What is a Patient Participation Group (PPG)?
A typical PPG brings together patients, clinicians and staff from a GP practice. They meet regularly to discuss issues relating to their surgery and the services provided to patients.
PPGs are good for patients because:
- They encourage patients to be more responsible for their own health.
- Patients can support and aid other patients.
- Patients know more about their GP practice and its staff.
- Patients can have input on plans to change their family doctor services.
- Communication between patients and practice staff improves.
- Patients have a chance to make suggestions and ask questions.
PPGs are good for practice staff because:
- Practice stafff can work with patients to plan services which best meet the needs of the people who use those services.
- They can provide help and advice for patients on non-medical or social care issues.
- Patients can help the practice to meet its targets and objectives
- GPs and staff have an opportunity to share their ideas with patients.
- They get closer to their community – even more important as GPs take on increasing responsibility for spending more of the NHS budget to plan and buy health services for local people.
“Patient participation can benefit both patients and practices.
“Having a PPG creates a connection between the practice and its patients; allowing open, constructive discussion and analysis of service provision, and offering an alternative perspective on many of the topics relevant to general practice.”
British Medical Association (BMA) website
Become Involved
If you would like to become involved, please ask to speak to our PPG liasion for more information or complete the form which is available from reception.
What can a PGG do?
- Discuss constructive suggestions for improving the practice and share concerns that could affect the wider practice population.
- Organise health-focused events with the practice, i.e. healthy eating awareness as an information event for all practice patients to attend.
- Create a patient survey with practice staff, to get feedback about the practice from the rest of the patient population.
- Assist the practice in making sure their website is ‘Patient Friendly’.
- Invite health and voluntary professionals to PPG meetings, for PPG members to remain informed and updated about local opportunities for patients.
- Liase with local charities and orgnaisastions to help battle health inequalities.
What can a PPG not do?
- PPG members cannot provide any medical advice to other patients.
- PPG members cannot deal with personal/medical issues.
- PPG members cannot get involved in individual patient complaints. These should be dealt with following the practice’s already established procedures.
- PPG members cannot raise personal issues and should focus on the wider patient population.
PPG meetings
Meetings are held multiple times a year, either via Microsoft Teams or in person with a variety of subjects being covered each meeting.
The PPG are a function within the Practice that directly represents your views.
Wider Patient engagement and involvement
The practice encourages all registered patients, their family and their carers to provide feedback, thoughts and suggestions via “feedback” boxes availible in waiting areas. Feedback can also be given to our reception team who will pass your comments onto the operations manager.
On occasion, the practice may ask for further feedback from the wider patient population via questionnaires and surveys, helping us inform decision making processes and gaining valuable feedback on the services and facilities we offer.
We also use digital technologies to engage with patients to reach more people, such as SMS messaging, social media and other online methods. This enables us to ensure that feedback is representative of the registered patient population, and that feedback about the service is meaningful and reflects all patients – not just a specific age group. Younger people, those of a working age or those with young families may not have the time to attend a meeting in person, or may not want to join a group. This allows us to take into account any cultural, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds which may not be represented by tradional meetings and allows a flexible approach to ensure we hear and act on the voices of people and have effective conversations with different community groups.