FOREST VIEW
Patient Participation Group
Introduction to Forest View Patient Practitioner Group
Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) are made up of volunteers interested in healthcare issues which meet to decide ways and means of making a positive contribution to the services and facilities offered by the surgery to patients.
They are an excellent way for practices to keep in touch with the patient perspective and improve the patient experience. They can also help to influence the commissioning of services and support the practice through more practical ways like fundraising or organising support groups.
Please note FVPPG is not a forum for individual complaints or for single issue campaigns.
The Benefits of joining Forest View Patient Participation Group
PPGs are about implementing real, positive change in their communities. Patients have long valued the relationship with their GP and general practice. However, the dynamics of this relationship have changed over recent years – patients today want more say in their own healthcare, they are better informed and expect to be treated as whole people, not just as a condition or ailment.
PPGs have an increasingly important role to play in helping to give patients a say in the way services are delivered to best meet their needs, and the needs of the local community.
PPGs can help GPs to develop an equal partnership with their patients. They can help them to communicate accurately and honestly with individual patients, and with the wider community about key health matters. They can also help to reduce costs and improve services by identifying changes that the practice may not have considered, allowing resources to be used more efficiently. What is more, they can develop mutually supportive networks for patients and the practice, outside of individual appointments.
Sign up
All PPGs are different and recruit members in different ways, but we as a group are keen to hear from interested individuals. It’s a requirement to be registered at the practice to become a member.
Sign up
All PPGs are different and recruit members in different ways, but we as a group are keen to hear from interested individuals. It’s a requirement to be registered at the practice to become a member.
Sign up
All PPGs are different and recruit members in different ways, but we as a group are keen to hear from interested individuals. It’s a requirement to be registered at the practice to become a member.
Sign up
All PPGs are different and recruit members in different ways, but we as a group are keen to hear from interested individuals. It’s a requirement to be registered at the practice to become a member.
How to Join Forest View PPG
If you’re interested in having a say in the way your local health services are delivered, getting involved with FVPPG is a great place to start.
No training is required to be a member of the PPG – the most important thing is that you are keen and focused on taking positive action to help the practice and the local patient population.
All PPGs are different, but generally involvement tends to include attendance at monthly, bimonthly or quarterly meetings. Some PPG members will choose to take on additional roles that are more time consuming, such as Chair and Vice Chair, Secretary or even editing/contributing to the FVPPG newsletter or this new website as we develop and setting up and running health education or fundraising events, but if you have less time available, this isn’t a requirement.
Not only can joining FVPPG help to shape the delivery of local services, but many members also find that volunteering is a great way to meet new people and develop your own skills, becoming a member can help shape how Forest View develops services to the local community. We have previously helped and encouraged patients to complete a Forest View patient survey and aim to assist further in gauging the views of Forest View patients to better help the surgery improve and grow its services. We also will be assisting with events to assist in raising funds for the Air Ambulance service on behalf and with Forest View Partners and we will be looking at doing future events to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support in the near future.
If you are interested in getting involved, below are some simple steps to get you started:
On Behalf of the FVPPG
Chair
Paul Russell