What is a Patient Participation Group?
The Forge Close Patient Participation Group (PPG) is made up of a group of Forge Close patients, with an interest in health and healthcare issues. We are committed to looking at the ways and means of making a positive contribution to the services and facilities offered by the practice.
The Patient Participation Group can be instrumental in communication between the surgery and patients, in facilitating patients’ comments and ideas on the practice’s services and in providing educational support to the patients. The Patient Participation Group works as a first line in looking at new proposals to ensure that these will best suit the practice and patients in delivering the services required.
For example, we have provided input and feedback on the ease and means of communication with the surgery, topics of interest for health education talks and had the opportunity to provide our perspective on the surgery during Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessments.
We would like to build on the current Patient Participation Group so that it is strengthened and firmly embedded at the Forge Close Surgery.
How is the Patient Participation Group made up?
Firstly a Patient Participation Group is made up of patients supported by Dr Patel and a member of the administration staff. The Working Group would aim to meet every 2-3 months for a couple of hours to discuss issues and plan forthcoming events.
We would like to establish a Virtual Group. The Virtual Group would be made up of patients who don’t have the time to attend meetings but who we can contact via email for their views.
Who can be in the Patient Participation Group?
The simple answer is anyone who is a patient at Forge Close Surgery.
Being apart of the PPG you would need to be able to give a couple of hours every 2 to 3 months for meetings and give support between meetings for tasks in supporting the group’s work. We have held meetings face to face and virtually.
