Lowther Medical Centre

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About our PPG

We are pleased to say that we currently have 6 members who are members of the group and are regular attendees at the meetings. Meetings are held every 6 weeks.

Your Patient Participation Group members are:

  • David Holburt (Chair)
  • Mike Duns
  • Vicki Duns
  • Kath Duiguid
  • Andi Rutherford
  • Willie Marston

The aims of the Patient Participation Group

“To work with their practice to provide practical support, to help patients take more responsibility for their own health and to provide strategic input and advice. PPGs are based on cooperation between the practice staff and patients”.

Purpose of a PPG

  • To give practice staff and patients the opportunity to discuss topics of mutual interest in their own practice.
  • A forum for patients and staff to improve and develop services within the practice by co-production.
  • To provide an opportunity for patients to make positive and constructive suggestions/ideas about the practice and specific medical conditions as an ‘expert’ or ‘experienced patient’.
  • To encourage health education activities within the practice.
  • To involve further patients from the wider population.
  • To involve patient participation in future Commissioning of Health Provision.

Benefits for the patient:

  • Patients will be more responsible for their own health.
  • Patients will have a better understanding and knowledge of the practice and its staff.

This allows up to date information to be given to patients and will inform what decisions can be influenced and what cannot. It will also allow the practice staff to gain an understanding from the patient’s perspective. The meetings are always held with a staff member of Lowther Medical Centre present, in most cases this is the Practice Manager, Vivien King. This ensures that two way communications are achieved.

Patients will benefit from improved communications between patients and staff.

Benefits for the practice:

  • GPs and their staff will be able to plan services jointly with patients in order to increase their effectiveness.
  • They will be able to get help from patients in meeting targets and objectives.
  • They will get closer to the community for whom they care.

Being a representative

A common criticism of many PPGs is that they are not representative of the practice population. It is always going to be difficult to get a group that exactly reflects the demographics of our practice, and volunteer roles tend to attract those that have a certain level of confidence and free time, and have flexibility about working and earning money. However, a PPG is there to make sure that the patient voice is listened to and not necessarily always to be the voice itself. Therefore if you wish to volunteer please  email the Chair (David Holburt) at [email protected] or [email protected] or contact the Practice Manager on 01946 692241.

Ground rules

These are important as a point of reference for behaviour for when the group meets, and were agreed at the first couple of meetings. We agreed that the group should not be a forum for pursuing individual personal complaints or agendas, that patient confidentiality is of the utmost importance and that everyone on the PPG should be treated fairly, equally and with respect.

Communication

We aim to make the group as transparent as possible. We will publish agenda and minutes of every meeting on this website

Remember you could make a difference to the services we provide or the services in your community and hospital.

Date published: 6th March, 2020
Date last updated: 25th July, 2023