Patient-Practice Group (PPG)
Want to help shape your surgery?
Our PPG is still the same Patient Participation Group in principle, but we now refer to it as the Patient Practice Group because we feel that better reflects what we want it to be — patients and the practice working together, sharing ideas and helping to shape services, communication and the overall patient experience at Barrington Medical Centre.
The group has now been meeting for almost a year and has already been involved in looking at areas such as access, the practice website, patient information and how we communicate with patients. We want it to be practical, useful and genuinely collaborative rather than something that simply exists on paper.
We would really like to broaden the group and hear from a wider range of patients. A large proportion of our practice population is aged under 65, so we would particularly welcome some younger members, working-age patients and parents who may have different experiences of using the practice and different ideas about what could work better.
Our current members include Pat, Sue, Shirley, Rob and Diane, and we would love to welcome some new faces.
What we’re working on
The group has now been meeting for almost a year and has started to get involved in a number of practical areas where patients can genuinely help us improve.
One of the main pieces of work so far has been reviewing the practice website. Members have looked at how easy information is to find, whether the wording is clear and where things could be improved from a patient’s point of view. This work is ongoing and the website will continue to be reviewed and updated.
The group has also helped us think about how we communicate with patients, how we explain services and how we can make information more useful and accessible.
As the group develops, we want to continue focusing on practical, achievable improvements and making sure there is a real two-way conversation between patients and the practice.
What is a PPG?
A PPG is a group of volunteer patients who meet with practice staff to discuss ideas, share feedback and help improve the way services work for patients.
At Barrington Medical Centre we refer to this as our Patient Practice Group, as we feel this better reflects the idea of patients and the practice working together.
What does our PPG do?
Our PPG is here to give patients a voice in how the practice develops and to help us look at services from a patient point of view.
Over the last year the group has been involved in areas such as the practice website, patient information, access and communication. The focus is on practical, achievable improvements where patient feedback can genuinely make a difference.
Why join?
You do not need any special experience or medical knowledge. We are looking for patients who are willing to share their views, offer ideas and help us think about what works well and what could work better.
We would particularly like to hear from younger and working-age patients, parents and carers so that the group reflects the wider practice population as well as possible.
Meetings usually last around an hour and the agenda is sent out in advance.
Can I get involved?
Yes please!
You can attend meetings in person or join remotely via Teams. If you would like to be involved but cannot attend meetings, we can also share minutes and updates with you.
If you would like to join the group or find out more, please email admin2.barringtonmc@nhs.net.
We would love to welcome some new faces.
A quick note
The PPG looks at the bigger picture and how we can improve services for everyone. It is not a forum for individual complaints or personal medical issues, which should continue to be raised with the practice in the usual way.