As a patient would you like to:
- Have a voice in supporting the development of the Heron GP Practice
- Work together with a group of actively interested patients and practice staff to share information and ideas and assist in shaping the practice and its service for the future?
- Contribute to the development of wider local NHS Health Service?
Join our Patient Participation group which meets quarterly or sign up for our Virtual Participation Group
If you are interested in joining you can either telephone the Practice, or you can complete the online form. We will then send you the details of the next meeting date.
What is a PPG?
A PPG is a volunteer group of patients who work with their GP practice to help plan and improve its services by ensuring that the patient perspective is represented
What does the group do?
The group meet quarterly to discuss how we can improve the services provided by the practice.
Our PPG has the opportunity to attend face to face meetings plus an internet virtual group – whereby we contact interested patients via email to seek their views on our services and facilities.
The role of the PPG includes:
- Being a critical friend to the practice
- Advising the practice on the patient perspective and providing insight into the responsiveness and quality of services
- Encouraging patients to take greater responsibility for their own and their family’s heath
- Carry out research into the views of those who use the practice
- Organising health promotion events and improving health literacy
- Regular communication with the patient population
Benefits of a PPG
Patients, GPs, practice staff and wider community can all benefit from the success of a PPG
Patients will benefit through:
- The opportunity to recommend improvements and to raise issues which can lead to action.
- A better awareness of how the practice operates
- A better understanding of the role and workload of a GP and the practice staff
- Being enabled to look after your own and your family’s health
GP’s and Practice staff will benefit through:
- Improved communications with patients
- The potential for a mutually respectful relationship
- Increased patient participation and support of the practices aims and objectives
What a PPG is not
A PPG is not a forum to deal with personal medical issues and complaints. These are personal to you and must be dealt with by professionals who are there to help you. The practices already have procedures in place to deal with these:
Medical issues
These should be discussed with the Doctor or Nurse who is treating you.
Complaints
These should be addressed to the Practice Manager in the first instance
Why not come and join us, and help us to run the PPG. Your opinion matters, this is the opportunity to come and have your say, as to how we can improve or change things for the better.
