About the group
Our Patient Partners Group is a group seeking to give patients of The College Practice an opportunity to become actively involved with the practice team to support and enhance the service provided.
Through this Collaborative Practice experience, the more recent ‘Patient Partner’ model has been born. This provides opportunity for continuing engagement with both an initial group of collaboration volunteers, members of the PPG and also introducing new Patient Partners. This network invites input and discussion and looks at constructive suggestions and ways of improving services, improving patient experience and sharing any concerns that affect the wider practice population, for example equity of access. Our staff team are also active in engaging with patients, and, where they see opportunity, invite patients to consider becoming Patient Partners.
Maritime Health Partnership values patient voice in the development of services and as such are looking to evolve a greater Patient Partner approach. We are looking to develop strong links with patients that may be ‘experts by experience’, whether health condition related, or other life skills, knowledge or other asset gained through their work, education or other community role championed.
Our ‘Patient Partners’ are local people, with experience of the Practice (either as registered patients or carers) who are willing to give up time to work alongside the Practice team and represent the views of patients, their families and the general public on a volunteer basis.
Patient Partners have the opportunity to input into Meetings held with senior management and offer input from a patient perspective on areas of access to appointments, service development and transformation projects applicable to their individual area of expertise, providing much welcome patient perspective in the design, planning, delivery model and performance of services and issues related to patient experience and feedback.
What do Patient Partners do?
We are looking to build up a wide range of activities with Patient Partners ranging from regular commitments, such as seeking patient views, encouraging use of surgery health pods, meeting with members of the team, improving communications with patients, giving input on new developments and commenting on patient experience, the website, social media presence, information leaflets and newsletters etc.
How much time do Patient Partners need to commit?
A regular commitment of two or more half-day sessions per month would be hugely welcomed by the team for Patient Partners though more opportunities may be available. Any out-of-pocket expenses will be refunded (for example mileage/parking incurred while carrying out the Patient Partner role)
What aims does the Patient Partners group have?
The Patient partners aims to contribute to quality improvement by encouraging co-operation and consultation. It is not a complaints processing service but do welcome constructive criticism and ideas. In summary:
- Looking after the practice by providing feedback to, and interchanging views with, the clinical and non-clinical staff attached to the surgery. Patients are invited to put questions and ideas to the patient partners; staff consult patients about proposals for change and obtain opinions.
- Looking after the communityby drawing attention to strengths and weakness in the provision of health care by the surgery and informing patients.
- Looking after ourselves by supporting talks on health matters of interest to all sections of the community. Since 2007, annual Health Information Evenings covered Women’s Health, Diabetes, Look after your Heart, Stop Smoking, Early signs of Dementia and Men’s Health.
COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE – Patient Partner Approach
- Schedule of Initiatives
- Patient Feedback and GP Patient Survey Results
- Activity Plan including Patient Led Events and Wellbeing Walks
- Improving Communication and Information Releases – AI Newsbytes and You-Tube Videos for Practice Website
Have you some time you could give?
Why not consider volunteering? You may have good ideas on how to improve health facilities in the practice. Join us now. You may have much to gain and/or contribute.
PATIENTS’ VOICE – at the surgery, if you are ever asked to comment in a questionnaire please do so, in order that others may benefit from your experience. If you wish to make comments or suggestions at any time, please talk to a member of staff or use the ‘Comments Box’ in the waiting room.
Individual complaints should be taken up directly with the surgery not through PPG.
Who attends the meeting?
The Patients Partners Group consists of:
- Patients registered with the College Practice
- Clinical and Non-Clinical Staff of the practice
Becoming one of our Patient Partners
If you are interested in becoming a member of this patient-led group or are happy for us to contact you occasionally by email, then please email your details for the attebtion of the Group Operations Manager.
We will not share your contact details with anyone else, and we won’t contact you unnecessarily.
Contacting the Patient Partners
If you would like to become a Patient Partner then please email us on [email protected] (checked weekly).
The National Association of Patient Participation
This association aims to promote the role and benefits of PPGs to patients, the public and health professionals, to create more understanding of the value of true patient participation also to promote the support available from N.A.P.P. Find out more about them click here.
The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly.