Patient Participation Group (PPG)

 

The SMG Patient Participation Group work voluntarily to provide a two-way communication between patients and staff and supports the practice in improving the service provided to patients. We aim to represent patient views and provide the means for patients to make positive constructive suggestions about the practice.

The PPG group consists of registered patients, Operations Manager and a GP. The group meet to suggest positive ideas and voice concerns usually every two months in the evening at one of our surgeries.

The aim of our PPG is to provide the following:

  • Provide an opportunity for patients to make positive and constructive suggestions/ideas about the practice
  • Work positively to help identify any problems and engage with the practice to seek solutions.
  • Liaise with the practice to provide practical support and to help patients take more responsibility for their own health.
  • Help the practice to deliver change.
  • Support the practice in its aim for excellence.

At the meeting of the PPG on the 6th Dec, among other administrative matters the following items, which may be of interest to Swan Group patients, were discussed:

  • As at previous meetings, telephone waiting times were shown by way of ‘heat maps.’ An improvement had been seen from some poor September figures in October and November. The PPG noted that while it is a natural thing for patients to want to ring ‘first thing on a Monday’ telephone waits later in the day and mid-week were small or even non-existent.
  • The training of telephone answering teams was discussed and the PPG were reassured to hear that training in the form of shadowing and mentoring took place. In addition, a successful trial of placing a member of the acute care team in the telephone hub to provide medical support had been very successful. The PPG was concerned to hear that some patient’s frustration is taken out on reception and telephone staff in an abusive manner. A process of warnings and deregistration exists.
  • A health promotion event on child resuscitation was agreed to be held in late March or early April 2024. Dates to be announced in the Swan newsletter.
  • It was agreed to update the PPG page on the Swan website with a list of PPG members and a more representative photograph.
  • Occasional confusion with the hospital referral process was raised by one PPG member. Swan staff drew attention to the Swan website page on hospital referrals (listed in the Winter newsletter). It was also explained that the four hospitals the SMG routinely deals with all have different process and change them from time to time making it difficult for staff and patients to stay up to date. However, the Swan website page on referrals is kept up to date as much as possible.

At the meeting of the PPG on the 7th Feb 2024, among other administrative matters the following items, which may be of interest to Swan Group patients, were discussed:

  • The Swan Group’s plans for dealing with increasing pressures on the 5 GP surgeries arising from increasing patient numbers, declining real terms funding and increasing patient demand. The plans include more paramedics, physios, pharmacists and physios together with a new telephone answering system with a ‘call back’ facility. The PPG agreed that, compared to many GP surgeries, the high scores of the Swan Medical Group in GP surveys were well deserved.
  • Further restrictions in the opening times of e-consult were announced. This was queried by the PPG but the increasing abuse of the system out of hours by some patients necessitated this change.
  • The next Health promotion event, focussing on child health and other associated subjects was discussed. It will be held on Saturday 27 April and full publicity to SMG patients will follow shortly.
  • A potential future event, focussing on a teach in on the use of digital health apps was discussed. Further events may be drawn from the increasing health needs shown in GP surveys.
  • Now that there are 5 surgeries in the Swan Medical Group, increasing the numbers of PPG members in proportion to patient numbers was agreed as a priority. More representatives from Liss and Liphook are the priority. Further details on the PPG page on the Swan website.

In our aim to educate patients and develop self-help the PPG arrange health and awareness events once or twice a year, and to date we have covered:

  • Men’s health
  • Women’s health
  • Dementia
  • Carers support
  • Child/baby health
  • Stroke awareness
  • Heart health
  • Diabetes
  • Asthma, Eczema and Hay fever

The PPG are keen to recruit new members from those surgeries in the Swan Medical Group that are underrepresented, or not represented at all. We have lots of members from Swan Petersfield and so are keen to see more Liss and Liphook area patients join the group.

Meetings are hybrid in nature so that members can attend in person or online.

If you are interested, please speak to your GP in the first instance. Or you can email us hiowicb-hsi.swanmedicalgroup@nhs.net

Current Swan Medical Group PPG members (2024):

Brian Bartholomew (Swan Petersfield)
Ruth Bonner (Swan Petersfield)
Linda Collett (Liphook Village)
David Ford (Swan Petersfield)
Jenny Hance (Liss Surgery)
Ella de Jongh (Swan Petersfield)
Jenny de Jongh (Swan Petersfield)
Julia Maughan (Liss Surgery)
Sonia Meredith (Liphook Village)
Mike Peters (Swan Petersfield)
David Snelson (Swan Petersfield) Chair
Ann Tremain (Liphook Village)
Andrea Venn (Swan Petersfield) Minutes secretary

Patient Reference Group

We also have a Patient Reference Group (PRG) who we contact from time to time, usually by email but we can also contact you via post if necessary.

If you would like to join our PRG please contact the surgery for more information or send us an email to: hiowicb-hsi.swanmedicalgroup@nhs.net

patient participation group