SADDLEWORTH MEDICAL Practice Patient Participation Group is going from strength to strength as it celebrates its tenth birthday.
Over the last decade, the group has honoured its mission statement ‘to represent the views of patients and to ensure the health service is delivered to meet their needs’.
And it is encouraging patients to get in touch with suggestions for improvements as it looks to develop further over the coming years.
Royce Franklin, Chair of the Group, said: “Anyone who has suggestions of how the service provided can be improved can contact me by either phone or email.
“All suggestions will be considered at a group meeting when they will be discussed with the Practice.”
The group comprises ten patients who meet about six times per year and work on their action plan to reflect what are seen by the Practice and Group as priorities to improve services.
This year there is a concentration on the responsibilities individuals have for their own care, acknowledging people are living longer and may have increasingly long-term medical conditions.
Every year the group has affiliated to the National Association for Patients Participation, an umbrella body which offers guidance for PPGs about working with Practices.
Members of the Association’s governing body have recently visited the House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Group on Primary and Public Health to seek evidence for a Five Year Forward View for the Health Service.
At the Parliamentary Group the Chief Executive and President of NAPP presented findings from a recent survey of 2,300 patients.
96 per cent said they are the person most responsible for sustaining and improving their health while 95 per cent regard the use of plain English as the most important factor in making information clear and 88 per cent identified GPs as a key source of trusted advice.
The President of the Association Dr Wilkie said: “I am pleased we were able to give the Inquiry a patients’ perspective on some of the proposals in the Five Year Forward View.
“It is critical the NHS. and local government involve patients and the public in discussions, negotiations and decisions in relation to health and social care.”
To put forward suggestions or find out more about the Saddleworth Medical Practice Patient Participation Group, please contact Royce Franklin: call 01457 873248 or email: royce.franklin1@btinternet.com
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