Patient participation groups
From April 2016, it has been a contractual requirement for all English GP practices to form a PPG and to make reasonable efforts for this to be representative of the practice population.
The development of the PPG is down to the individual GP practice and they become responsible for all aspects of its functionality, from timescales, to membership, to roles and responsibilities. Each practice has information pertaining to their PPG on their local website.
National Association of Patient Participation
Whilst membership to a PPG is the responsibility of the practice, the National Association of Patient Participation (NAPP) states there are a number of ways PPGs can benefit their local GP surgery. These include:
- advising the practice on the patient perspective
- organising health promotion events
- communicating with the wider patient body
- running volunteer services and support groups to meet local needs
- carrying out research into the views of those who use the practice (and their carers)
- influencing the practice or the wider NHS to improve commissioning
- fundraising to improve the services provided by the practice
Useful NAPP resources
- Growing PPG networks and effectiveness in the NHS
- Building better participation
- Virtual PPGs
- PPG sample constitutions, terms of reference and rules
The Patients Association
An organisation that has useful information for the patient to access.
Patient participation group conference 2019
Our PPG conference took place on 14 November 2019. View the 2019 PPG conference slides (PDF, 3 MB).
Read the 2019 PPG conference evaluation report.
Patient participation group videos
A cuppa and a cake at Truro Health Park
How important are patient groups to GP surgeries?
Attendees at the Carnon Down Surgery PPG event talk about the importance of patient groups in the surgeries
Attendees at the Carnon Down Surgery PPG event talk about the importance of patient groups in the surgeries
Thoughts on healthcare in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Attendees at the Carnon Downs PPG event talk about what healthcare in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly means to them.
Thoughts on healthcare within Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are given at the St Agnes PPG event.
