Patient Participation Group

Dear Patient,

Welcome to our PPG. The Patient Participation Group (or PPG) has been set up by the four GP practices who work together to form the PRIME (Putney & Roehampton Integrated Medical Enterprise) Network.

Our practices work very hard to ensure they provide the best care to all its patients, so with our help and collaboration we aim to work closely with our practices to help achieve their mission in providing excellent patient care. The group aims to provide a forum to give feedback on the services offered by the practices and the network and make suggestions for how they can be improved.

The PPG can meet in different ways i.e. with each other, or with a practice representative, or with a network representative. We hope that the ability to meet at different levels will encourage more representation and ideas in our groups. The PPG will feedback to the practice on the issues raised by its members. The practice will provide a platform for this information to be disseminated. In the meantime please take the time to read our terms of reference (ToR) and guide to forming a productive PPG. 

We look forward to welcoming you to our next meeting. Best wishes. CHAIR OF THE PPG IN COLLABORATION WITH PRIME NETWORK

Patient Participation Group

The collaborative group shall be known as the PRIME Network Participation Group.

Purpose

The purpose of the Virtual Patient Participation Group is to establish a system of communication with registered patients in the Practices within the PCN so that their views and concerns are fed back. We also aim for our patients and VPPG members to have a better understanding and knowledge of the Practices, its staff and its viewpoint. It is hoped that by establishing a VPPG, a more diverse and regular group will emerge.

Structure

The structure is comprised of a Virtual Patient Group, with communication between the group and the Practice/Network via an online platform such as Zoom or Skype, and also via the practice.

The key points:

• The group will aim to represent the diversity of our practice population;
• To work collaboratively and positively with the practice to improve services and facilities for patients
• Create and improve two-way communication between patients, the Practice and the community it serves;
• To build a sense of partnership between Practice and patients;
• Provide constructive feedback on patient needs, concerns and interests;
• Support the Practice in good health promotions, preventative medicine and health literacy.
• Collect patient opinions and experiences to help the Practice to evaluate its services.
• Communicate to the Practice community and/or the wider community information about the Practice;
• The practice does not expect membership of the group to take up too much of our members’ time, unless members choose to give more;
• Membership of the group will have no impact on your medical care, in any way;
• Members can choose to leave the group whenever they wish.

Confidentiality and code of conduct

All members of the PPG must be made aware of the need to maintain absolute patient confidentiality at all times. Any member whose work on behalf of the PPG includes work in the practice or consulting with other patients or members of the public should sign and return a copy of the Patient Confidentiality Agreement before undertaking such activity. All PPG members must abide by the Code of Conduct.

Patient participation is

Patients working with a practice to:

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of services;
• Foster improved communication between the practice and its patients;
• To make sure that the patient voice is listened to and not necessarily always to be the voice itself;
• Help patients to take more responsibility for their health; and
• Provide practical support and help to implement change. Varied to suit local needs
• Each group determines its own activities according to the wider needs of the community and the practice itself. Based on co-operation
• VPGs work by building a relationship between the practice and its patients that breaks down barriers and shares information.
• VPGs can develop to influence the wider NHS, most notably the decisions that are made on behalf of patients about the services that are to be available to them.

Patient participation is not:

• A forum for complaints
• Clear ground rules are declared to ensure that VPG members do not use the VPG as a vehicle to resolve their own personal issues and/or complaints.
• A time-consuming activity for practice staff
• Some effort is required to get VPGs going but thereafter they should be self-organising and patient led and will often undertake activities that save the practice time.

Review

The terms of reference for both groups will be reviewed on an annual basis or if the NHS requires change to be made to the regulations. 

1. You must be a registered patient of either of the following practices to be a member of the VPG:

• Chartfield Surgery
• Heathbridge Practice
• Mayfield Surgery
• Tudor Lodge Health Centre

2. Complaints and personal issues will not be addressed from this site. If you have a complaint, please ask at your reception site for a copy of the complaints procedure. If you have a personal issue relating to services provided to you as a patient, please contact the practice manager at your site who will be able to assist.

3. We do not need to meet face to face, discussions can be held online;

4. We will all be flexible, listen, ask for help and support each other;

5. We will demonstrate a commitment to delivering results, as a group;

6. Recommendations/suggestions for improvements to the Practice and/or services should be discussed and agreed within the VPPG before presenting to the Practice for comment. Suggestions will not be considered by the Practices/network until agreement has been reached;

7. The VPPG will nominate one or two representatives who will liaise with the Practice on suggestions and recommendations;

8. All views are valid and will be listened to;

9. Silence indicates agreement – speak up;

10. The purpose of the virtual group is to hear from our patients and to share constructive conversations on topics of interest. Your views and suggestions will help to inform future service improvements for all patients;

11. Honesty is welcomed, as is challenge between individuals, but we ask that your tone and language remain courteous and respectful at all times. Posts which are inflammatory or offensive will be deleted and you may be removed from the VPPG;

12. The VPPG members and practice representatives should be treated with dignity and equality. Respect towards each other’s opinions must be adhered to at all times. Members should not be made to feel their opinions and suggestions are disregarded.

13. Members should be able to openly report in confidence any behaviour that constitutes verbal abuse, bullying, harassment, unfair treatment or similar. Such behaviour will not be tolerated, and members will be removed from the group. Please note, in some cases it may also lead to your practice issuing you with a warning and could result in removal from the practice list.

14. Patients can serve on the VPPG for a fixed term of two years. Representatives of the VPPG can be voted in for a longer term by the VPPG members and Practice/PCN but their term will not exceed four years;

15. The ground rules of the VPPG may change from time to time at the discretion of the Practices/PCN;

16. It is the responsibility of the patient to inform the chair and/or practice manager that they no longer wish to sit on the group, or that they are leaving the practice. Membership to the group will then be revoked. (Please note: a monthly audit will be conducted on the patient group list to ensure that everyone within the group still maintains the right to sit on the group).

17. Important – Please note that no medical information or questions will be responded to. The information supplied to us will be used lawfully in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly.

PPGs have a key role to play as they help ensure that patients and their carers can influence their local services.

PPGs support the practice in developing services to ensure the needs and wishes of the patient population are met.

The Role of the PPG

The role of the PPG includes:

• being a critical friend to the practice
• advising the practice on patient perspective, providing an insight into the quality of services
• encouraging patients to take greater responsibility for their own health
• researching the views of those who use the practice
• participating in health promotion events
• regularly communicating with the patient population
• works in partnership with the practice, contributing to continuous improvement of services and standards of care to the patient population

Structure of the PPG Committee

A typical PPG committee comprises of a:
chair person
vice chair
secretary
treasurer (optional)
Any additional posts as deemed appropriate (created at the AGM if proposals are made)
Members can be part of the face-to-face or virtual PPGs.
Members of the PPG who cease to be registered at the practice, will cease to be a member of the practice PPG with immediate effect.
The PPG will be a representative sample of the practice population.

PPG Membership

PPG members should:

• be registered as either a patient or carer of a patient at either of the practices in PRIME
• remain objective
• work collaboratively
• listen to views of the group
• adhere to the TOR for PPG members
• commit to the 7 principles of life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership

What do Members do?

PPG Members:

• liaise with patients and carers, discussing concerns and comments pertinent to practice services
• champion the PPG, actively engaging with the patient population and local community
• attend and contribute to meetings
• remain objective throughout meetings
• represent the patient population effectively, expressing the views of the population objectively

What happens at meetings and when do they occur?

PPG meetings:

• take place at least quarterly
• follow an agenda (issued by the secretary)
• are a forum to discuss patient issues, concerns, suggestions etc.
• an opportunity to listen to speakers from the practice about developments or initiatives which will affect the patient population
• an opportunity for members to represent the patient population

How do PPGs support the Practice?

• The CQC expect the practice to comply with key lines of enquiry (KLOE).
• KLOE W4 asks ‘how are people who use services, those close to them and their representatives actively engaged and involved in decision-making, including through a patient reference group or PPG.
• Being able to demonstrate effectiveness in this area will support the practice an help achieve a positive outcome following a CQC inspection

Where Can I Learn More?

• The National Association for Patient Participation (N.A.P.P.) was commissioned by NHS(E) to develop a resource to help PPGs work effectively.