Patients
Role of the College
One of the most important partnerships for the College and its
membership is with patients. The College established a Patients
Liaison Group (PLG) in 1983. It was the first College to set up a
PLG, although most other Royal Medical Colleges now have similar
groups. The College maintains its links with patients and their
concerns through this group, now named the Patient Partnership
Group (PPG), and thus ensures that the views of patients are taken
into account in the development of general practice.
The Group, which comprises general practitioners and lay
members, advises the College on a range of medical issues and has
produced several documents giving guidance.
The College in Scotland is similarly committed to working in
partnership with the public on decision-making, setting policy
objectives and developing patient care. In 1998 the College in
Scotland set up a Scottish Patient Liaison Group (SPLG), which has
recently been renamed ‘Patient Partnership in Practice' (P³). The
College is one of the front-runners in Scotland in taking forward
initiatives to develop and ensure the best possible doctor/patient
relationship, and therefore outcomes, in Scotland.
To find out more about P³ see our 'Working with Patients'
section and also the regularly updated
Chair's
Report which summarises recent P3 activities. Our
Frequently Asked Questions section also contains useful information
on how to register with a GP and so on. Please see our new website
resource designed to help you get the most from your Patient
Participation Group called "PG Tips". Similarly, we
have a section on useful links for patients in Scotland.