A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients, carers for patients and GP practice staff who meet to discuss practice issues and patient experience to improve the service. As a network we have our own PPG separate to our individual practice PPGs.

What is the Purpose of a PPG?

• To give patients and 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 support health awareness and patient education.

What should a PPG look like?
A PPG is open to every patient and carer 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.

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, ie. 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.

• 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 patient members cannot provide medical advice to other patients.

• The PPG also cannot deal with personal/medical issues or individual patient complaints during meetings. These should be dealt with outside the meeting following the Practice’s already established procedures.