We would like to know how we can improve our service to patients and how you perceive our surgery and staff. To help the Practice with this, a patient representation group, called the Patient Participation Group (PPG), has been formed so that patients can have their say. From time to time, we ask the members of this PPG questions, such as what they think about our opening times or the quality of the care or service you received, and seek ideas for improvement.
PPG members are usually contacted via email succinctly so to avoid being over demanding of members’ time.
About three or four times a year, a small cross section of PPG members (the Elected Committee) meet face to face either physically or virtually depending on circumstances under the chairmanship of an elected PPG patient (currently Mr David Burrill).
Also present at these meetings are representatives of the surgery’s professional staff (GPs, nurses and administrative managers) and, occasionally, invited medical and healthcare speakers. Minutes are taken from these meetings and distributed to all PPG members.
Since the formation of the PPG the practice the aim has been to have a membership of around a hundred, drawn from as diverse a spectrum as possible; to get a truly representative sample of all our patients.
We need patients from a range of ages, working and ethnic backgrounds, some with long term conditions and, of course, a gender mix. Currently, the PPG has 66 members and membership is not as large or diverse as desired.
Important: PPG rules
1. Confidentiality – You will be informed or you should state if something is confidential and this information should not be shared with anyone outside of the meeting.
2. Listen – listen actively and attentively. Avoid interruptions – one at a time.
3. Respect – other people’s thoughts, ideas and suggestions (even if you don’t agree with them).
4. Avoid personal references – as patient champions we think about the needs of the wider public.
5. Discussion – based on factual evidence and good practice.
6. Beware – assumptions.
7. Question, question, question – for clarity.
8. Challenge – critique ideas, not people.
9.Find solutions – build on one another’s comments; work toward shared understanding and deliverables.
10. Do not monopolize discussion – give others a chance to speak.
11. Mobile phones – please switch them off unless you are professionally on call (assumed for medical staff).
Join our Patient Participation Group
All registered patients are able to join our Patient Participation Group. People of all genders, ages, ethnicities, and those with health conditions and disabilities are encouraged to join.
Members should as far as possible, be representative of the surgery population.
To join:
- fill out a join our Patient Participation Group form
- phone us on 01233 624642
- visit the surgery