Approved unanimously at Bennfield PPG on 16 June 2022 and by the Partners.

Patient Participation Group (PPG)

Introduction

A Patient Participation Groups (PPG) is a group of patients, carers and GP practice staff who meet to discuss practice issues and patient experience to help improve the service provided by the Practice.

Since April 2015, it has been a contractual requirement of NHS England for all GP practices to have a PPG and to make reasonable efforts for this to be representative of the practice population.

Role of the PPG at Bennfield Surgery

• Being a critical friend to the practice
• Advising the practice on the patient perspective and providing insight into the responsiveness and quality of services
• Encouraging patients to take greater responsibility for their own and their family’s health
• Carrying out research into the views of those who use the practice
• Organising health promotion events and improving health literacy
• Regular communication with the patient population.

Purpose of the PPG at Bennfield Surgery

DISCUSS

To give patients and practice staff the opportunity to meet and discuss topics of mutual interest.

IMPROVE

To provide a means for patients to become more involved and make more suggestions about the healthcare services they receive.       

TAKE ACTION

To explore issues from patients’ complaints and patient surveys, contribute to action plans and help monitor improvements.

FEEDBACK

To contribute feedback to the practice on National Patient Survey results and to proposed developments or change.

PROMOTE

To support health awareness and patient education.

Who can be involved in the PPG?

• The PPG is open to every registered patient on the GP practice list.
• All communities, groups, genders, ages, ethnicities, and disabilities representing the patient list are encouraged to join.
• PPG members should as far as possible, be representative of the practice population.

What can a PPG  do?

• Discuss suggestions for improving the practice and share concerns that could affect the wider practice community.
• Organise health focused events with the practice that would benefit the local community, i.e. healthy eating awareness.
• Create a patient survey with practice staff, to get feedback about the practice from the rest of the patient population.
• Design a newsletter for the practice, to provide regular updates to patients.
• Assist the practice in making sure their website is ‘Patient Friendly’.
• Engage with the local community to ensure the group is representative.
• Invite health and voluntary professionals to meetings to remain informed and updated about local opportunities for patients.
• Affiliate to the National Association of Patient Participation Groups (NAPP)  (https://napp.org.uk/) and work closely with other local Patient Reference Groups with similar objectives.

What can a PPG NOT do?

• PPG patient members cannot provide any medical advice to other patients, or deal with personal/medical issues or individual patient complaints during the meeting.

Confidentiality

All sensitive or confidential Practice information relating to the Practice received by any member of the Group shall be treated in the strictest confidence and must not be discussed outside the Group. 

The PPG Confidentiality Agreement must be signed before attending any meetings and on appointment to the group.

Membership and Meetings

Members of the PPG must be registered patients at the Practice. 

Anyone interested in joining the PPG should complete an application form and either hand in your completed forms to reception or send your completed forms to the Chairperson via the Office Manager: reception.bennfieldsurgery@nhs.net

The Practice and the Group, from time to time, may approach individual patients as potential members.

Meetings are held regularly and at least 2 times per annum.

Attendees normally include a practice manager and one of the Practice Partners.