Patient Participation Group

The Swanage Medical Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) is made up of patients registered with the Practice who have volunteered to work with the Practice Manager and the GPs to help improve and shape local health services. All general practices in England have been required to have a PPG since April 2015.

This small independent Group meets every two months and provides a way for patients to get involved with the Practice and to influence decisions about local services. PPG Members are also kept informed about the Practice.

The PPG provides a forum to identify the needs of patients and to hear their views - the aim is to ensure the views and interests of all patients registered with the Practice are represented.

We want to make sure that all decisions taken about the way services are provided by the Practice reflect patients' experiences of using those services. It’s all about making sure patients are put first.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the PPG, or would like more information about the Group, please contact the Practice Manager. We are always looking for new PPG members.

If you would like to tell the PPG about your experiences of using services provided by the Practice, please contact the PPG at: ppgswanage@gmail.com.

Patient Email Group (Virtual PPG)

The PPG is supported by the Patient Email Group (Virtual PPG), which is made up of patients registered with the Practice who have agreed to receive information by email about the Practice and the PPG. Members of the Patient Email Group will also be given the opportunity to attend talks organised by the PPG, to participate in other events organised by the PPG and to participate in patient surveys.

All patients registered with the practice aged 16 and over are actively encouraged to join the Patient Email Group.

Terms of Reference

The overall aim of the PPG is to develop a positive and constructive relationship between the Practice, its patients and the community it serves, thereby helping to improve and shape local health services.

We aim to help the Practice:

respond to the needs of all its patients
improve the healthcare services it provides
promote good health both for its patients and in the wider community
ensure patients are at the heart of its decision making.

To download and view a copy of our PPG Terms of Reference (updated June 2023), please follow this link (PDF, 158KB) :>>

PPG Priorities and Work Plan

In May 2023, we discussed our Priorities and Work Plan for the forthcoming year. Our top priorities for 2023/24 are to:

Promote awareness of the PPG and recruit new PPG members
Undertake Patient Surveys at the Surgery and talk to patients about their experiences of using local health services
Support the Practice to promote awareness of new services - including services patients can access directly and other alternatives to a GP appointment.

We will also continue to:

Support the Practice to deliver initiatives that promote health, prevent ill health and promote self-care
Work with the Practice to ensure the Practice website is patient friendly and easy to use – and up to date
Promote awareness of the Purbeck Youth PPG (YPPG) and its remit, and support efforts to recruit new YPPG members
Work with the PPGs of the other five practices within the Purbeck Primary Care Network (PCN) – and the Purbeck YPPG - to support the Purbeck PCN to identify and deliver its priorities
Contribute to the work of the new Purbeck-wide group: Action for Health and Care in Purbeck

A PDF copy of these priorities can be downloaded here (PDF, 453KB) :>>

Follow this link to download and view a copy of our 2022/23 Work Plan (PDF, 197KB) :>>

Members of the PPG

Margaret Broadhurst (Dr Margaret Guy) - Chair
Karen Wright - Treasurer
Sally Fazekas - Member
Patrick Costeloe - Member
Sarah Early - Member
Anne Moore - Member
Peter Smith- Member
Diana Edmonds - Member
Davina Smith - Member

Minutes of Meetings

	21st November 2023 (PDF, 885KB)
	19 September 2023 (PDF, 326KB)
	11 July 2023 (PDF, 192KB)
	16 May 2023 (PDF, 268KB)
	21 February 2023 (PDF, 147KB)
	5 November 2022 (PDF, 81KB)
	20 September 2022 (PDF, 166KB)
	19 July 2022 (PDF, 143KB)
	17th May 2022 (PDF, 140KB) (FINAL)
	15 Mar 2022 (PDF, 166KB) (FINAL)
	25 Jan 2022 (PDF, 117KB)
	16 Nov 2021 (PDF, 145KB) (FINAL)

Purbeck PPGs

In July 2019, the Purbeck Primary Care Network (PCN) was formed – this includes the six practices located within the Purbeck Locality. The Swanage Medical Practice PPG is now working with the PPGs of the other five practices within the Purbeck PCN to help support the delivery of the PCN’s priorities.

Purbeck Youth PPG (YPPG)

The Purbeck Youth PPG aims to help improve NHS Primary Care services in Purbeck - and to make sure services are more young people friendly.

The YPPG was formed in 2021 and is made up of young people aged 13-18 who are registered with one of the six practices in Purbeck.

For more information about the YPPG, including details about how to join the Group, please download and view our YPPG poster here (PDF, 151KB) :>>

Patient Participation Group