Introduction
General practices have a responsibility to involve patients in relevant issues relating to the practice and to respond appropriately to patients’ views and experiences.
GP practices also have a duty to engage with their patients in order to enable the Governing Body of the CCG to make commissioning decisions that reflect the needs, priorities and aspirations of the local population.
Aims of the PPG
To represent the patients of the Ansdell Medical Practice by working in partnership with the GP Partnership and practice staff to improve services to patients
Objectives of the PPG
- Act as an advisory group providing perspectives and concerns from patients that can influence how services operate, how accessible they are, and how suitable they are for the patients.
- To monitor complaints, concerns and compliments received about the practice
- Review and, where appropriate, provide advice and recommendations on any surveys or patient consultations agreed with the Practice
- To act as a consultative group for any changes proposed within the practice
- To advise the practice on how to improve communications with patients in the most beneficial ways
- To provide a forum for patients where they will have the opportunity to collaborate with the practice and provide a patient perspective;
- To promote the wellbeing of patients and support the practice to provide a high quality of care and service delivery; and
- To enable, where appropriate, patients to influence local healthcare services by providing a mechanism for the input of information relating to health commissioning priorities.
- Facilitate debate among local residents and workers concerning health needs, health priorities and current service provision.
Membership of the PPG
The membership of the PPG, where possible, will include:
- Patient representatives
- GP partner
- Practice manager and/or a representative from the practice team
- Other members of the practice staff and third parties may also be invited to attend meetings as and when appropriate
The PPG is open to all patients who are over 16 years old and are registered at the practice
Patient members do not need to represent other interest groups but efforts will be made to ensure the group is representative of the patient population in terms of age, sex, ethnic minority etc
PPG members should endeavour to attend all meetings
If a member is unable to attend a meeting they should offer their apologies ahead of the meeting. Non-attendance of three consecutive meetings may result in a request for resignation.
If a group member is disruptive or uncooperative they will be asked to resign by the chairperson or vice chairperson.
A Chair and Vice Chair will be elected from the group every twelve months
One third of the membership – or a minimum of 4 people – shall form a quorum at meetings
Dependencies
To enable the PPG to meet these objectives it will be necessary for the Practice to;
- Provide the necessary information on complaints, concerns, compliments, surveys and proposed changes
- (This information should be provided at least one week in advance of the PPG meeting to enable the group to act accordingly)
- Provide a suitable room for meetings
- Provide the facility to print/ photocopy materials for meetings
- Take forward issues and recommendations from the PPG and supply the responses as a result
- Keep the PPG informed of service developments
- Provide administrative support, as needed and by agreement, to the Chair/Vice Chair
4. Meetings
Meetings will be held at least bi-monthly on a Wednesday afternoon 17:00 – 18:30
Meetings will have an agenda and minutes. Dates and minutes of meetings will be publicised on the practice website and in the practice waiting areas.
Any member of the group who is unable to attend should send apologies to the Chair/Vice Chair prior to the meeting.
The GP attending will, where practicable, present news of developments within the practice, ask for support with initiatives, and any address issues raised by the PPG.
Minutes of the meeting will be distributed within 10 working days of the meeting.
PPG Network Meeting
One group member will commit to attendance at this regional meeting on the third Monday in the month, from 14.00 – 16.00, meeting bi-monthly If no group member available the Practice Manager will attend if available.
All members will be expected to respect rules of confidentiality and not discuss personal or sensitive information outside a meeting. No aspect of any individual patient will be discussed
