Join our PPG (Patient Participation Group) today!

maya1 - 30th November 202330th November 2023

What is a PPG?

A Patient Participation Group (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.

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.

The purpose of a PPG

To give patients and practice staff the opportunity to meet and discuss topics of mutual interest.
To provide a means for patients to become more involved and make suggestions about the healthcare services they receive.
To explore issues from patient surveys, contribute to actions plans and help monitor improvements.
To contribute feedback to the practice on patient survey results and friends and family tests by proposing developments or change.
To support health awareness and patient education.

What should a PPG look like?

A PPG is open to every patient on the GP practice list. All communities, groups, genders, ages, ethnicities, and disabilities representing the patient list are encouraged to join. There are no other membership requirements except that patients must be registered with the practice.

PPG members should as far as possible, be representative of the practice population. In some cases, the practice can ask for support from their local Healthwatch to assist in the recruitment of patients.

We also allow members of representative groups from the local area. This might include individuals you run local support groups and so are able to provide valuable insight into the patients they serve.

What can a PPG do?

Discuss constructive suggestions for improving the practice and share concerns that could affect the wider practice population
Organise health-focused events with the practice, i.e. healthy eating awareness as an information event for all practice patients to attend
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 via fundraising events and useful health information, to ensure the PPG is representative
Invite health and voluntary professionals to PPG meetings, for PPG members to remain informed and updated about local opportunities for patients.

What can a PPG not do?

PPG members cannot provide any medical advice to other patients,
PPG members cannot deal with personal/medical issues
PPG members cannot get involved in individual patient complaints during the meeting. These should be dealt with outside the meeting following the practices already established procedures