Patient Participation Group

The PPG aims to:

• work alongside the partnership and practice staff of Quedgeley Medical Centre to promote continuous improvement which ensure that patients and carers experiences are at the heart of responsive services;
• support and strengthen the relationship between the Practice its patients, carers and local community.

The purpose of the PPG is grouped into five areas:

1. Be a Patient voice: Promoting a patient-led culture
2. Challenge & Support: help the Practice to improve service delivery
3. Communications, engagement and inclusion
4. Partnership and wider involvement
5. Promoting health and care

Membership of the PPG is open to anyone over 16 who is registered at the Practice (consideration to be given to the views of younger patients being heard).

The maximum membership will be 8. This number will be reviewed annually, in line with changes to the practice size.

The Practice will make every effort to ensure that the constituent elements of the PPG are representative of the practice patient demographic, with a range of patient interests represented.

The PPG will elect a Chair and Secretary. These positions will be re-elected yearly for a maximum term of three years.

All members of the PPG agree to adhere to the Code of Conduct. Members who resign/step down from the PPG, for whatever reason, will return any documentation accumulated to the Secretary.

The Chair will:

• prepare and ensure distribution of the agenda for each meeting;
• chair PPG meetings;
• be the direct link between the PPG and the Practice.

Another PPG member will be nominated as Vice Chair to deputise for the Chair in their absence and during any interim period between the Chair standing down from office and a new Chair being elected.

The Secretary will take minutes at each meeting and distribute those to members.

Sub-groups and committees

A sub-committee may be appointed to carry out a specific task.

Any sub-committee must provide regular updates to the PPG and, if thought necessary, ask for further help and support. The regularity and mechanism for providing updates should be agreed with the Chair.

Practice staff will commit to working with the PPG and attending the PPG meetings, as mutually agreed.

In line with information governance guidance provided by the NHS commissioning organisation, the Practice will be responsible for all direct communications with patients registered with the Practice.

The Practice will update relevant sections of the Practice website to ensure information, such as minutes of PPG meetings, is accessible to all registered patients.

The Practice will offer appropriate administrative support to the PPG, e.g. preparing agendas and printing minutes.

The Practice will keep the PPG involved in and informed about service and Practice developments; including using the PPG in a consultative capacity.

The Practice will take forward issues and recommendations from the PPG, using patient and carer feedback, where feasible; outcomes to be provided to the PPG and communicated to patients and carers – you said/we did.

The Practice will make every effort to ensure that the constituent elements of the PPG are representative of the practice patient demographic, with a range of patient interests represented.

All members of the PPG must be made aware of the need to always maintain absolute patient confidentiality. Any member whose work on behalf of the PPG includes access to the personal information of patients, staff, other members, or any other person will sign and return a copy of the Practice’s Confidentiality agreement before undertaking any such activity.

Frequency and Attendance

The PPG shall meet quarterly (four times a year).

The group will be responsible for discussing agenda items and bringing to the attention of the Practice any subjects raised by patients. 

Failure to attend meetings without an apology will be followed up by the Chair or Secretary as a courtesy check on members wellbeing.

A member of the Practice team will endeavour to attend all meetings. A GP partner will also attend, where practical, to present news of proposed developments within the Practice and to respond to issues raised by the PPG. Other members of staff and third parties may also be invited to attend meetings.

Attendance of at least 50% of members at the time of any meeting shall constitute a quorum for agenda items to be discussed and agreed.

Minutes

The Secretary shall record attendance, note discussion items and actions/resolutions in the form of minutes which shall be agreed by members at the next meeting. Minutes will be distributed to all members following the meeting. Once approved by members, minutes should be made available to all PPG members, ensuring confidentiality and/or anonymity are maintained.

Voting

All decisions shall be carried by a simple majority of votes cast, with the Chair having a casting vote (if required).

All PPG members hold one vote. The Practice shall hold one vote.

Special General Meeting

Shall be held if at least one third of the members of the PPG request it by email or in writing, stating the reasons to the Chair or the Practice.

Notice of the day, time and place will be given at least 14 days in advance and must be held within 28 days of the receipt of the request.

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss and vote on the proposal contained in the written request.

There is no requirement for the PPG to undertake fundraising activities on behalf of the Practice and/or PPG.

Should fundraising activities be undertaken, all monies raised by or on behalf of the PPG, must be allocated in agreement with the Practice.

If fundraising activities are undertaken, it is recommended that a separate “Friends of the Practice” be established. 

If the PPG decides to undertake fundraising activities, it will need to elect a Treasurer who will be responsible for keeping detailed financial accounts. A bank account will hold the finances and regular updates re the account will be given by the Treasurer. Any cheques issued must be signed by at least two signatories.

Any communications from the PPG to the Practice should be directed through the quarterly meetings or addressed directly with the Practice Manager.

Members will only use this route to discuss PPG business and not issues relating to personal issues or grievances. Any matters relating to personal matters should be raised through regular practice routes as set out on the practice website.

• Any individual’s involvement on the PPG is on the understanding that personal agendas will not be pursued. These must be addressed with the practice policies relating to raising of concerns and complaints.
• All PPG members shall comply with the Practice confidentiality agreement at all times.
• The PPG shall be non-party in politics and non-sectarian in religion and shall operate using the best principles of equality and diversity.
• Removal of a PPG member from the practice list, for whatever reason, will disqualify continuing membership of the PPG.
• If behaviour by a member of the PPG damages the reputation of the PPG or the practice, they will resign from the PPG with immediate effect.