1. Membership
1.1. The Patient Participation Group is open to all patients, registered at the practice.
1.2. There is no limit to the size of the group, nor is there a maximum term that members can serve.
1.3. Other members of staff of the practice and third parties may also be invited to attend.
1.4. New members can join at any time by contacting the chair of the PPG.
1.5. There is no interview process required to join the group.
1.6. The PPG will endeavour to make sure that members reflect the diversity of the practice population.
1.7. The patients that sign up to be part of the PPG must be committed to representing all patients of the practice and not their individual needs.
1.8. Membership will be automatically terminated in the event of that member ceasing to be a patient of the practice.
2. Governance and Accountability
2.1. The group will agree and elect a:
2.1.1. Chair
2.1.2. Secretary.
2.2. These officers will be re-elected every year at the annual meeting.
2.3. At meetings three members including an officer will constitute a quorum.
2.4. The group will only discuss issues and information that is normally in the public domain and will not discuss any issue that may be regarded as confidential.
3. Membership Aims and Commitments
3.1. Represent the patients of Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice and act as an advisory group providing perspectives and concerns from patients that can influence how services operate, how accessible they are and how suitable they are for the patients.
3.2. Promote co-operation between the practice and the patients to the benefit of both.
3.3. Discuss topics of mutual interest, that will benefit patients.
3.4. Advise the practice on how to improve communications with patients in the most beneficial way.
3.5. Act as a ‘critical friend’ by providing the patients’ perspective, ensuring the service, plans and activities of the practice respond to patient’s needs and priorities.
3.6. Provide peer support to other patients.
3.7. Encourage health education, promote health lifestyle choices, self-care activities and understanding of long-term conditions within the practice population.
3.8. Provide volunteers to help with specific practice activities.
3.9. Act as a representative group that can be called upon to influence the local provision of Health and Social Care.
3.10. Review the results of patient surveys and suggest changes where appropriate.
4. Meetings and Feedback
4.1. The PPG will hold an Annual General Meeting
4.2. The PPG will meet every quarter and the dates and times of these meetings will be set in advance and advertised as widely as possible to the practice population, at times to best suit the needs of the members.
4.3. Proper notice will be given of all meetings by publishing the agenda at least 7 calendar days in advance of the meeting.
4.4. Minutes of the meeting will be sent to all members of the PPG within 2 weeks of the meeting.
4.5. Minutes and notices will be shown on the Practice website, to ensure maximum patient contact, so that all patients are kept informed.
4.6. Practice members are not eligible to vote.
4.7. All votes will be carried by a simple majority, with the exception of section 10.1 below.
5. Meeting Rules
5.1. All members are equally important & all views & opinions will be both heard & respected.
5.2. Members of the group will have open, honest communications and courteous exchanges with each other.
5.3. Discussions should be constructive and objective.
5.4. Membership of the group does not confer any priority claims on the practice nor any right to preferential treatment.
5.5. The PPG is neither a forum for individual complaints nor individual’s medical issues.
5.6. The group will demonstrate a commitment to deliver results as a group.
5.7. Members understand that silence indicates agreement.
5.8. Members will ensure that there are no phone or other disruptions during meetings.
5.9. Members will understand that items raised at a meeting without notice, may need to be deferred to allow time for a response to be prepared.
6. Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice Aims and Commitment
6.1. Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice representatives will commit to attending the PPG Meetings: The Practice Manager will endeavour to attend all meetings and a GP will attend where practical, to present news of developments within the practice and to respond to issues raised by the PPG.
6.2. Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice will take forward issues and recommendations from the PPG and supply the responses of actions taken as a result.
6.3. Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice will keep the PPG informed of service developments.
6.4. Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice will provide accommodation and facilitation to the PPG.
7. Conflict of Interest
7.1. Members must declare any interest that may conflict with their role in the group. If any member is unclear about conflicting interest, they should declare it and seek further guidance.
8. Representation
8.1. Members of the group must not claim to represent Dr Adey and Dr Dancy’s Practice to the public or the media.
9. Dissolution
9.1. If on winding up or dissolution of the PPG there remains, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall be transferred to the benefit of the patients of the practice.
10.Alteration to these Terms of Reference
10.1. These terms of reference must be reviewed annually and may be altered by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting at the Annual Meeting or a Special Meeting, of which proper notice will have been given to all PPG members.
Adopted 2nd March 2023