The PPG is a group of local people who are all registered as patients of the Wychwood Surgery. As well as suggestion boxes and satisfaction surveys, a more direct method of communication is to have a PPG, and this has become the norm for most practices. There are no prescribed rules for PPGs, which are grass-roots organisations acting as a critical friend to their Practice. In turn the Practice engages with the PPG and if in agreement will act upon the Group’s suggestions for improvement.

Please note that the PPG is not a complaints forum and cannot take up single issues on your behalf. The Practice does have a complaints procedure which can be reviewed on the practice website www.wychwoodsurgery.co.uk or by writing to the Practice Manager, Zoe Grisenthwaite

Our Surgery’s PPG

The Wychwood Surgery’s PPG was launched in 2006. Meetings take place at the Practice and are usually joined by the Practice Manager and a GP. The aims of our PPG are set out below. The Minutes of the Group’s meetings are published on the PPG’s Notice Board in the Surgery’s Waiting Room.

1. Ensure patients have a voice in the organisation of their care.
2. Act as a forum with the Practice for the discussion of patients’ views and suggestions.
3. Contribute to Practice decision making and consult with the Practice on service development – with a view to continuous improvement of services and quality of care.
4. Provide feedback on patients’ needs, concerns and interests, which may include challenging the Practice constructively if necessary.
5. Ensure patient information and advice is clear and readily available.
6. Nurture improved communications between the Practice and patient, including assisting in the development of the Practice Newsletter, Patient Satisfaction Surveys such as the Friends & Family Test, website and other social media.
7. Represent Practice patients’ views on forums concerned with the local provision of healthcare services, and to liaise with other Patient Participation Groups within the area.
8. Assist the Practice in ensuring the reception areas are patient-friendly, and ensure patients understand the Practice facilities – booking appointments, waiting areas, toilets etc.
9. Advise the Practice on physical access to the surgery particularly by disabled patients.
10. Be available both to offer advice to the Practice in preparing for Care Quality Commission Inspections, and also to meet the CQC inspectors.
11. Help the Practice influence the provision of secondary health care and social care locally.
12. Advise on and support activities within the Practice which promote healthy lifestyle choices, including the provision of preventative medicine.

Members are co-opted. If possible the membership should reflect the range of the Practice’s population, including those who are hard to reach or with long-term conditions. The membership should also include people from the various villages served by the Practice.

Currently about six Practice patients meet every 3 months to discuss changes and innovations at the Surgery from the patients’ perspective. The group aims to keep all patients informed of what is happening at the surgery and give feedback to the GPs and Practice Manager. This provides an opportunity for Surgery personnel to discuss issues of concern to patients outside their busy day-to-day schedules.

You don’t need any specialist medical knowledge to join the PPG, and it won’t take up a huge amount of your time. We meet quarterly at the surgery, on a weekday evening, usually at 7pm.

We would particularly like to welcome new members who are under 30, or who have young children, but anyone is welcome to apply. If you are interested, please contact the PPG by emailing

wychwood.reception@nhs.net or by letter to PPG, via the Surgery.

The group would like to contact patients on occasion by email and/or text so that they can obtain the views of the widest group of patients possible. We would like to obtain your email address and mobile phone number to do this. Please complete the Patient Contact Form to provide your consent for this.