What is the Patient Participation Group or PPG?
A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of people who are patients of the surgery and want to help it work as well as it can for patients, doctors and staff. The NHS requires every practice to have a PPG.
Why should I join?
You have been to the surgery as a patient, parent, carer or friend.
Your experiences matter and you can bring different ideas to the surgery to help us treat patients better or to improve what we do in some way.
You will also gain a better understanding of the NHS, and gather feedback from other patients.
How often does the Patient Participation Group meet?
We meet, but not too often, led by a committee voted for by the patients. If you can’t make meetings then don’t worry – you can still be part of our virtual group.
Who manages the mailing list for the PPG?
The mailing list will be held by the GP surgery and any emails sent so that individual’s emails are not shared with others.
Non-urgent advice:
The next meeting is scheduled for:
Monday 23rd October 2023 at St Peter’s Surgery
The following are future planned dates:
Monday 29th January 2024
Monday 29th April 2024
(Please notify the surgery if you wish to attend)
Meeting minutes are available on request from the Operations Manager.
About PPGs
In line with the recent Government decision to reallocate funding from the provision of front line, i.e. nursing services, to patient participation/reference groups, the Practice has formed a Patient Participation Group. If you have an interest in making a constructive contribution to the way in which your healthcare is delivered, please contact us.
PPGs are a valuable and independent source of information about patients’ views of primary care services and it is essential that we work together to ensure quality patient services especially at a time when primary care is being independently monitored by the Care Quality Commission.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. GP practices and other primary medical services have to be registered with them by law. It is their job to check that we (St. Peter’s Surgery) meet the national standards of quality and safety and in order to do that it is important that they listen to the views of people who use GP practices.
A guide has been produced by the CQC to provide PPGs with information about the CQC role, and it can be found here.
Action Plan
The Survey Key Issues for Improvement
Agreed with the Patient Reference Group (5.3.2019)
- Reception & telephone access (High Priority)
- Appointment & online access (High Priority)
- Development of the PRG (High Priority)
The Patient Survey Action Plan
Agreed with the Patient Reference Group (5.3.2019)
The patient survey action plan for the year 2019/20 can be found here.
The Patient Annual Report
The Patient Annual Report
The Annual Report has been prepared to provide patients with an overview of the contribution and work undertaken by the Patient Participation Group. The Practice would like to thank very much those patients who have given their time and energy to get to grips with a complex service and help direct and shape an action plan to address the main issues identified in patient surveys. A full copy of the report for the year 2018/19 can be found here.
Summary
The following is a summary of the Patient Participation Group’s Annual Report 2018/19 and highlights the main internal reviews, audits and patient feedback [General Practice Assessment Questionnaire – GPAQ V2.0 (for comparison purposes) and Friends and Family Test] considered during 2018 / 2019 year. The results were shared with the Patient Participation Group and analysed to identify key issues for development. An action plan to address the issues was then developed and agreed with the Patient Participation Group.
As part of the process for developing the 2019/20 patient reference group action plan, the group has considered a number of internal reviews and audits, as follows:
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspection Report
CQC assessment against all criteria was “GOOD” (21.11.2018); - Infection Control (Inc. Minor Surgery)
CCG inspection showed an average 95% compliance – no significant issues identified; - Complaints
17 anonymised complaints reviewed – no significant trend identified, however telephone and appointment access and waiting times were mentioned; - Patient Appointments & DNA
Figures highlighted and explained; - Significant Events
Process review by CQC, 11 events reviewed – no trends identified and - Telephone response times
Figures have been monitored and reported.
The internal reviews and audits were presented and considered by the PPG members. Detailed questioning helped to provide focus on the issues considered important by both the Practice and the group members.
At the request of the PPG the implementation of services and contract changes have also been considered to ensure an appropriate balance between essential workload issues and service development/change.
PPG members also agreed to use the General Practice Assessment Questionnaire – GPAQ V2.0 (for comparison purposes). Results from the GPAQ, including figures on the performance of the nursing staff, were presented and considered by the PPG, (see summary details in Appendix 4 – PPG Annual Report 2018/19).
The Friends and Family Test, implemented in accordance with NHS England guidance and has been in operation since the 1st of December 2014.
Based on consideration of the above information the following priorities were agreed with the patient group on the 5.3.2019, (see minutes of meeting – Appendix 2 – PRG annual report 2018/19).
Full patient survey details are available direct from the Surgery or by contacting the practice manager.