About The Patient Participation Group

We are incredibly lucky to have such an active PPG group who offer a huge amount of support to the Surgery. Our PPG raise funds and receive donations and bequests for the provision and maintenance of medical and/or ancillary equipment not normally available from statutory or Practice funds, in consultation with the Practice.

Our PPG provides the patient perspective in the planning and commissioning of practice-based services. They also liaise with other patient support groups locally and nationally in the interests of patient engagement. The group is attached to the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP) where they follow their advice, guidelines and instructions especially in regard to the regulations involving the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The PPG also promotes self-care for patients and holds patient information events throughout the year.

Background

Our Patient Participation Group (PPG) was set up in 2001 to help improve and extend the services and facilities to our patients in partnership with the surgery. Patients were invited by the GPs to form a committee to start the group and subsequently a constitution was agreed.

Who We Are

Members of the Patient Participation Group (PPG) are volunteers who support and influence healthcare at Maywood Surgery by offering the patients perspective and acting as a ‘Critical Friend’.

PPG Management

The PPG is managed by a Committee of 10, which supports the officers, namely the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. The Committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting. The

Management of the practice are also part of the committee and regularly attend committee meetings together with other staff members from time to time. The PPG prides itself on working collaboratively with the surgery team. The PPG is affiliated to the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP) and is governed by the rules of that registered charity.

When We Meet?

The Committee meets monthly to provide input and feedback into the development of services at the surgery and to discuss fund raising activities and education events.

What We Do

The PPG purpose is:

• To help improve the experience of patients attending the surgery.
• To support the surgery to organise information sessions on medical and health related topics of interest to patients.
• To develop self-help projects to meet the needs of patients and make best use of GP time.
• To provide a forum to ensure patients are kept informed about the wider changes within the NHS and Social Care and the impact these will have locally.
• To improve communication through the practice website as well as through noticeboards, emails, texts and social media.
• To raise funds to enable the practice to purchase equipment which is not normally funded by the NHS and to support and improve the work of the surgery.
• To liaise with other PPG groups and interested parties to increase awareness of developments and how these will impact and improve local services.

Our Achievements

Since the Group’s inauguration the PPG has been involved in a range of developments including:

• Designing and equipping of the surgery when it was newly built in 2004
• Reporting back to the practice on what works well and areas to improve
• Arranging regular community events promoting health and wellbeing.
• Being active members of the Regis Community board (the community board is represented by all Regis practice for the purpose of updating and feeding back on local health services updates)

The PPG has also purchased a whole range of equipment not normally funded by the NHS, to support and improve the work of the surgery. These include:

• Phlebotomy chairs
• Ophthalmoscopes (eye equipment)
• Electric couches
• ECG equipment
• Doppler equipment (leg pulses equipment)
• Self care leaflets
• Trainee equipment
• Nebulisers
• And lots more