Bridgnorth Patient Group
At Bridgnorth Medical Practice we are delighted to have a patient group providing us with an insight to the views, thoughts and ideas of our patients.
Our Group is called Bridgnorth Patient Participation Group and was established during 2001. During this time the Group have supported the Practice in a variety of ways, including suggestions for service improvements, feedback from patients, discussions involving our new premises. As a Practice we have actively attended the meetings and provided information on the activities within the Practice and discussed how these may impact on the patient population.
Bridgnorth PPG currently meets every 6 weeks. The group used to meet monthly but, with agreement, it was decided to change this to accommodate the increasing volume of meeting attendance by various members of the group for Shropshire PCT wide activities which needed patient representation. The Group requests discussion topics to be covered by either Practice Manager or GP from the Practice. Members of the group have been involved as lay assessors in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) visits. When the Practice embarked on the journey for a new medical centre the patient group was actively involved. Other involvement includes: promotion of vaccination programme, PCT services and information clarification.
The group has tried hard to reach a wider audience but this is always a challenge – partly due to the nature of the practice population and also the increasing time required to participate and general work/personal pressures. We have been successful recently in having attendance at both the PPG and the sub-group meetings from the local school, with 3 members aged 17-18 attending. We hope this will continue and the Practice Manager is also visiting the school shortly to discuss general practice and hopes to encourage wider participation on behalf of the PPG. Our current age range on the main PPG is:
Aged under 18 2 (two PPG meetings)
Aged 25-49 3
Aged 50-64 4
Aged 65-74 3
Aged 75-84 3
To ensure that the patient population is aware of activities the minutes of the PPG meetings are published on the Practice website. The Practice Manager has a link with the local school.
The PPG would like to encourage a wider membership of the group but appreciate the difficulties of attending meetings. If you would like to be more involved but cannot attend meetings please do contact Mr Eddie Conner, Chair or Mrs Suzanne Lawler, Secretary of the PPG – there may be alternative ways for your views to be represented.
Members of the group have a range of experiences – either medical or general – and their knowledge and experience is very helpful and valuable to discuss and develop specific needs. Representatives of the group are also very keen to ensure their role represents the
views of the patient community and will support all patients with regard to concerns, comments or suggestions if requested.
Results of the patient surveys can be found on the Practice website and on the Department of Health Website. Results of the recent Bridgnorth Town Plan are also available from the Town Council. Results of all of these surveys have been used to help us in our most recent discussions to consider the suitability of telephone access in to the Practice Although we have identified that we need to make improvements to the current telephone access, the discussions have not yet taken place with regard to what type of improvements can be made, the feasibility of the options and the next steps. These discussions will continue with the sub-group set up specifically for this task (the group members are PPG representatives and practice staff).
If you would like further information on the patient group or the current work with regard to telephone access please contact Mr Eddie Conner (PPG Chair or Diane Marshall (Practice Manager). There is a PPG section on the Practice website – www.bridgnorthmedicalpractice.co.uk
You may contact Mr Eddie Conner, Mrs Suzanne Lawler or Diane Marshall in the following ways:
• Practice e-mail address – bridgnorth.medicalpractice@nhs.net
• Practice telephone – 01746 767121
• In person – call in to the Practice and leave a message with the Receptionist
At Bridgnorth Medical Practice we are delighted to have a patient group providing us with an insight to the views, thoughts and ideas of our patients.
Our Group is called Bridgnorth Patient Participation Group and was established during 2001. During this time the Group have supported the Practice in a variety of ways, including suggestions for service improvements, feedback from patients, discussions involving our new premises. As a Practice we have actively attended the meetings and provided information on the activities within the Practice and discussed how these may impact on the patient population.
Bridgnorth PPG currently meets every 6 weeks. The group used to meet monthly but, with agreement, it was decided to change this to accommodate the increasing volume of meeting attendance by various members of the group for Shropshire PCT wide activities which needed patient representation. The Group requests discussion topics to be covered by either Practice Manager or GP from the Practice. Members of the group have been involved as lay assessors in the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QoF) visits. When the Practice embarked on the journey for a new medical centre the patient group was actively involved. Other involvement includes: promotion of vaccination programme, PCT services and information clarification.
The group has tried hard to reach a wider audience but this is always a challenge – partly due to the nature of the practice population and also the increasing time required to participate and general work/personal pressures. We have been successful recently in having attendance at both the PPG and the sub-group meetings from the local school, with 3 members aged 17-18 attending. We hope this will continue and the Practice Manager is also visiting the school shortly to discuss general practice and hopes to encourage wider participation on behalf of the PPG. Our current age range on the main PPG is:
Aged under 18 2 (two PPG meetings)
Aged 25-49 3
Aged 50-64 4
Aged 65-74 3
Aged 75-84 3
To ensure that the patient population is aware of activities the minutes of the PPG meetings are published on the Practice website. The Practice Manager has a link with the local school.
The PPG would like to encourage a wider membership of the group but appreciate the difficulties of attending meetings. If you would like to be more involved but cannot attend meetings please do contact Mr Eddie Conner, Chair or Mrs Suzanne Lawler, Secretary of the PPG – there may be alternative ways for your views to be represented.
Members of the group have a range of experiences – either medical or general – and their knowledge and experience is very helpful and valuable to discuss and develop specific needs. Representatives of the group are also very keen to ensure their role represents the
views of the patient community and will support all patients with regard to concerns, comments or suggestions if requested.
Results of the patient surveys can be found on the Practice website and on the Department of Health Website. Results of the recent Bridgnorth Town Plan are also available from the Town Council. Results of all of these surveys have been used to help us in our most recent discussions to consider the suitability of telephone access in to the Practice Although we have identified that we need to make improvements to the current telephone access, the discussions have not yet taken place with regard to what type of improvements can be made, the feasibility of the options and the next steps. These discussions will continue with the sub-group set up specifically for this task (the group members are PPG representatives and practice staff).
If you would like further information on the patient group or the current work with regard to telephone access please contact Mr Eddie Conner (PPG Chair or Diane Marshall (Practice Manager). There is a PPG section on the Practice website – www.bridgnorthmedicalpractice.co.uk
You may contact Mr Eddie Conner, Mrs Suzanne Lawler or Diane Marshall in the following ways:
• Practice e-mail address – bridgnorth.medicalpractice@nhs.net
• Practice telephone – 01746 767121
• In person – call in to the Practice and leave a message with the Receptionist