Patient group

A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is generally used to describe a patient group based in a GP practice. It is led by patients but run in partnership with the GP practice to:

• Give views as a patient on how services can be improved and receive feedback on those views
• Help patients to be more informed and responsible for their own health
• Build a positive working relationship with the practice
• Meet other patients and share experiences
• Support the practice to help patients to stay well
• Help to improve communication between practice and patients

Each PPG is unique. It makes decisions on its own structure, priorities and work programme. As it acts as a bridge between patients and the GP practice, it is important that each PPG has a broad base of patient involvement and views. We will try to make our PPG as representative of our practice population as possible, and encourage all patients to get involved.

1. Aims of the Patient Participation Group (PPG)

1.1 To facilitate good relations between the GP practice (referred to as the 'practice' throughout this document) and patients by communicating patient experience, interests and concerns and providing feedback to the practice on current procedures and proposed new developments.

1.2 To work collaboratively and positively with the practice to improve services and facilities for patients and to act as a sounding board for practice staff on issues affecting patients.

1.3 To build two-way communication and co-operation between the practice and patients, other individuals and organization’s in healthcare, and the wider community to the mutual benefit of all.

1.4 To act as a representative group to support the practice and influence local provision of health and social care.

2. PPG Structure and Membership

2.1 Membership of the PPG shall be open to all registered patients. Where possible we will aim to ensure that membership will reflect the patient profile and be widely representative and inclusive of different genders, ethnicities, ages and abilities as required in the GP contract.

2.2 All registered patients of the practice are automatically members of the Ashburton Patient Participation Group. Removal of a patient from the patient list will mean that he/she will cease to be a member of the PPG.

2.3 The PPG will be non-political and non-sectarian, and will at all times respect diversity and exemplify its commitment to the principles contained within the Equality Act.

2.4 The carer of a patient registered with the practice can be a member of the PPG even if he or she is not a patient at the practice.

3. PPG and PPG Committee

3.1 The Ashburton Patient Participation Group shall elect officers from among the members of the PPG and they will be known as the PPG committee. These will include a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. Other posts may be created by the Annual General Meeting on a proposal from the PPG.

3.2 The PPG and the PPG committee shall both hold regular meetings. To maintain an active PPG, any PPG member who fails to attend three consecutive PPG meetings may be deemed to have resigned. The PPG will extend an open invitation to practice staff to attend its meetings as agreed with the practice manager.

3.3 The PPG shall normally not exceed twenty members. Between the Annual General Meetings, the PPG may co-opt individual members if needed to ensure that the PPG is fully representative of the patient community.

3.4 To support the PPG and extend its reach, the PPG will ensure that virtual attendance to the Ashburton Patient Participation Group can be facilitated. Ideally the meeting should be held face to face.

3.5 Members wo are attending the meetings virtually will follow the same Code of Conduct as those in the PPG who are meeting face-to-face (see Appendix A: Code of Conduct).

4. Management of the Ashburton Patient Participation Group

The PPG shall meet face to face no fewer than four times a year. The PPG committee may
meet more regularly for planning purposes and liaison with the practice staff if required.

In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, those members who are present shall elect a Chair from among the attendees.

Meetings are subject to a quorum of five members of the PPG. Apologies for absence should be sent to the Secretary or Chair prior to the meeting. In the absence of any apologies or available explanation, any member recorded as not attending three consecutive meetings will be deemed to have resigned from the Face-to-Face PPG.

The PPG may invite relevant professionals or patients to specific meetings. Any such persons shall respect the confidentiality of the PPG.

The Secretary shall produce minutes of meetings to be considered and approved at the following meeting of the PPG and subsequently be sent to members of PPG, the GP Partners and the Practice Manager.

Any patient may send views and suggestions directly to the PPG.

5. Confidentiality

5.1 All members of the PPG (including the Face-to-Face and virtual attendees) must be made aware of the need to maintain absolute patient confidentiality at all times. Any member whose work on behalf of the PPG includes work in the practice or consulting with other patients or members of the public should sign and return a copy of the practice's Confidentiality agreement before undertaking any such activity.

5.2 All members have a responsibility to communicate any safeguarding concerns/information to the Practice Manager or GP Partners.

6. Code of Conduct

All PPG members must abide by the Code of Conduct shown at Appendix 1.

7. Activities of the PPG

Make reasonable efforts during each calendar year to review its membership in order to ensure that it is representative of the registered patients in the practice.

Obtain the views of patients who have attended the practice about the services delivered by the practice and obtain feedback from its registered patients about those services in line with the practice’s data protection policy.

Review any feedback received about the services delivered by the practice with practice staff and relevant members of the PPG with a view to agreeing the improvements (if any) to be made to those services.

Contribute to decision-making at the practice and consult on service development and provision where appropriate, expressing opinions on these matters on behalf of patients. However, the final decisions on service delivery rest with the practice.

Act as a sounding board to provide feedback on patients' needs, concerns and interests and challenge the practice constructively whenever necessary, also helping patients to understand the practice viewpoint.

Communicate information which may promote or assist with health or social care. Explore overarching ideas and issues identified in patient surveys.

Maintain a PPG area in the waiting room of the surgery with up-to-date information on current activities and opportunities for patients to comment (e.g., via a suggestion box). The PPG will, where possible, regularly meet and greet and engage with patients in the waiting area.

Act as a forum for staff to raise practice issues affecting patients, or for input into any operational issues affecting staff, so that patients can have their views on practice matters taken into account.

Act as a forum for ideas on health promotion and self-care and support activities within the practice to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

Raise patient awareness of the range of services available at the surgery and help patients to access/use such services more effectively.

The PPG Membership is not based on opinions or characteristics of individuals and shall be non-political and non-sectarian, at all times respecting diversity and exemplifying its commitment to the principles contained within the Equality Act.

All Members of the PPG (including the Virtual attendance) make this commitment:

• To respect practice and patient confidentiality at all times.
• To treat each other with mutual respect and act and contribute in a manner that is in the best interests of all patients.
• To be open and flexible and to listen and support each other.
• To abide by the seven principles of public life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership.
• Not to use the PPG as a forum for personal agendas or complaints. These should be taken forward through other appropriate channels.
• To accept that the ruling of the Chair or other presiding officer is final on matters relating to orderly conduct.

Otherwise to abide by principles of good meeting practice, for example:

• Reading papers in advance
• Arriving on timeSwitching mobile phones to silent
• Allowing others to speak and be heard/respected

For the latest PPG meeting minutes please visit the News page.