Great Bentley Surgery Patient Participation Group – Progress Report

Background

For the last few months, we have been trying to set up a "virtual" Patient Participation Group (PPG), i.e. one which will operate by e-mail, removing the need for meetings, which are always difficult to arrange.

The PPG will perform a really valuable role in commenting on proposals for how intend to we run the surgery in the future, what services we provide and how we can improve on what we already have. We hope also to receive suggestions and ideas from members.

The basic idea is that short surveys will be sent out to participants a few times each year asking for their views on a particular area of our operations or plans for the future. These will be completed and returned electronically.

Progress so far

The PPG has been mentioned several times in the local Parish magazines and advertised extensively in the surgery. Additionally, we have been e-mailing patients who use that medium to contact us – mainly requesting prescriptions – asking them if they would be willing to join the group.

So far, progress has been slow as only 39 people have signed up. However, we aren't giving up and I am still looking for volunteers.

Can you help?

If you are a patient here, can spare a few minutes (literally), a few times a year to take part in electronic surveys and still haven't volunteered, you are not too late.

I am trying to get together a really mixed group of old and young, either fit or with existing medical problems, and from all the villages in our area. At the moment, most of the people who have agreed to take part are in the older age groups, so come on you youngsters. Help me out by getting involved

Please e-mail me at postmaster.gp-f81021@nhs.net or drop me a note here at the surgery, giving me a little information about yourself.

Hugh Cronin, Practice Manager