The purpose of the Patient Participation Group (PPG) is to ensure patients are involved in decisions about the range and quality of services provided and, over time, commissioned by our Practice. It aims to encourage views from our patients; this includes patients being involved in decisions that lead to changes in the services we provide or commission, either directly or in our capacity as gatekeeper to other services. North Shore Surgery aims to promote the proactive engagement of patients through the effective use of this PPG and to seek views from patients through the use of a local survey. The outcomes of the engagement and the views of patients will be published on our Practice website.
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The North Shore Surgery PPG’s mission statement is ‘Working in partnership with North Shore Surgery, supporting the Practice to provide the best care possible for its patients’.
The PPG holds its meetings on the second Thursday every two month at North Shore Surgery, commencing at 6pm and concluding at approximately 7pm. The minutes of each meeting are made publicly available below.
What topics do you discuss in the PPG Forum?
The Practice is not restrictive on what topics the PPG would discuss, but the topics do need to be relevant and in the best interests of the entire patient population of North Shore Surgery. One aspect the PPG will focus on is excellent access into the Practice, and also from the Practice to other services. Access has many dimensions such as:
- Patient lists beings open to all
- Hours of opening with the ability to be seen urgently when clinically necessary, as well as the ability
- to book ahead
- Continuity of care
- Range of skills available; access to different professionals
- A choice of modes of contact which currently include face-to-face, telephone and electronic contact
- Geographical access; enabling care as close to home as possible.
The North Shore Surgery Patient Practice Group is relaxed, friendly and welcoming. We welcome all interest and new members under no obligation.
You can express your interest in joining the North Shore Surgery PPG by completing our PPG Recruitment form or by contacting reception on 957666 and speak to Jayne Erwin.
Who can join the PPG?
Our aim is to have the broadest cross section of our Practice population. Our population is incredibly diverse and we have patients of different ages and with a wide variety of different needs. Due to this the PPG is open to any patient of North Shore Surgery, but is limited to a maximum of 12 representatives including those representing the Practice.
Advantages of a successful PPG
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A PPG is a mechanism which at different times can represent the patient population to the practice, and the practice to the wider community. PPGs can help the practice to account for its provision of healthcare through various mechanisms, e.g. critical analysis, with the outcomes being used to improve the quality and level of healthcare services and facilities. Further research on the effects of involving patients in the quality and effectiveness of services would be welcome, as little evidence currently exists. Research into the impact of a PPG on the attitudes of practice personnel towards patients would be particularly welcome. The most common reasons for setting up a group are:
- to consult and plan with patients whenever possible on the facilities and provision of services
- to bring a sense of ownership and partnership between practice staff and patients
- to give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest
- to allow patients to make positive suggestions about the practice and their own healthcare
- to develop self-help projects to meet the needs of fellow patients
- to act as a representative group that can be called upon to influence the local provision of health and social care.
Benefits of the PPG to Patients
Patient participation groups (PPGs) allow interested patients to be actively involved in the running of their practice. This not only helps them to understand the healthcare service, but lets them voice their opinions, and those of the wider patient community, on topics such as service provision and local community matters. Benefits may include the suggestion and introduction of new services and improvements to the practice. PPGs should not feel restricted to very local issues, however, but should feel free to comment on regional and national developments in healthcare provision as well. Many benefits were identified, including:
- changes to the practice to improve its accessibility
- remote controlled doors
- special couches for disabled people
- provision of a bike rack
- a uniform approach to answering the telephone
- changes to make the practice more welcoming
- music in the waiting room
- ensuring magazines are up to date and cover a wide range of topics
- water cooler
- raising patient awareness to concerns within the wider community
- primary healthcare reforms
- the length of consultations