Patient Engagement with

their GP Practice

Leven & Beeford Medical Practice

Terri Wardell – Business Manager

What is a Patient Participation Group?

Patients working with a practice to: contribute to the continuous

improvement of services;

help improve communication between the practice and its patients;

help patients to take more responsibility for their health

Based on Communication and Co-operation

Patient participation groups work by building a relationship between the practice and its patients to break down barriers and share information.

Patient participation groups can develop to influence wider NHS health issues – as Clinical Commissioning Groups are involved in the development of new services, PPG’s may be invited to feed in to wider consultations and service reviews.

Patient Participation Groups are not….A forum for complaints

Clear ground rules that the group sign up to help to ensure that group members do not use the group as a vehicle to resolve their own personal issues.

A doctors’ fan club In order to be valuable, PPG’s must have the

confidence to challenge the practice. A tool for other agenda’s* A tool for Implementation of the Governments

or any individuals pre-determined agenda

Issues can be addressed by:

Targeting groups of people not represented on the practice participation group to find out what they think

Asking certain representatives to join the group for a short time or for a specific purpose; and

Making sure that you try to contact a diverse range of people - to get the views of all types of people including; young, old, working, unemployed, ethnic minorities, people whose first spoken language isn’t English etc

What are the benefits?

Good for patients because they will: have a better understanding and knowledge of

the practice and its staff. be consulted about arrangements for their

primary healthcare before decisions are made. be more responsible for and have a greater role

in managing their own health. benefit from improved communications with

staff. have a forum to suggest positive ideas and

voice concerns e.g. appointment issues, parking problems

What’s Involved?

Develop aims and objectives Attend (at least) 4 meetings a year Occasional canvassing of opinion with

the wider community Taking in part in patient surveys and

discuss results

We must make sure we monitor progress against objectives

Publicise our successes Involve people Learn from other groups Expand activity (we do not want to

become stale) Make sure we review our objectives

regularly

Continuing growth…..

NAPP – National Association of Patient Participation

Website Useful resources available for members

Support

To set the next meeting date All interested parties to sign the TOR First couple of meetings can be

chaired by the Business Manager Future aspirations – Chair & Vice Chair

Friends of Leven & Beeford Medical Practice

Any questions

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