PPG Terms of reference

The Group is called the “Lakeside Surgeries Patient Participation Group  and includes patients from Lakeside, Brigstock and Forest Gate Surgeries. It is open to all adults and mature students registered at these practices.

Objectives

To promote improved communication and co-operation between patients and staff. To work with the Lakeside practice and to provide practical support To help patients be aware of, and take more responsibility for their own health via appropriate agencies. To identify and share best practice with neighbouring PPG’s To provide strategic input and advice to the practice on proposals for change.

Terms of reference

To provide a patient view on services provided by the practice by

• giving feedback and suggestions on matters affecting patients, e.g. appointment system, telephone communication, hours, and other service issues
• developing with the practice a means by which feedback from the patient body can be obtained, e.g. by targeted surveys
• discussing with the practice survey findings, and reaching agreement with the practice on priorities and action plans
• publishing actions taken and the benefits realised.
• (using electronic means of communication where appropriate- (noting that not all patients have access to or use these)

By means of Health Education programmes, materials and means of communication to inform and encourage patients to take more responsibility for their health.

To assist the practice in assessing community needs so that appropriate and effective services can be provided.

The Clinical Commissioning Group will achieve “meaningful engagement with patients, carers and their communities”. It will create mechanisms for gaining a range of views, then acting on these. The PPG will take part as appropriate once the relevant structures have been established in order to enable and encourage proactive participation and promotion of shared decision-making with patients about their care.

The PPG will not deal with or discuss individual complaints, staff employment matters, disciplinary and internal management and financial matters and procedures, other than those in the public domain.

The Practice will provide accommodation, secretarial and administrative support and resources to enable the Group to meet its objectives.

The Lakeside PPG will aim to join the UK Umbrella body for PPGs, the National Association for Patient Participation.

Constitution and procedures

The Committee will consist of 12 members nominated by the Practice or PPG and members of the medical/management team who will be ‘ex officio’. The Secretary, provided by the Practice, will also be ex officio.

Election and retirement of Committee Members: Any patient may nominate themselves for election to the Committee as and when vacancies occur. Any member not attending three consecutive meetings will be deemed to have retired from the Committee.

The Group will normally meet six-weekly, or at frequencies to be decided in the light of changed circumstances. An Annual General Meeting will be held in November each year, at which the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson will be elected from nominations made in advance or at the meeting. Nominations must be seconded in the normal way, and must carry the permission of the person nominated. Voting will be by secret ballot and the numerical result will be announced at the meeting. If the meeting is not quorate then a postal vote will be implemented with a reasonable time frame to reply. The numerical result will be announced at the subsequent meeting. (iv) The quorum for a valid meeting shall be 7 voting members.

Minutes will be taken and resolutions recorded and circulated and resolutions recorded and kept on record by the Secretary.

Alterations to the Objectives, Terms of Reference and Constitution must be proposed in writing to the Secretary not less than 14 days before the meeting at which they are first to be considered and advertised, together with date, minutes, etc.

Meetings, Any Other Business etc: Agendas will include “Matters Arising and Actions” from previous meetings/minutes, and not AOB. Urgent matters can be raised at the discretion of the Chairman. The Practice will provide a ‘Practice Report’ at each meeting.

Members will respect the confidentiality of any information provided that is not in the public domain.

If the Committee decide at any time that on any grounds it is necessary to dissolve the Group, it shall call a special meeting. A vote will be taken on a simple majority basis.