Longcroft PPG Terms of Reference

Name

The group shall be called the Longcroft Clinic Patient Participation Group.

Aims

To strengthen the relationship between the Practice and its patients and to assist the Practice in continuing to improve its provision of healthcare in any positive way it can whilst ensuring that patients are at the heart of decision making.

Objectives:

Be a Patient voice: promoting a patient led culture

  • Provide a choice of communication for patients to give feedback and comments about the Practice to the PPG
  • Develop community profiles and engagement, and collect community health data
  • To promote health education and awareness on topics of interest and value to the patients and to co-operate with medical activities where appropriate
  • Use information gathered from patients to discuss problems and potential improvements with the Practice
  • Support the CCG inspection process
  • Contribute to the Patient Newsletter
  • As appropriate represent the patient voice beyond the Practice
  • To promote after discussion with the Partners any other matter which is deemed to be in the interest of the patients and the practice

Promote better healthcare and treatment

  • Provide information to promote self-care and understanding of long term health conditions
  • Raise awareness of and access to other support agencies
  • Work with the Practice to improve the take-up of vaccination programmes
  • Encourage communication of public health messages

Challenge and Support: help the Practice to improve service delivery

  • Identify opportunities to improve the patient experience
  • Foster the treatment of patients within a safe, risk-free environment
  • Promote improvements by identifying developments and best practice through local, regional and national networks
  • Work with the Practice to help it address the challenge of change
  • Review patient targeted material

Develop PPG Influence through Good Practice

  • Affiliation to appropriate organisations to keep aware of local and national initiatives
  • Observance of Data Protection Act and PPG Confidentiality Agreement e.g. when handling patient or Practice material
  • Development of protocols to respond appropriately to patients, the Practice and outside bodies. Where no protocol exists, reference initially to the Chair, where activity may create a reputation risk to the PPG or the Practice
  • Periodic review of insurance cover, Roles and Responsibilities and PPG protocols
  • To review potential funding opportunities to further the objectives of the group

Membership

  • The group shall normally consist of no more than twelve (12) patients of the Practice over the age of 16, and this should aim to reflect a cross section of the patient body without discrimination. Ex-officio or affiliated members will be allowed at the discretion of the group, but will have no voting powers
  • The group will nominate a Chairperson and Secretary for ratification by the nominated practice partner.
  • Ideally members should have active involvement in the community, but will not formally represent other organisations
  • All members must sign a confidentiality agreement with the Practice
  • When a vacancy arises, appropriate advertising will take place and those involved in the selection process will then consider the most appropriate candidate taking into account evidence of how the individual will contribute to:
    • The balance of the group and representation of the patient body
    • Open, honest and constructive debate of patient issues
    • The Aims and Objectives of the PPG, and supporting fellow group members; acknowledging the commitment of time and energy required

Meetings

  • Meetings will usually take place quarterly on the second Wednesday of the month at 19.30, and will normally be held at Longcroft Clinic
  • Meetings will be attended by the Practice Manager and nominated Partners. At the end of each meeting any identified confidential term will be minuted separately
  • In addition to formal quarterly meetings, the group will hold Away Days on a range of issues to develop individual and collective competencies, capabilities and skills as required

Finance

  • The Practice makes a level of funding available to the PPG for each financial year. This will be monitored by the Practice Manager who will report to the group at each meeting
  • Any request to draw from the fund for PPG purposes must be made to the PPG Chair who will liaise with the Practice Manager as appropriate.

Terms of Reference

The terms of Reference will be reviewed on an annual basis.