Patient Participation Group

The Patient Participation Group (PPG) at Highfield Surgery was established in July 2011 with the goal of enhancing patient involvement and integrating feedback into the development of our services. Comprising both patients and practice members, the PPG meets four times a year. It serves as a vital link between patients and the practice, acting as a “critical friend” to Highfield Surgery by providing constructive input and support.

Our Impact and Achievements:

The PPG plays an active role in various initiatives, including:

• Producing, administering, and analysing the annual patient survey.
• Developing informative leaflets to help patients make the most of their GP practice.
• Implementing the ‘missed appointment’ boards visible in our waiting rooms.
• Representing patient views during official assessments, as demonstrated when PPG members were interviewed by Care Quality Commission assessors in 2016.

What Does a PPG Member Do?

Joining the PPG is a voluntary and unpaid role, with no specific duration or contract. Our members are registered patients, representing a wide spectrum of users of Highfield Surgery’s services. The PPG collaborates with the practice to discuss priorities, conduct patient opinion surveys, and continuously improve the patient experience.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

1. Group Development: Assisting the Operations Manager and Practice GPs in strengthening and developing the Patient Participation Group.
2. Survey Management: Reviewing existing surveys, advising on future survey content, and helping to develop questions and survey styles.
3. Survey Implementation: Supporting the execution of surveys, working to achieve good return rates, and assisting in the analysis of results.
4. Action Planning: Collaborating with practice GPs to formulate SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound) action plans based on patient feedback.
5. Action Delivery: Assisting in the successful implementation of agreed action plans.
6. Public Communication: Ensuring action plans are published in an accessible, easy-to-understand format for the public, including on this website.
7. PPG Evolution: Helping to develop and expand the role of the PPG, potentially through initiatives like patient education or fundraising.

Commitment Required:

• Attendance: Attending four PPG meetings per year.
• Active Participation: Contributing to the smooth running of meetings, which may include chairing a meeting, taking minutes, or other forms of active involvement.
• Role Fulfillment: Committing to and fulfilling the specific PPG member roles outlined above.
• Guidance: Following the guidance provided by the PCN Manager.

Join Our PPG!

We welcome applications from patients to join our PPG at any time. While we encourage all interested patients to apply, please note that joining depends on maintaining appropriate group numbers and ensuring a balanced representation of our patient population.

We are currently particularly interested in hearing from:

• Younger patients: Those aged 15 to 30.
• Disabled patients: To ensure diverse representation.
• Individuals aged under 25.
• Patients with very young children.

If you are interested in making a difference at Highfield Surgery and wish to apply to join our Patient Participation Group, please contact us using the ‘contact us’ form on this website. We look forward to hearing from you.