What is a PPG?
A PPG is a group is open to all patients on the GP practice list including all communities, groups, genders, ages ethnicities, disabilities, paid and unpaid carers and GP practice staff who meet to discuss practice issues and patient experience to help improve the service.
Who sits on a PPG?
PPGs are usually made up of a group of volunteer patients and the practice manager. There is usually one of more of the GPs/staff from the practice too.
Purpose of a PPG?
The PPG works together with the practice to represent the patient’s voice in decision making, ensuring that all communities registered with the practice are represented.
Being part of a PPG provides an opportunity:
- for patients and practice staff to meet and discuss constructive suggestions for improving the practice, and share concerns that could affect the wider practice population
- to explore issues from patient complaints and patient surveys, contribute to action plans and help monitor improvements
- to design a newsletter for the practice, to provide regular updates to patients
- to support health awareness and patient
- to engage with the local communities to ensure the PPG is truly reflective of the practice population
How do I join my local PPG?
Our Patient Reference Group (PRG) meets monthly to discuss issues and areas for improving our surgery and the patient experience. We meet from 12.30pm – 1.30pm on the last Tuesday of each month at St Margaret’s Church Meeting Room, Lime Avenue/London Road.
Everyone is welcome to join us. You do not need to advise us in advance of your intention to come, please feel free to just turn up.
If you are unable to attend the meetings, we offer to send the meeting minutes to the ‘Virtual PPG’ via email. Please let a member of staff at Reception know if you would like for your email to be added.
Useful links
The following links may be of interest for ideas, tools or resources:
- National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP).
- Public Health England – Campaign Resource Centre – you can request resource packs if you want to support a Public Health England campaign.
- National Institute Health Research – You can find out how your local PPG can get involved in local health research.
- Framework for patient and public participation in Health and Justice commissioning – this framework is a guide for NHS commissioners of health and justice services – and anyone who is interested, including patients and the public, the voluntary sector, and providers of health and social care services. The framework describes how NHS England involves patients and the public in the commissioning of health and justice services (note this guidance is due to be revised in June to take into account the move to an ICS).
- NHS England Involvement Hub – a source of information for people who want to get involved in our work or enable others to participate.