Patient Group

Our Patient Group (PG) meets to provide a forum for discussion about the practice.

Why you should consider becoming a member?

Being a member of the patient group at Potterells Medical Centre is time well spent.

Views from patients are given a voice, received positively and where possible, acted upon. Patient members are influencing change for the better in practices in the area and the NHS generally. 

Patients who are members have helped to improve appointment procedures and accessibility; have organised informative meetings relating to Carer needs, on diabetes and how to manage it better; set up Health Walks and that's just the start. Ideas and suggestions about improving hospital and community services are also discussed within meetings and locality-wide basis. 

All those comments you make to your family or whilst you wait in the practice on how things could be better are important to the group to act upon, so please tell us about them. This is your opportunity to have a positive impact on health service provision for you, it's worthwhile and rewarding, so please take it and join the patient group now and have your say!

Terms of Reference

1. Title of the Group

• The Group shall be called Potterells - Patient Group (PG)

2. Aims of the Group

The role of a Practice PG is to act as a communication channel between the Practice, its patients and the public in its locality. This role is pro-active and two-way and will include research and investigation of local issues, and good practice in the delivery of health and social care.

The aims of the Group are to enhance the relationships between patients and the Practice:

• 2.1 by acting as a “critical friend” to the Practice by researching and reporting on local issues and concerns in the delivery of health and social care.
• 2.2 by being a local champion for patients and promoting healthy lifestyle choices.

3. Membership of the Group

• 3.1 The Group shall consist of any registered patient who subscribes to Potterells Patient Group and membership shall be free of charge.
• 3.2 The Group’s activities will be organised by a Committee elected from the members. The Practice Lead Clinician (or deputy) and Practice Manager will be ex officio members of the Steering Committee.
• 3.3 The Committee will elect a number of officers including a Chairman and a Secretary.
• 3.4 Meetings of the Group; The Committee will meet on a regular basis and once a year to approve an annual report to be presented at a general meeting of the group and at other times as required by an agenda.
• 3.5 Patient Representatives
  • At the invitation of the practice, the Group may elect members as patient representatives on committees and panels of other NHS organisations including representatives on the N&E H Clinical Commissioning Group.
• 3.6 Conduct of Members - Patient / Doctor Confidentiality
  • Members of the PPG will respect patient/doctor confidentiality and act with integrity at all times. 
  • They will refer all compliments and complaints from individual patients and family/carers either directly to the Practice, or as appropriate to PALS or other official channels.

4. Organisation and Activities of the Group

The findings of PPG are confidential and will not given a wider audience until the practice has had time to consider them.PPGs have no executive function and should manage their activities so as to have limited call on Practice resources and finance.

• 4.1 PPG Web Forum
  • The group use the practice PPG website, which will be a forum for exchanging views and information thus avoiding the necessity of attending meetings. On the website strands will be developed covering each of the group’s areas of interest.
• 4.2 Communication and Consultation with the Practice and with Patients
  • The Group will seek to contribute to, and be kept informed of Practice decisions on the provision of medical services and assist in the assessment of community health and social care needs.
• 4.3 The Group will communicate with patients informing them of the work of the Practice and activities of the Group by issuing an Annual Report and between times through bulletins distributed by email and social media, at the surgery, on the Practice website and on the CCG website. The same channels will be used to seek and encourage patients to engage with the group by informing the group of their concerns and of their experiences and by joining the group in its activities.
• 4.4 Commissioning Clinical Services
  • The Group will be kept briefed on Practice issues relating to the commissioning of health and social care services, so as to be able to represent the Practice at meetings of the E&NH CCG. Patient representatives will feed back committee proceedings to the practice, usually in writing.

Revised April 2015.