Ratby Surgery Patient Participation Group Newsletter

Article by Joan Hawkins

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP?

The patient participation group consists of patients who wish to be involved in the local practice whilst taking an active role in developing local health services.

The purpose of the group is to facilitate patients and the practice staff working together to share ideas to help improve the services offered at the practice in addition to sourcing out any local community services that would help enhance aspects of the patient's lives.

The group will also have the responsibility of helping patients to take more responsibility for their own health, the group also offers an avenue for patients to have a say in how services are planned, developed and evaluated to foster a good working relationship with the practice staff and GP's.

WHAT DOES A PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP DO?

• Help improve on the experience of attending the surgery

• Help the practice decide on overall service priorities

• Helps bring the attention of practice staff, the practice perspective of the level and standard of the services provided.

• Acts as a channel is communicating to patients.

• Provides Information on the help available, support groups and networks.

• Helps patients understand more about the medical conditions/ problems

• Helps improve patients overall experience of the practice

WHY SET UP A PPG?

Research tells us that effective engagement with patients;

• Improves quality of care and patient satisfaction

• Encourages patients as proactive partners rather than passive recipients of care.

• Improves health outcomes.

• Informs effective targeting of resources, saving time and money.

WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP?

The group will comprise of:

• Group members (patients and carers from across the surgery representing the practice population)

• GP

• Practice Manager

We are also hoping to set up a virtual group

What The Patient Participation Group Is Not About

The group will not deal with personal medical issues of individual patient complaints as there is already an existing practice procedure to handle such matters.

Joining And Registering With The Ppg

We aim to gather a broad a spectrum as possible to get a true representative sample. We need young people, workers, retirees, people with long-term conditions and people from non-British Ethnic groups.

PEOPLE LIKE YOU!!!

Please contact Sheila Adcock Strategy Manager at Ratby Surgery for application form Sheila.adcock@nhs.net

Update on new build

The PPG have been informed that the new build will be completed by Autumn needless to say we are all looking forward to this event More information should be available for next newsletter.

Spring Covid Booster Vaccine

We have been advised that the uptake for the booster for vulnerable patients including those over 75 years has had a poor response. There is still the opportunity for you to receive this protection Patients should be reminded that this can be still a serious illness for those with underlying health problems Please ring the surgery to make an appointment.

Joining up peoples NHS and social care records.

A new programme that is joining up people’s NHS and social care records in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR) is beginning to see the benefits. This can be accessed by different people who are directly involved in their care to move aware from different services having separate records – the LLR Care Record means that data will be seen in one place.

Pilot projects for the LLR Care Record have been held in primary care, community, hospital, hospice and local authority setting with positive results. For further information about this programme the website address is below www.leicestershire.gov.uk/news/joining-up-peoples-nhs-andsocial-care-records

See page 15 for answers

Rooting For Ratby Announces Dates For 2023 Scarecrow Festival (30th September - 1st October)

Article by Megan

After the success of our last event, the Scarecrow Festival is back, taking place from Saturday 30th of September to Sunday 1st of October 2023! Our theme is ‘Myths & Fairytales’, so parents and children alike can get involved in the festivities. We cannot wait to see the streets of Ratby adorned with princesses, dragons, monsters and more!

Like last year’s event, we need volunteers and local businesses to get involved. With more feet on the ground and sponsorships from Ratby businesses, this year will be even bigger and better than our inaugural event. The community group also wants to raise money for local organisations through the festival. Last year we raised over £1,400 - let’s see if we can set a new record this year!

We look forward to releasing more information about Ratby’s 2023 Scarecrow Festival. Make sure to follow us on social media (@rootingforratby) to find out more and email rootingforatby@ gmail.com to get involved. We are looking for volunteers and local businesses who wish to support the event in any capacity. In the meantime, put the 30th of September and 1st of October in your diaries!