What is a Patient Participation Group (PPG)?
A selection of patients and practice staff who decide ways of making a positive contribution to the services and facilities offered by the
practice to the patients
The PPG will:
- Give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest in their practice
- Provide the means for patients to make positive suggestions about the practice
- Encourage health education activities within the practice
- Act as a representative group that can be called upon to influence the local provision of health and social care
What are the benefits?
Good for the patient because:
- Patients will benefit from improved communications between patients and staff
- Acting as representatives for Patients, the PPG will be consulted about arrangements for their primary health care before decisions are made
- By networking and helping the practice promote their services, the PPG can help patients become more responsible for their own health
Patients will have a forum to suggest positive ideas and voice concerns - Patients will have better understanding and knowledge of practice and its staff
Good for practice staff because:
- Doctors and their staff will be able to plan services jointly with patients to increase their effectiveness
- The practice will be able to get help from the PPG in meeting targets and objectives
- The practice will have a forum to voice concern’s, ideas, and suggestions to patients
- The Practice will get closer to the community for whom they care
- The Practice will have a better understanding of patient issues
Good for the community because:
- Patients will have an organisation through which they can help other patients in need
- Patients will be able to understand what is needed to improve health care, and make sure the patient view is always represented
- Patients will contribute to the accountability of the staff through open dialogue with doctors and other health professionals
- Patients will have an opportunity to become involved in other community initiatives
APPENDIX 1
Patient Participation Group
Terms of reference
Purpose
The Patient Participation Group (PPG) has a vital role to play to ensure the voice of patients are heard by the practice. The PPG represents patients across Oaklands Health Centre and works in partnership with clinicians and staff to improve services for patients.
The PPG will support the work of Oaklands Health Centre in its provision of services to patients as shall be determined from time to
time by the partners of the practice and by the PPG to further the health and social needs of the patients.
Objectives
In partnership with Oaklands Health Centre the PPG aims to:
- Provide a forum in which to discuss, plan and develop the most effective health services for the local population acting as a consultation group
- Create networks through which wider and more representative participation in local health care decisions can be established
- Develop creative means and methodologies for engaging and informing patients and the local population
- Help the Practice to conduct surveys to capture patient experiences and insights as directed by the partners of the practice
- Deliver on-going dialogue with the public and support formal consultation when required
- Actively promote public awareness of health and social care issues
- Encourage and support activities within the practice and promote preventive medicine
- Liaise with other patient participation groups in the area and engage with the Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) and Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Primary care Network (PCN) vi the locality PPG
- Feedback information about the community in general which may affect healthcare and influence how services operate within the practice
- Annually review the results of the patient survey and suggest appropriate changes
- Monitor themes from complaints and comments received about the service delivered to patients
Membership
The PPG is open to:
- Any patients registered at the Practice
- Membership should reflect the patient demographic of the practice
- Practice manager and other members of staff
- All GPs and Health Professionals at the Practice
- Additional co-opted members to be agreed and as defined by the agenda
Scope
- The PPG shall not undertake any activity without the consent of the Partners
- The Practice will listen constructively to PPG and patient views
Meetings
- The PPG will meet each month. The Practice will join these meetings, but recognising the capacity of the practice, alternate meetings are an acceptable minimum. The Practice Manager or a representative must be present
- Every effort will be made to ensure meetings are no longer than one hour
- The meeting dates will be pre-arranged, and members and staff will send apologies in advance if they are unable to attend allowing enough time for the meeting to be rescheduled if deemed necessary
- Copies of the minutes will be prepared and distributed to all members and available to patients on the practice website
Confidentiality
- All members of the PPG must be made aware of the need to maintain confidentiality
- Where requested by the Practice, any confidential items will be removed from the minutes of the meetings
Quoracy
- The meeting is deemed quorate if the chair plus four members are present
- For meetings with the practice, a practice representative must be present
Signed agreement
NB: To ensure a jointly agreed approach by the practice and PPG members, this section should be signed by both parties.
These Terms of Reference were adopted by Oaklands Health Centre PPG at the meeting held at …………………… and may be reviewed
according to emerging needs.
Signed by: ………………………………………………………….…PPG Chair
Dated ……………………
And ………………………………………. ……….. Oaklands Health Centre representative
Dated ……………………
APPENDIX 2
Oaklands Health Centre
Patient Participation Group (PPG) Ground Rules
- The meetings are not a forum for personal issues and complaints
- We advocate open, honest communication and challenge between individuals
- We will be flexible, listen, ask for help and support others
- We will demonstrate a commitment to delivering results as a group
- Silence indicates agreement – speak up, but always go through the chair
- All views are valid and will be listened to – respect other’s views and don’t interrupt
- PPG members will take some responsibilities within the group
- All communication issued by the PPG will first be agreed by the Group
- The Chair will keep the meeting focused
- Minutes will be made recording discussions of the Agenda items and any actions agreed. These will then be posted on the Surgery website
- All PPG members will work together and support each other to meet the objectives of the group