Patient Engagement Patient Partnership Group (PPG)
The RCGP recognises that the patient viewpoint is important in the development of general practice. The aim of the Patient Partnership Group (PPG) is to be an active College group promoting partnership between patients and general practitioners in primary health care and highlighting patient concerns and needs.
The work of the College’s Patient Partnership Group
The group’s main role for the College is that of ‘critical friend’. It provides a patient and carers perspective at a wide range of College meetings and encourages and supports the College in involving patients in their own care. The Group’s Terms of Reference are here: PPG Terms of Reference 2009
The RCGP Patient Partnership Groups does not provide advice on how to set up a Patient Partnership Group in your local practice. However, if you want advice on how to do this the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP) can help NAPP website
Membership
The PPG is composed of 8 lay members and 5 GP members.
The lay members are appointed following advertisement of vacancies and interviews. Members are appointed from various backgrounds and experience. Here is the role description and a list of current members [TBC].
The Honorary Secretary seeks nominations for GP members through Faculties and Council networks. At least one GP member is usually a member of Council.
Patient Information
The College has developed the following resources for patients:
Patient Partnership
The patient is at the heart of all College activity. At the hub of healthcare and embedded in the community, general practice can mean so much to so many people, therefore, listening to the patient voice is an imperative.
The voice
The Patient Partnership Group (PPG) represents the patient voice for the College as a whole. Each of the three devolved countries also has its own group that endeavour to support and represent the patient.
Patients in Practice (PiP) operate in Northern Ireland, Patient Partnership in Practice (P3) in Scotland and Patient Partnership in Practice (PPiP) in Wales. Sharing similar aims, values and goals, all the groups work in accordance with overarching College strategies.
P3
The aims of P3 are to:
- Develop ideas and leading activities that encourage GPs to work in partnership most effectively with patients and public.
- Influence activity in Scotland that impacts on the quality of patient care.
- Work together as a team to ensure that the activities of the College respond to patient needs.
Focusing on specific outputs, strategic recommendations, championing the use of patient groups in General Practice and responding to consultations. The group has recently undertaken a plethora of project-based work such as developing resources or GPs to support and identify Carers and to support patients who have suffered rape or sexual abuse.
P3 Carers Resource page provides useful links to further information.
PPiP
The RCGP Wales Patient Partnership in Practice group provides advice and guidance on a range of medical issues in line with its following stated aims:
- Identify and develop ideas together and lead activities which encourage GPs to work in partnership most effectively with patients and the public
- Influence and respond to activity in Wales that impacts of the quality of patient care
- Work together as a team to ensure that activities of College respond to patient needs
- Foster and support links with other RCGP Patient Partnership Groups.
The development of the PPiP work plan is linked to the Strategic aims of RCGP Wales and aims to increase patient involvement by working with other patient groups within RCGP, promoting and supporting the establishment of patient groups within GP practices and scoping work around developing links between practices working with the homeless and vulnerable adults.
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