A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients, who meet on a regular basis to discuss Practice issues and patient’s experience to help improve the service that the Practice provides.

At Ambrose Avenue Group Practice we have an active, positive and friendly PPG who meet monthly. Due to Covid, these meetings are currently via Zoom.

We also have a Virtual Patient Group which is made up of patients who are unable to join a face-to-face meeting but who have expressed an interest in being involved, or to make comments and suggestions, and whose opinion and experiences can make a valuable contribution to the work of the PPG. Currently our Virtual Group has over 350 members – an important source of opinions which we are keen to tap into.

In particular, the PPG’s aim is to be truly representative of the wide diversity of practice patients and to do this we are looking to increase the involvement of members of the Virtual Group who may classify themselves as:

• Young patients
• Patients with young children
• Those from a variety of ethnic or cultural backgrounds
• Those who access mental health services
• Those who access learning disabilities services
• Those with mobility difficulties
• Those for whom English is not their first language
• Those who have a high dependency on the health service, for example; patients who have had a transplant
• Those who act as a carer for a family member

How can you help?

Currently we maintain contact with the Virtual Group via email and a Newsletter, but we would welcome more of a two-way service.
There are a number of options for this:

• To join us at our monthly Zoom meeting which takes place on the second Monday of the month, currently from 6:00 pm to about 7:00 – 7:30, but we are considering holding meetings at alternative times to suit members
• To send us your thoughts and experiences in an occasional one-off email
• To contribute to the meeting at a distance by emailing your comments or thoughts in response to the previous Meeting Minutes or to the upcoming Meeting Agenda

More about the PPG

All GP Practices are required to facilitate the formation of a PPG as an independent source of information on the performance of the Practice.

We act as a voice for the patients, as well as providing comment and assistance to Practice plans for improvement of the service

We explore issues following patient complaints or comments made either at the Suggestion Boxes at the Surgeries, or face-to-face at our Outreach Sessions which we regularly hold (pre Covid)

The Practice supports the PPG by regular attendance at our meetings by the Practice Manager and other Support Staff, and also on occasions by clinical staff.

We also have presentations to the Group by various healthcare organisations.

The Group DOES NOT discuss individual patients’ medical issues, or make representations on behalf of an induvial.

The Next Steps

If you feel you have a contribution to make and wish to assist us, or for more information, please contact us.

roly.buss@btinternet.com or ray.hardisty@btinternet.com

Roly Buss MBE
Chair – Ambrose Avenue Group Practice PPG