Patient Reference Group

PPG (Patient Participation Group) – What does it involve?

We are looking for patients to join our Patient Participation Group (PPG). The patients that apply will need to be assessed to ensure that we have patients from all types of our population.

What is a Patient Participation Group?

Patient Participation Groups are a route for patients to work together with the Practice to advise on what matters most to patients and to help identify solutions to problems.

As a member of the PPG, you will be acting as a “helper and supporter” by aiding the Practice appreciate and understand what patients are thinking and saying about issues, such as the telephone system. As well as, highlighting what works well within the Practice. Your experiences of the Practice matter and we would love to hear your input as a patient of our service. We also find it very important to explain to patients why we do certain things and why processes need to be followed. This is also very useful for patients to “spread the word” to other patients.

The PPG meetings are usually held three times a year at the Beechwood Medical Centre.

Who can join a Patient Participation Group?

The PPG is open to every patient registered with Beechwood Medical Centre. We encourage all people of all genders, ages, ethnicities, and those with health conditions and disabilities to join. We cannot always take on new members depending on the numbers we already have in the group, but we will explain this to patients if this becomes the case. You may be added to the waiting list of patients to join.

I’m unable to attend the meetings but can I still get involved?

If you are unable to attend a PPG meeting, you can request to be a ‘virtual’ member. By doing this, you will still get sent an agenda as well as the minutes following each meeting. You will have the opportunity to add your own suggestions via email. We can also use e-mail to seek your opinion and ask you questions.

What happens at a meeting?

Each meeting will have well thought out objectives. A member of the Practice Management team will send an email with the agenda before each meeting so you can see what will be discussed and you will have the opportunity to add your own agenda items.

At the meeting, it will be attended by the members of the PPG, a member of the Practice Management Team as well as a GP Partner and the Administration lead. We can also bring along guests to the meeting should there be issues that we are discussing that need a different input. An example may be a Practice Nurse. This will ensure that the PPG works as a Partnership with the Practice and, in that way, it can achieve a great deal more.

What are the benefits of patients joining the Patient Participation Group?

You will have a better understanding of the Practice, how the Practice works and why we do things the way we do them.
The Practice will have a better understanding on how patients are finding the service.
It will create a communication channel between patients and staff.
Patient’s will have a forum to suggest positive ideas and issues to improve upon.
The Practice will be able to get help from patients in meeting targets and objectives.
The Practice will have a forum to test ideas and suggestions to patients.
The Practice can ask patients to “vote” on ideas that we are thinking of introducing.

Ground rules of the Patient Participation Group (you have to agree to these rules to become a member of the PPG)

A PPG meeting is not to discuss any personal complaints about the care you have received from the Practice. If you wish to make a complaint this should be done via the complaints policy. This can be found on the practice website. A PPG must represent a whole Practice population and so must have a strategic and overarching focus to benefit the experiences of all patients at the Practice.
Have an open and honest communication style.
Be flexible, listen and ask for help and support each other.
All views are valid and will be listened to.
Please put mobile phones on silent.
Start and finish on time.
Stick to the agenda.
Always act in a professional manner and take your position as a PPG member serious.

The current TEAM Leading the PPG is:

Dr Aarthi Karthik – GP Partner at Beechwood Medical Centre

Jeanette Russell – Office Manager at Beechwood Medical Centre

New December 2022

Due to the COVID pandemic the Patient Reference Group has been put on hold but we are expecting to restart this during early 2023. We will arrange to contact all participants once we are able to do so. In the meantime please feel free to contact the practice if you need any assistance. We are sorry for the inconvenience

New December 2021

Due to the COVID pandemic the Patient Reference Group has been put on hold but we are expecting to restart this during early 2022. We will arrange to contact all participants once we are able to do so. In the meantime please feel free to contact the practice if you need any assistance. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

New December 2020

Due to the COVID pandemic the Patient Reference Group has been put on hold. We will arrange to contact all participants once we are able to do so. In the meantime please feel free to contact the practice if you need any assistance. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

New December 2018

The Patient Reference Group (PRG) is a government-driven directive designed to ensure that patients interact with their Doctor's Practice to ensure that the services offered are appropriate and meet the needs of the local population. Its membership is open to every registered patient at the Practice and the group meets around twice to three times a year to discuss services and to recommend changes where a need is identified. We also communicate via e-mail on a regular basis and the patients in the group are asked to participate in surveys to help us design the service.

Annually a patient survey is conducted and the PRG analyses the results of these surveys and represents the opinions of the patients identified, working directly with Practice staff and workers to agree policy and the development of the Practice/patient interface for the good of all.

If any registered patient wishes to join the PRG they will be welcomed into the Group and their opinions listened to, documented and considered for future development. To join our Group you can write to the Practice Manager, or email the Practice Manager at nick.giles@nhs.net

Please note that the next meeting of the Patient Reference Group will be notified to you once this has been decided. If you wish to take part then please contact the meeting Chair at the above e-mail address.