Use the surgery > Addtional Surgery Information > PPG
An effective organisation requires, and welcomes, checks and balances on what it does and how it relates to its customers, clients, or, in this case, its patients. The NHS requires every Medical Practice to have a Patient Participation Group (PPG) to contribute to this service but only about 50% do. Bideford Medical Centre has a PPG.
A PPG is a group of people who are patients of the Practice and want to help it work as well as it can for patients, doctors and staff. The work of a PPG is led by lay people, but its work is enhanced by the membership of professional staff and General Practitioners of the Practice.
What is the Patient Participation Group?
What does the PPG do?
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The PPG works closely with the Practice as a ‘critical friend’, by helping it appreciate and understand what patients are thinking and saying about issues, such as, opening hours, telephone systems, requests for home visits, appointments and consultations – in fact, the whole range of services provided within the Practice.
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The PPG is a route for patients to advise and inform the Practice on what matters most to them and to help identify solutions. Members, therefore, think about the wider patient interest and not just their own personal concerns.
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The PPG undertakes from time to time, surveys or research to find out what matters to patients and discusses its findings with the Practice.
Who can be a member, and why?
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IThe PPG wants to recruit a few additional members to broaden the representation of patients’ views and experiences.
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The PPG meets four times a year for about one hour, so could you spare that amount of time to help and support your Medical Centre and your fellow patients?
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If you have been to the surgery as a patient, parent, carer or friend you can be an active contributor to the work of the PPG.
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Your experiences matter and you can bring different ideas to the surgery to help us treat patients better or to improve what we do in some way.
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You will also gain a better understanding of the NHS.
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The PPG meets four times a year, in the early evening at the Practice, although it may engage in other activities at other times.
If you are interested, please contact one of the Reception Team or please email bideford.systmone@nhs.net with 'PPG enquiry’ in the subject field and leave your name.
