THREE SHIRES MEDICAL PRACTICE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG)
Back in 2015 Three Shires Medical Practice launched an online Patient Reference Group. The aim of the group was to seek patient involvement in decisions about the range and quality of services offered by Three Shires Medical Practice.
We hoped that patients would join the group so that we could contact them two or three times each year to ask questions about the Practice, how we might make improvements and ensure any changes that the Practice makes, are patient focussed. Since then patients who joined the group, have responded to questionnaires and contributed to Care Quality Commission inspections of our services.
Many GP Practices have an actual ‘real time’ Patient Participation Group which meets with Practice GP’s and Practice Managers on a regular basis to take up patient issues and support and help develop Practice services and activities. Earlier this year, a group of patients from each of the four surgery sites (i.e. Pucklechurch, Wick, Marshfield and Colerne) came together with the Practice Manager and partners to form a Patient Participation Group (PPG) for Three Shires.
The aim of the group is to bring forward ideas and suggestions for the benefit of patients and the Practice. The group, (the patient members are all volunteers), will seek to advise, inform and influence the Practice from a patient perspective, promote health knowledge and improve and develop communication between patients and the Practice. (The group is not a forum for complaints, personal issues; nor is it a doctor’s fan club).
The Patient Participation Group has agreed terms of reference for the way it will operate and those terms of reference and PPG meeting minutes will be posted on the Three Shires Medical Practice website. Initially the group will meet once a quarter and will have an annual general meeting each year.
The PPG is very aware of the original Patient Reference Group and is very keen for this group to continue and expand so that patients’ views and ideas can be taken forward by the PPG. If you would like to become part of this growing patient representative group please complete a sign up form, details below.
Terms of Reference
Meeting Dates:
in 2018 meetings took place June and December
in 2019 meetings took place March, June and September
in 2020 meetings took place June and November
in 2021 meetings took place March, May, September and December
in 2022 meetings took place March, April, July AGM
in 2023 meetings took place March, June AGM and December
in 2024 meetings took place February, April, June AGM, September with next meeting planned for November
Patient Reference Group (PRG)
If you are interested in joining the online PRG as a volunteer, please complete the sign-up form below or email
We hope you join us and get involved in making your views on the Practice and local healthcare provision known.
If you are happy for us to contact you occasionally by email please click the link below to open the sign-up form and complete all the fields.
Complete the Patient Group Sign-up Form Online
If you prefer, you can download the sign up form as a pdf document, print it out, complete it and return it to the practice.
Download the pdf version of our sign up form
We will be in touch shortly after we receive your form. Please note that no medical information or questions will be responded to.
Many thanks for your assistance
Below are some frequently asked questions and answers about our PRG which we hope will inform you about our plans and encourage you to sign up.
Common Questions and Answers
Q Why are you asking people for their contact details?
A We would like to be able to contact people occasionally to ask them questions about the surgery and how well we are doing to identify areas for improvement.
Q Will my doctor see this information?
A This information is purely to contact patients to ask them questions about the surgery, how well we are doing and ensure changes that are being made are patient focused. If your doctor is responsible for making some of the changes in the surgery they might see general feedback from patients.
Q Will the questions you ask me be medical or personal?
A We will only ask general questions about the practice, such as short questionnaires.
Q Who else will be able to access my contact details?
A Your contact details will be kept safely and securely and will only be used for this purpose and will not be shared with anyone else.
Q How often will you contact me?
A Not very often…..… up to two or three times a year.
Q What is a patient group/patient participation group?
A This is a group of volunteer patients who are involved in making sure the surgery provides the services its patients need.
Q Do I have to leave my contact details?
A No, but if you change your mind, please let us know.
Q What if I no longer wish to be on the contact list or I leave the surgery?
A We will ask you to let us know by email if you do not wish to receive further messages.
The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act 1998 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.