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Patient Participation Group

As many of you will know we have had a patient group at the surgery since 2011.The Patient Participation Group (PPG) will be deemed to consist of all patients (11,700 approx) but a small committee will meet to discuss suggestions/proposals etc. The PPG will run independently but Vine House will have a representative at the meetings. 

If you wish to become more involved in the PPG please sign up below and you will be kept in contact via email with regards to issues and meetings. If you wish to participate please contact the Practice or complete the online form by clicking on the button shown below.

OR: if you prefer, you can download the sign-up form below, print it out, fill it in, and post it to the Practice, put it through the letterbox, or hand it to a Care Co-Ordinator (s).

Download the pdf version of our sign up form

We aim to acknowledge your request within a few days.

Please note that the PPG cannot become involved in matters of a specifically medical or clinical nature.

PPG Terms of Reference
  1. Title of the PPG

The Group shall be called THE PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG) of the VINE HOUSE HEALTH CENTRE, ABBOTS LANGLEY and shall initially be affiliated to the National Association for Patient Participation.

  1. Aim of the PPG

The aim is to promote co-operation between the practice and patients to the benefit of both.

  1. Membership of the PPG

Membership of the PPG shall be open and free to all registered patients and staff of the practice, but must include at least one representative of the medical staff and at least one member of the practice administrative staff, in addition to the two elected officers, the Chair and the Secretary.

  1. Activities of the PPG

4.1 The PPG will be kept informed of the practice policies relating to Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group. It may express opinions on these policies on behalf of the patients.

4.2 The PPG will consult with the Practice on service development and provision and assist in the assessment of community medical needs, including Patient Surveys.

4.3 The PPG will contribute to, and be kept informed of, Practice decisions.

4.4 The PPG will advise the Practice on the education needs of the community by encouraging and supporting activities within the Practice to promote preventive medicine and healthy lifestyle choices, and the appropriate use of healthcare services and resources.

4.5 The PPG will contribute to the Grapevine Newsletter informing patients of the activities of the PPG. The Newsletter will be distributed by email, and will be made available in the surgery and on the Vine House Health Centre website.

4.6 The PPG will seek to ensure that patient information and advice are readily available and clearly presented.

4.7 The PPG will represent patients at PPG Network meetings with HVCCG and co-operate with the Care Quality Commission in seeking to influence local provision of health and social care.

  1. Meetings of the PPG

5.1 The PPG will endeavour to meet no fewer than four times a year. The term of office of the two elected posts of Chair and Secretary will be two years, and elections will be held at the first meeting of the relevant year, commencing in 2019.

5.2 5.2 Notices of meetings, reports on meetings and information about the PPG’s activities will be displayed on PPG notice boards, in surgery waiting rooms and on the Health Centre’s web page, and members will be notified by email alerts, and through the post when necessary.

  1. Administrative support

6.1 Administrative assistance for the PPG will be provided by staff at the Practice.

The National Association of Patient Participation

This association aims to promote the role and benefits of PPGs to patients, the public and health professionals, to create more understanding of the value of true patient participation also to promote the support available from N.A.P.P. Find out more about them click here.

The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly.