Patient Participation Groups

Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) are formed when patients and healthcare staff at a practice come together. They are a way of getting public opinion but cannot provide all that is needed for public involvement. Most groups support the practice and get involved in a wide range of activities, such as:

• producing patient information newsletters
• health promotion advice at practices
• delivering prescriptions (with permission from the patient)
• satisfaction surveys
• fundraising to buy equipment
• improving reception areas
• staffing a resource room for patients.

Each group is different and will agree its own objectives and work plan. Some may adopt a formal constitution and some have their own bank account. Most successful groups set themselves clear objectives which the practice and patients both agree on. These can be quite modest to start off with and then expand as the group grows.

PPGs are all about the practice and patients working together so successful groups need the support of both the practice and patients. Research carried out by the National Association for Patient Participation showed the most important factors which led to an influential PPG were:

• a positive attitude from GPs
• the attitude of the practice manager to the PPG
• the PPG understanding the constraints of the practice
• good leadership within the PPG.

Click here for a 'getting started' guide produced by the National Association of Patient Participation (NAPP).  For help or advice on setting up a PPG or to comment on the guide, contact NAPP on telephone 0114 287 4035 / E-mail admin@napp.org.uk or visit their website

NHS Derby City can also offer advice and support on setting up a Patient Participation Group.  Contact Suzanne Robey, Patient Experience Manager, NHS Derby City, Derwent Court, 1 Stuart Street, Derby DE1 2FZ.
Telephone 01332 224000 ext 6484. E-mail suzanne.robey@derbycitypct.nhs.uk

You may find the following materials useful - some of these have been taken from the NAPP guide:

Quick guide to starting a group and your first meeting
Recruiting members to your PPG
Questions to help you decide what your PPG should do

This step by step guide to setting up PPGs produced by NHS Norfolk is also very useful.  Click here for a copy.

Derby Health Forum is also keen to encourage GP practices to set up PPGs and some of its members have been involved in helping establish PPGs at their own practices.  If you would like their help and advice please contact  the Chairperson, Sandra Harrison at nan39@sky.com or contact NHS Derby City at the above address. 

Update - following the patient participation directed enhanced services (DES) for GMS contract an event was held on 30 June 2011.  Please click here for a copy of the notes from this event.  You may also be interested in the frequently asked questions about patient reference groups, which has been produced by NHS Derbyshire County. 

For a copy of the DES guidance and audit requirements for 2011/12 to 2012/13 click here.

Measuring Patient Experience

NHS Derby City evaluates the results of the GP survey, carried out quarterly by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Department of Health. We developed a set of patient experience metrics based on the thoughts, feelings and perceptions of patients but this method has now been replaced by a dashboard. The dashboard provides an overall ‘patient experience score’ for each provider and is based on the results of the national surveys, but will later incorporate additional data. We are also encouraging the use of real-time patient experience devices to undertaking additional surveys, based on the CQC national annual survey templates, to gain comparative data on a more regular basis.

In addition, the Care Quality Commission has constructed ‘experience of patients’ performance indicators derived from the GP patient survey. They have grouped specific survey questions into four factors.