PPG Terms of Reference

Name

The group will be known as the DMC Crystal Palace Road Medical Centre Patient Participation Group.

The group will be open and free to all registered patients of the Practice age 16 or over.
The group will aim to represent the diversity of the practice population, but membership will be self-nominating.

To enable patients of DMC Crystal Palace Road Medical Centre to: constructively engage with Practice staff to improve the patient experience, ensure that the services provided by the Practice are meeting the needs of patients and, to suggest and support innovation and change.
As a consultative and advisory body, to act as a critical friend of the Practice.
To provide a pathway for communication and promote co-ordination between the Practice, the local community and other relevant bodies on behalf of patients.
To support the Practice to help promote the general health and wellbeing of its patients.

The Group will gather and provide feedback on patients’ needs, interests and concerns, and their experience of the service they receive.
The Group may wish to further investigate the issues it identifies and will report to the Practice on its findings.
The Group will contribute to and be kept informed of, key Practice policies and decisions which will affect the provision or accessibility of services to patients. It will provide feedback on those policies and decisions on behalf of patients.
The Group will encourage health education activities within the Practice and the community.
The group will liaise and work with other PPG to share learning and good practice and consider cross-cutting issues that affect the surgeries within the PCN as a whole.
The Group will report on its activities during the previous 12 months to an Annual General Meeting (AGM)

The Group will hold an AGM that will normally be held in January/February each year.
A Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and any other officers it deems necessary will be appointed. If more than one nomination is received for an officer position, then a vote must take place.
Appointments will be made for a 2-year period, at which time individuals may stand for re-election along with any other candidates.
The Group may appoint sub-groups to focus on particular issues. Such sub-groups will have a clear role and purpose and will report back on their work to meetings of Group.

The group will normally meet a minimum of 6 times per year, which will not include the AGM. Notice of the time, date and location of these meetings will be published at least four weeks in advance.
Any member of the Group or Practice staff may suggest items for the agenda. Suggestions should be submitted to the Chair no later than two weeks before the meeting and will be accepted at the Chair’s discretion.
Agendas for forthcoming meetings will be agreed by the Chair and available to the Group’s members and practice staff at least one week in advance of the meeting.
Agendas, reports and minutes of Group meetings will be publicised as far as possible using the surgery notice board and on the practice website.
The Practice Manager, Assistant Practice Manager and any clinical representative will be invited to attend meetings but will not have voting rights.
Five members will constitute a quorum and if necessary, the chair will have the casting vote. All members with voting rights must be patients of the practice.
Members must give advance warning if they are unable to attend, so that meetings may be cancelled with enough notice if it is clear a quorum will not be reached.

The Group is not a forum for personal grievance, complaints or medical issues.
Relationships between the Group and the Practice should be equal and respectful.
The Group will undertake its role in a spirit of mutual respect and through fair and constructive critical friend challenge.
Members of practice staff will be committed to the success of the Group and engage in meetings.
All members must sign a Code of Conduct and Confidentiality agreement for return to the Practice Manager before attendance at their first meeting.
No form of discrimination will be tolerated within the Group.
Group Members have no liability for any actions brought against them regarding claims for any loss, accident or injury incurred in connection with any activities or projects undertaken by the Group.

After due consultation and mediation with the member concerned, the Group by a majority vote, may recommend to the Practice the removal of any member who, is in breach of the Code of Conduct, the Confidentiality Agreement, behaves in a manner that inhibits the successful functioning of the group and its working relationship with the Practice, or fails to participate in PPG activities over a 12 month period.
Should this mean that a vacancy is created in one of the officer positions, a temporary appointment may be made until the next meeting of the Group, when an election/formal appointment may take place.

The Group may review and amend its terms of reference from time to time to meet changing circumstances.
Such amendments must be agreed by a majority vote and submitted to the Practice for agreement.
Revised Terms of Reference shall be posted on the website and the surgery notice boards as soon as possible thereafter.

A meeting must formally agree to dissolve the Group. Any period of inactivity for 12 months, with either no meetings or communications, will constitute a de facto dissolution of the group.