More people urged to have their say in patient groups

PPGs are made up of a group of volunteer patients, carers and GP practice staff who meet regularly to discuss and support the running of their surgery. PPGs look at what the practice provides, patient experiences and how improvements can be made for the benefit of service users.

An update on the implementation and development of PPGs in Wolverhampton was recently presented to the city’s health scrutiny panel by Paul Tulley, managing director of the Black Country Integrated Care Board.

He said: “Since April 2016, it has been a contractual requirement for all English practices to form a PPG. A review showed that out of the 37 practices across Wolverhampton, 30 have an active PPG that has held at least one meeting in the last six months. The other seven practices either have or are developing plans to re-establish their PPG meetings following disruptions caused by Covid.”

Councillor Paul Singh, vice-chair of the panel, said: “I strongly believe that community involvement is pivotal in healthcare decision-making. PPGs provide a platform for individuals to be heard, share their perspectives, and contribute to improving primary care services. These forums are under-utilised, and this is something I would like to see improved as they allow for a direct line of communication.

“It’s reassuring that all surgeries will have a PPG, but at the moment – from the report – a fifth, or 20 per cent of surgeries are not fulfilling their contractual obligations. They may have a PPG but they may only be meeting once every six months, so what penalties can be applied to those surgeries for non-compliance?

“I would say that a PPG should at least meet quarterly, because if it’s every six months, I do think there will be a lot of issues that will be missed or not addressed in a timely fashion. What should we do to make sure they are holding regular meetings?” he added.

Cllr Milkinder Jaspal said: “I don’t think patients should be penalised for not joining a PPG. It sounds like you want to flog them or shoot them. GP practices do set up these forums but patients may not want to join them. The GPs have put it on the table and it’s there for the patients to join if they wish. You can’t force anyone to join a group.

“Just as an example, I was reading a very good report about a consultation that was sent out to 60 councillors and only six responded. If we were applying your principal regarding all those remaining councillors, do we flog them and shoot them in the square?”

Cllr Singh replied: “Just to clarify, I think Cllr Jaspal has completely misunderstood what my point was. And to use terms like shooting and flogging, I don’t think is appropriate for the panel. If you disagree, that’s absolutely fine. At no point has anyone been asked or forced to join a group – it’s completely voluntary. We are just exploring where we are at the moment with the PPGs.

“To join a PPG, check with your local GP practice, community health centres, or online platforms for information on existing PPGs and their activities. Reach out to the designated chair of the PPG or contact the GP practice associated with the group. They will provide you with the necessary information and guide you on the joining process. It’s as simple as that.”