Patient participation group

Our patient group aims and objectives – August 2023

Aims and objectives:

The aims and objectives of the Patient Participation Group are to:

• act as a critical friend to the Practice;
• advise the Practice on the patient perspective and provide insight into the responsiveness and quality of services;
• support research into the views of those who use the Practice;
• encourage patients to take greater responsibility for their own and their family’s health;
• assist the organisation of health promotion events and improving health literacy;
• ensure effective communication with the patient population; and
• enable patients to contribute, as appropriate, to the local health care services.

N.B. The meetings are not a forum for the discussion of individual complaints and individual issues and the Chair will not allow such matters to be considered.

Membership and responsibilities:

1. All patients of the UniCity Medical Centre (‘the Practice’) are invited to become members of the Patient Participation Group (‘the Group’) and to register the intention to attend its meetings.
2. The Welfare Officer of the University of Portsmouth Students Union (‘the Students Union’) is an ex officio member even if not a registered patient of the Practice.
3. One of the registered members of the Group shall be invited to serve as its Chair by agreement between the Partners and the Practice Manager subject to approval by members.
4. The role of the Chair is to ensure the effective operation of the Group including, inter alia, agreeing its schedule of meetings, fixing agendas in consultation with the Practice Manager, chairing Group meetings, liaising with the Welfare Officer of the Students Union, liaising with the Practice Manager to ensure that the Group has adequate support and providing such other input to the Practice as may be consistent with the role.
5. The Chair will serve for a period of office of three years from initial appointment, which may be renewed.
6. The Practice Manager is responsible for overall coordination of the Group and for ensuring that appropriate support and resources are available to ensure its effective operation.
7. The Partners, all other medical staff, the Practice Manager and all other practice staff are invited to attend all Group meetings and to contribute to proceedings in accordance with the Standard Agenda and at the discretion of the Chair.

Meetings

1. Scheduled meeting will take place at least three time per calendar year.
2. The dates of those meetings will be agreed by the Chair and the Practice Manager and those dates will be issued by e-mail to all registered members, posted on a notice in the Practice normally at least 28 days in advance of each meeting.
3. Meetings will be held at the Practice.
4. Additional meetings may be scheduled, as required, to discuss specific issues.
5. Such additional meetings will be agreed by the Chair and by the Practice Manager.
6. For all meetings, the agenda will be issued by e-mail to all registered members and be posted on a notice in the Practice normally least 14 days in advance of the meeting.

Standard Agenda

1 Apologies for absence

2 Consideration of matters arising from the previous meeting

3 Practice update

4 Issues raised in advance by members or others and approved by the Chair

5 Any other business

6 Date of the next meeting

The detailed agenda for each meeting will be prepared by adding additional information, as appropriate, under each of these headings.

Administrative support for and resourcing of the Group

1. The Practice Manager is responsible for ensuring that adequate administrative support is available to allow the effective operation of the Group, including, inter alia, maintaining the register of members, ensuring that notice is given of meetings and agendas, taking minutes of meetings and maintaining the Group’s section of the Practice website.
2. The Practice will bear the reasonable costs of the operation of the Group, including, inter alia, communications, printing, advertising and hospitality at meetings.

Minutes of our Patient Participation Group meetings

You can view the PPG meeting minutes below or in our News section.

17th April 2024 – PPG minutes

15th November 2023 – PPG minutes

9th August 2023 – PPG minutes