Patient Participation Group (PPG)

A Patient Participation Group is a group of volunteer patients and healthcare staff who collaborate to improve the services and facilities of a local GP practice. 

Importance of a Patient Participation Group

• Improved Services: PPGs offer a patient perspective, providing valuable feedback and insight into the quality and responsiveness of services, which helps the practice to plan and improve care that meets the community’s needs.
• Enhanced Communication: They foster better communication between the practice and its patients, ensuring patients are well-informed about services and changes within the local healthcare system.
• Patient Empowerment: PPGs encourage patients to take a greater responsibility for their own health and well-being through health promotion events and improved health literacy initiatives.
• “Critical Friend” Role: Members act as a “critical friend” to the practice, offering constructive feedback and support to help the practice work as well as it can for everyone.
• Community Representation: They help ensure the practice is aware of and can respond to the broader health and social care issues within the local community by representing a wide range of patient views. 

You can usually find information on joining your local group on your GP practice’s website.