG?

A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of people who are patients of the surgery and want to help it work as well as it can for patients, doctors and staff. The NHS requires every practice to have a PPG.

Why should I join?

You have been to the surgery as a patient, parent, carer or friend.

Your experiences matter and you can bring different ideas to the surgery to help us treat patients better or to improve what we do in some way.

You will also gain a better understanding of the NHS, and gather feedback from other patients.

How often does the Patient Participation Group meet?

We meet, but not too often, led by a committee voted for by the patients. If you can’t make meetings then don’t worry – you can still be part of our virtual group.

Demographics of the Patient Participation Group

The group currently consists of eight patients and two staff from the practice; two of the patients are men, age ranges are from 45 – 83 years. The group is predominantly White British, which reflects the local community.

We are currently looking to expand the group and hopefully encourage individuals from different ethnic back grounds that use the practice.
We are advertising in our Dove news letter, and have a poster displayed in reception.

There is also reference to the group within the new patient registration form, if the individual ticks the appropriate box it is followed up by a welcome letter, information including an invitation to join the group

If you are interested, please give your details to reception and we will endeavour to contact you; we meet four times a year, at the surgery, for approximately 1-2 hours.

Who manages the mailing list for the PPG? 

The mailing list will be held by the GP surgery and any emails sent so that individual’s emails are not shared with others.

A virtual group is a group of patients who would like to be part of the Patient Participation Group but prefer not to attend meetings. They get involved by email instead. Information such as practice newsletters, minutes of the Patient Participation Group meetings and surveys will be shared electronically. It means that if you can’t make face-to-face meetings, are caring for someone and unable to leave them, or are working, you can still be kept informed, give your views and participate.

Your views are important and will be listened to. It may not be possible to act on every suggestion, but all feedback is very valuable. Working in a spirit of mutual respect, openness and trust, all patients’ views will be discussed and, where appropriate, we will work together on solutions. If you are interested in learning more about our Patient Participation Group, please complete the below online form. Alternatively, you can ask us about it when you next visit the practice.

– Advertising in the reception area
– Dedicated notice board for the Patient Participation Group in the lobby
– New patient application form
– On the website
– In our quarterly news letter
– Verbally from clinicians and reception staff.