“To work with their practice to provide practical support, to help patients take more responsibility for their own health and to provide strategic input and advice. PPGs are based on cooperation between the practice staff and patients”.

• To give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest in their own practice.
• A forum for patients and staff to improve and develop services within the practice by co-production.
• To provide an opportunity for patients to make positive and constructive suggestions/ideas about the practice and specific medical conditions as an ‘expert’ or ‘experienced patient’.
• To encourage health education activities within the practice.
• To involve further patients from the wider population.
• To involve patient participation in the future commissioning of Health Provision.

• To give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest in their own practice.
• A forum for patients and staff to improve and develop services within the practice by co-production.
• To provide an opportunity for patients to make positive and constructive suggestions/ideas about the practice and specific medical conditions as an ‘expert’ or ‘experienced patient’.
• To encourage health education activities within the practice.
• To involve further patients from the wider population.
• To involve patient participation in the future commissioning of Health Provision.

• GPs and their staff will be able to plan services jointly with patients in order to increase their effectiveness.
• They will be able to get help from patients in meeting targets and objectives.
• They will have a forum to voice concerns, ideas and suggestions to patients.
• They will get closer to the community for whom they care.

A common criticism of many PPGs is that they are not representative of the practice population. It is always going to be difficult to get a group that exactly reflects the demographics of our practice, and volunteer roles tend to attract those that have a certain level of confidence and free time and have flexibility about working and earning money. However, a PPG is there to make sure that the patient voice is listened to and not necessarily always to be the voice itself. Therefore if you wish to volunteer please contact the Practice Manager or complete one of the forms in reception. We hope to include patients all our catchment area including Paddington, Bayswater, Maida Hill and Notting Hill.

These are important as a point of reference we agreed that:

• All members are equally important and all views and opinions will be both heard and respected.
• Racism, abusive, hateful, harassing, sexually orientated, threatening, invasive of a person’s privacy and discrimination posts will not be tolerated.
• The Group is neither a forum for individual complaints nor individual’s medical issues.
• We advocate open and honest communication and discussions between individuals.
• We will demonstrate a commitment to delivering results, as a Group.
• Confidential matters and discussions are not to be shared outside

• Active volunteers – people with time and commitments to action decisions
• Interested professionals – the doctors and administrative staff who work within and know the system and can be co-opted onto the group as required
• Key supporters – people with influence within your locality, e.g. local councillors, community workers or business people who help raise the profile of the group, and improve the chances of your group finding financial or other forms of support