Patient participation group
What is a Patient Participation Group?
A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients, carers and staff who meet to discuss service issues, new innovations and patient experience to support in improving services. Healthshare’s Patient Participation Group includes patients living within areas across the UK where Heathshare is commissioned to provide Community Diagnostic and Clinical Services contracts. This ensures members are representative of the individual service populations which includes all genders, ages, ethnicities and disabilities.
Purpose of a PPG
The purpose of the PPG is:
- To give patients and service staff the opportunity to meet and discuss topics of mutual interest.
- To provide a way for patients to become more involved and make suggestions about healthcare services they receive.
- To explore issues from patient complaints and patient surveys, contribute to action plans and help monitor service improvements.
- To review existing service feedback from NHS Choices and friends and family surveys and propose developments or change.
- To support health awareness and wider patient education.
Who can join a PPG?
Any patients over the age of 16 living within any of Healthshare’s commissioned contracting areas can join the Healthshare’s PPG.
How often are meetings?
The PPG meets 4 times a year via Teams for approximately 2 hours.
What do patients get out of having a patient group?
Patients attending the group have:
- The opportunity to be more involved with their local NHS services.
- A chance to make suggestions and improve the service.
- A means of ensuring that complaints are taken on board and necessary changes are being made.
- A way of finding out more about healthcare provision
- Patient are able to contribute to the NHS and the wider community whilst having their voice heard and witnessing change happen when working as a part of a group.
- An opportunity to learn more about the NHS, and use their existing skills as a patient representative.
What does Healthshare get out of having a patient group?
Healthshare receives:
- An improved understanding of their patient experiences and views, thus contributing to more satisfied patients and better run services.
- Solutions that may not have been explored before.
- PPGs can encourage health education activities amongst patients.
- Contributions to developing services that will benefit patients
Patient Participation Group (PPG) terms of reference
The success of a PPG depends on the clarity of its purpose. For this reason it is useful to agree the Terms of Reference for the group.
Aim of the group
The aim of the group is to represent the patients across Healthshare and work in partnership with clinicians and service staff to improve services for patients.
Membership
- The PPG is open to any patient living within Healthshare’s commissioned areas that can access the service.
- It should be reflective of the patient demographic of the practice/service.
- The preferred maximum number of patients in the group is 10.
- The PPG will elect a Chair to run meetings and guide the work of the group.
Objectives
In partnership with Healthshare, the PPG aims:
- To act as an advisory group providing perspectives and concerns from patients that can influence how services operate.
- To communicate to the group areas of patient concern with a view to influencing change
- To act as a consultative group for any changes within the services
- To encourage and support the role of the services in involving patients in their own care
- To monitor complaints and comments received about the services
- To annually review the results of the patient survey and suggest changes as appropriate.
- The group will influence the development of policies in the service by representing patient views. This will ensure patients make the best use of the facilities available.
- The group will conduct surveys with patients to inform them of any action plans.
- The group will work with individual services to ensure changes are fed down to local community groups.
- The group will be informed of the commissioning plans and policies of the CCG and engaged in consultations when required.
- The group will influence how information is given to patients which may include poster displays, information leaflets, service newsletters and electronically
Meetings
- The PPG will meet at least 4 times a year and these meeting dates will be set in advance. Members will send apologies in advance of the meeting if they are unable to attend
- Service staff will send apologies in advance of the meeting if they are unable to attend allowing enough time for the meeting to be rescheduled if deemed necessary
- A practicing clinician and whenever possible a Manager will attend all PPG meetings to present news of developments within Healthshare and to respond to issues raised by the PPG
- At the discretion of the Chair clinicians can be requested to attend part or all of the meeting. Other staff or other parties from outside the service may also attend by invitation.
- Copies of the minutes of meetings will be prepared by or sent to all Service Managers for distribution to the staff and to be made available to patients online and through other communication means.
Dissolution
- If the PPG considers it appropriate to dissolve, patients will be notified of the proposal, in writing. A full explanation will be given as to the reasons for the dissolution and patients will be invited to the next available meeting where the proposal may be upheld or suspended.
- Notice should be given at least one month before the proposed final meeting of the PPG. Reasons for the dissolution or other action to be duly recorded in the minutes and published.
Healthshare’s commitment
- A Service Manager or delegated staff member will attend all meetings
- Healthshare will commit to taking forward issues and recommendations from the PPG and supplying responses of actions taken as a result of the meeting.
- Healthshare will keep the PPG informed of service developments and bring them for discussion at PPG meetings, including how the wider service population can get involved in these discussions.
PPG constitution
The group shall be known as Healthshare PPG. Membership will be open to any patient registered within any of Healthshare’s commissioned areas and will include a Service Manager and/or other service team members to represent specific services where necessary.
Aims
- The group will provide a communication channel between the patients and the service.
- With the help and assistance of service, the group will seek suggestions from patients for improvements to the service and highlight any areas that need attention.
- The group will assist the service in monitoring quality through patient participation.
Rules governing the group
- The group shall elect a chair at the initial PPG meeting. Meetings will be held quarterly.
- The group will consist of at least a core group of 4 patients.
- A copy of the minutes from the PPG meeting will be sent out to members via the Secretary and are also available on request or on the service website.
The following ground rule apply to all of the meetings
- No phones or other disruptions
- Discrimination in any form will not be tolerated
- PPG is not a forum for individual complaints
- Respect is to be given to patient confidentiality at all times
- All members to demonstrate a commitment to the group
- All views are important and should be listened to
- Be flexible, listen, ask for help and support each other.
- Open and honest communication applies to all
- Start and finish meetings on time and stick to the agenda
- Silence indicates agreement- speak up if you would like your suggestions to be part of the meeting
If you are interested in joining our PPG or require further information please contact our PPG Team at ppg@Healthshare.org.uk