The Emsworth Medical Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) was set up in October 2009 with the intention of creating a connection between the Practice and its patients allowing open, constructive discussion and analysis of the services provided. It also offers an opportunity to give an alternative perspective on many topics that are relevant to General Practice.
The group allows interested patients to influence and be involved in the running of the Practice. Benefits include the suggestion and introduction of new services and improvements in the way the Practice delivers its care. The PPG Committee currently consists of 10 members and the Chair is Jim Strudwick. Meetings are held monthly at the Emsworth Practice with the exception of July, August and December. Dr Morgan and the Operations Manager, Sally Prior, also sit on the committee.
The PPG is very committed to discussing items such as feedback from patients, bringing patients’ concerns to the group’s attention, including those concerns where patients may be reluctant to raise their voice, also to raise new issues or grumbles and to communicate praise whenever it is given. All of this and more can only help patients to have involvement in the Practice’s future development and improve, what is already, a highly thought of Practice.
Membership is open to all patients of the Practice virtually. We are keen to have as many patient members as possible. If you would like be a virtual PPG member please email hiowicb-hsi.emsworthmedicalpractice@nhs.net you are in no way obligated to take an active part in the group but you may be sent details from time to time with Patient Participation Group updates and you will be sent a copy of the quarterly Quack newsletter if you wish to receive it. If you would like to take a more active role within the group, for instance, helping at events or with fund raising, then please make this known to the Chair, Jim Strudwick.
As with most voluntary groups, the group has to be self funded. The group has some ideas but we realize that amongst all of the patients there must be many more who could throw in some helpful fund raising methods.
Please send suggestions or ideas of any kind in to hiowicb-hsi.emsworthmedicalpractice@nhs.net and they will be forwarded onto the Chair.
The PPG has no access to patient health records. All information gathered is strictly confidential and secure and will only be shared between the Practice and the PPG. No personal details will be mentioned in any survey.
It must be noted that the PPG is not a method to communicate complaints, this must be done via the Practice’s Complaints Procedure.