A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients registered at a GP surgery who work together with practice staff to support and improve local services.

 

PPGs have been established in GP practices across the country for many years and continue to play an important role within the NHS, especially in recent times of uncertainty for the wider health service. They offer a positive, collaborative space where patients and practice teams can work together to make a real difference and ensure the patient voice is heard.

The NHS is continually evolving in the face of ongoing challenges, and GP practices are always looking for ways to adapt and improve services for their patients. Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) play an important role in supporting this by providing a constructive and collaborative link between patients and the practice.

At Litchdon Medical Centre, we are proud of the care and services we provide, and we know many of our patients value what we do. The PPG builds on these strengths by helping us continue to meet the needs of our community, both now and in the future. There may also be occasions where we don't get things quite right, and the support of our PPG is essential in ensuring we can recognise these and make changes.

By getting involved - or simply by staying informed - you can help us ensure that our services remain relevant and patient-focused. Your feedback and ideas help us understand what works well and where there may be opportunities to improve.

We encourage patients to keep up to date with news from both the NHS and the practice, as being informed helps us all make the best use of local healthcare services. Working together, we can maintain high standards of care and support our shared goal of keeping our community healthy and well.

All patients registered at Litchdon Medical Centre are automatically members of the PPG.

The day-to-day organisation of the PPG (including arranging meetings, working with doctors and nurses, and setting priorities) is carried out by a volunteer committee made up of patients.

PPG meetings are open to all patients and are typically held 3–4 times a year. Most meetings take place in the evening at the surgery on a weekday, although alternative venues may occasionally be used depending on the topics being discussed.

View the PPG Constitution for more information about how the group is run.

The level of involvement is entirely up to you, but we encourage all members to take part, even if this simply means sharing an idea once or twice a year.

Any feedback you provide is treated in strict confidence. The surgery will not see your personal details; instead, the PPG committee will raise your suggestions or concerns on your behalf, ensuring your anonymity is protected.

We welcome your thoughts on the services provided by the practice. Meetings often focus on specific health topics, giving you the opportunity to share your views on how well the practice is performing in these areas. We also encourage suggestions for future discussion topics to help the surgery continue improving its services.

Your input plays an important role in helping both patients and healthcare professionals get the best possible outcomes. Without patient feedback, opportunities for improvement may be missed.

We are also always looking for new members to join the PPG committee. If you are interested, please get in touch with the PPG secretary, Rosie Haworth Booth, on 07713 168331.

The PPG represents patients collectively rather than addressing individual cases.

We do not deal with personal or confidential matters between patients and their doctor or the surgery. If you have an individual concern, this should be raised directly with the practice.

However, if you have a broader issue that may affect other patients, you are welcome to share it with us. Please ensure that any information provided does not include personal or sensitive details.