NHS Guidlines:
An effective PPG is patient-led and self-organising. Practice staff should not lead the PPG; their role is to help and support the PPG, and to work in partnership with the group.
There is long-standing evidence and recognition of the success of the PPG model as one that empowers patients, supports practices and leads to high-quality responsive services. Effective PPGs and excellent practices align.
In 2015/16, the GMS contract specified that all GP practices in England should have a PPG. The current Network Contract Direct Enhanced Service requires a practice to establish and maintain a group, comprising some of its registered patients for the purposes of obtaining the views of patients about practice services. Practices must make reasonable efforts during each financial year to review the membership of its Patient Participation Group in order to ensure that the Group is representative of its registered patients.
Practices need to engage with its Patient Participation Group at regular intervals throughout the year, with a view to obtaining feedback from registered patients, in an appropriate and accessible manner which is designed to encourage patient participation, about the services delivered by the practice. Reasonable efforts should be made to implement suggested improvements to the services delivered by the practices as agreed between them and their Patient Participation Group.
Practices need to ensure that people who use services have the chance to put forward ideas that managers have not thought of. This will help ensure that services remain person-centred and meet the needs of a local population.