The Swan Practice – Patient Participation Group (PPG)
The Swan Practice serves a large patient population out of the 3 surgeries in Buckingham and Steeple Claydon. In addition The Swan Practice provides the medical care to the students of Buckingham University. In order to best meet the needs of this diverse group, a PPG was set up in early 2009 by the practice doctors to give honest and fair feedback, to advise the practice on matters of concern to patients and help to develop and improve the service patients receive.
The group was initially selected by the practice team from patients who were known to be interested in the running of the surgeries beyond their own immediate care and who could devote the modest amount of time involved. The group meets every two months in the evening and is attended by the Chairperson, a GP of the practice, practice management, other relevant practice staff and open to all patients.
The aims of the group can be summarised as:
- Advise the practice on matters of concern to patients such as: booking appointments, being able to see the same Doctor for continuity, surgery opening times, emergency out of hours care, parking, care after a hospital stay, etc.
- Developing and exhibiting health education displays to alert patients to key health issues – this has been a considerable early success with very effective displays in both surgeries, Buckingham Library and Tesco Buckingham on topics such as dementia, high blood pressure and the early detection of cancer.
- Act as a sounding board for the practice on policy issues.
- Take soundings from the patient community and develop plans to remedy identified shortcomings.
- Represent the patient group in holding the practice constructively to account.
The Swan Practice PPG has been very successful in building a base from which to deliver on these goals but needs to be more representative, not just of the surgeries which it does very well, but of those with different medical needs, e.g. parents of young families, people who are more recent arrivals in the area, students at the University, carers and other distinct patient groups.
The practice already has a Facebook page and a key area for development would be the wider use of Social Networking as a tool to engage and inform a broader cross section of the local community.
Attendance at PPG meetings is voluntary and unpaid. Anyone who thinks that they could add to the group by bringing to bear their experience or who would like to help in any other way should contact the practice on 01280 818600 or [email protected], or click the button below to submit an online request.
Our PPG Chair – TBC
Please note that the PPG cannot become involved in matters of a specifically medical or clinical nature.
Minutes
The Minutes from the meeting will be available here, once they have been circulated and approved by the Chairperson and the Practice.
The National Association of Patient Participation
This association aims to promote the role and benefits of PPGs to patients, the public and health professionals, to create more understanding of the value of true patient participation also to promote the support available from N.A.P.P. Find out more about them click here.
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