Patient Participation Group

Non-urgent advice: Who Are We?

A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients, carers and GP practice staff who meet to discuss practice issues and patient experience to help improve the service

We meet on a regular basis to discuss changes and innovations at the Practice from the patient’s perspective. We aim to keep all patients informed of what’s happening at the Practice and give feedback to the Practice team.

It is important to stress that this is not a forum for personal complaints nor the discussion of individual medical problems, St Andrew's already provides procedures for these.

Reviewed:  20/03/2024

Non-urgent advice: Want to Join Us?

St Andrew's Patient Participation Group (PPG) is looking for new members.

You don’t need any specialist medical knowledge to join the PPG, and it won’t take up a huge amount of your time. We usually meet on a quarterly basis on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening from 6 PM for an hour to an hour and a half.

We appreciate that many patients have busy lives and may not wish to attend regular meetings, but we would be interested in communicating via email on a quarterly basis as part of a ‘Virtual’ Patient Participation Group. 

The next meeting is on 22 July 2025 at 5pm at Sensier House and will last about an hour.

Reviewed:  24/06/2025

Non-urgent advice: Minutes of Previous Meetings

Minutes of the PPG meetings will be published here.

Minutes for 13 May 2025

 

 

Role of The PPG

The aim of the PPG depends entirely on local needs, but they all have the aim of making sure that their practice puts the patient and improving health at the heart of everything it does.

  • It is important for the PPG to have an inclusive and diverse membership to ensure that the PPG represents as many types of patient voices as possible
  • PPG members can act as ambassadors within the community and this can help with recruitment of new members
  • By being as outward facing as possible, the PPG can learn about innovations which are happening in the local community and bring these back to the practice
  • PPG members can help to promote health initiatives being introduced within the practice
  • PPGs can work alongside the practice and local health commissioners to ensure that the right services are available to the local population
  • PPGs can give patients and practice staff the opportunity to meet and discuss topics of mutual interest
  • PPGs can provide a means for patients to become more involved and make suggestions about the healthcare services they receive
  • PPGs can explore issues from patient complaints and patient surveys, contribute to actions plans and help monitor improvements
  • PPGs can contribute feedback to the practice on National Patient Survey results and Friends and Family Test feedback to propose developments or change
  • PPGs can support the practice in promoting health awareness and patient education.

Reviewed:  20/03/2024

Page last reviewed: 16 July 2025
Page created: 21 June 2022