Patient Participation Group

Patient Participation Groups in GP Surgeries:

What is a PPG?

A selection of patients and practice staff who meet at regular intervals to decide ways of making a positive contribution to the services and facilities offered by the practice to the patients.


What is its purpose?

  • To give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest in their practice
  • To provide the means for patients to make positive suggestions about the practice and their own healthcare
  • To encourage health education activities within the practice
  • To develop self-help projects to meet the needs of fellow patients
  • To act as a representative group that can be called upon to influence the local provision of health and social care
  • To involve further patients from the wide population

What does a PPG look like?

The group should have:

  • An elected chairman
  • An elected Secretary – responsible for the general admin
    (lt could be the minute taking is on a rota system)
  • An elected treasurer – responsible for taking care of funds and finances

Other members could be:

  • Publicity – responsible for newsletters and leaflets
  • Marketing – what opportunities there are for promotion in the practice
  • Fundraising – responsible for co-ordinating what the staff and patients feel is important for the practice

Remember: The group that shares together – succeeds.


What can a group do?

Any of the following and a whole lot more…

  • Carry out surveys into a whole variety of subjects
    (e.g. health needs/expectations & major cause of ill-health in a particular area, measuring patient satisfaction)
  • Explore the changing needs of patients
  • Gather ideas for improvements or modifications needed for the delivery of services
  • Bereavement support
  • Carers Group
  • Hospital Visiting
  • Shopping and support for housebound patients
  • Home visits for the isolated
  • Fundraising for new furniture, toys or decorating
  • Keeping the plants or gardens of the surgery maintained
  • General environmental improvements
  • Trips and days out for the elderly
  • Exercise classes
  • Walking for health group
  • Creating babysitting circles
  • Voluntary/ honorary grand parenting
  • Boot fairs
  • Organising a health fair
  • Offering handouts and support on special days
  • No smoking day
  • Flu Clinics
  • Individual patients as teachers and expert patients with LTC to the newly diagnosed
  • Producing a news letter for the practice
  • Ensuring patient information and advice is as friendly as possible
  • Training in  basic first aid for patients
  • Awareness around particular illnesses (e.g. Breast Cancer)
  • Awareness for particular cultural groups around issues that relate to them more specifically
  • ‘Any health questions?’ with the doctors event

Joining Our PPG

If you would like to join our group please contact the practice manager directly.