What does a Patient Participation Group do?
Committee members are all volunteers and are firmly independent from the surgery management team.
PPG members are all patients and carers who are registered with Mayfield Medical Centre. Currently this includes both the Totnes Rd surgery plus the Cherrybrook surgery.
We have recently been monitoring the appointments system and contributing ideas so the latest methods of making appointments are more clearly advertised.
We have been monitoring the process of obtaining new and repeat prescriptions. We have had meetings with the Pharmacist and provided suggestions on how best to inform patients of the several different methods of getting a repeat prescription.
We have been allowed to observe reception staff and their procedures for a day and later we produced a report on our findings.
At the Totnes Rd surgery we have had the cycle rack re-installed, and are currently talking to the surgery and Torbay council about improving access for prams and wheelchairs.
We have arranged for locked PPG suggestion boxes in the surgeries where anonymous or signed comments from patients and carers are accepted.
At our request the surgery has provided barriers at the Cherrybrook surgery reception to improve patient privacy.
We have set up our own newsletter, distributed by e-mail direct to members. Hard copy prints of the Newsletter are on display near the PPG notice board in the surgeries and can be picked up by any patient or carer.
An important part of our work is that a senior member of surgery staff is always in attendance at our meetings, so we are able to discuss face-to-face issues that are important to the patients.
What is the structure of the Patients Participation Group?
Membership is open to all registered patients and carers of the practice. To join, a simple request is made via e-mail (see later), and after confirmation is obtained that the applicant is registered with the practice, contact details are added to the e-mail membership list.
All members are contacted by e-mail and invited to contribute to the agenda of meetings and raise issues. All members are sent minutes of meetings, notices, and also sent information on general NHS issues relevant to Mayfield Medical Centre patients and carers.
In addition, a group of 8 members have joined the PPG committee. These members are currently meeting about 4/5 times a year. Each meeting is about 2 hours long. The day and timing of PPG meetings can be varied to suit committee members, to encourage working age patients, patients with children, patients with special needs, and carers with irregular appointments to contribute. All of us occasionally miss a meeting due to the other priorities in our lives. It’s not a problem.
The practice Manager attends our meetings to answer questions or seek advice and to report confidential information to us.
About 75% of the committee’s work is by e-mail, drafting/editing letters and notices, commenting on local NHS news, sometimes attending NHS meetings and reporting back to the committee.
Do you have any non-medical comments and suggestions?
We continually need your comments or suggestions about any non-medical items, that are important to you.
Please contact us on mayfield.ppg@nhs.net, or put a message in our PPG letterbox at either surgery. We do not need to know your name.
How do I become a PPG member if I’m interested?
Contact mayfield.ppg@nhs.net and inform us of your e-mail address, and tell us you would like to be a PPG member, and also tell us if you are interested in joining the committee. We do not need any other information.
Your privacy is protected. The PPG only have the e-mail address you reported in your application. PPG information circulated to members is sent from an ‘undisclosed recipients’ database.
We very much look forward to hearing from you.