GP Practice Involvement
There is an increasingly important need to give patients a say in the way services are delivered to best meet their needs as well as the needs of the local community.
Patient Panel Groups
Patient Panel Groups can play a wide range of roles, including:
- supporting PBC Practice Based Commissioners with Commissioning decisions, helping to involve and engage minority and seldom heard communities undertaking health promotion initiatives;
- establishing self-help groups; communicating with the wider patient population; influencing service development;
- establishing better information systems;
- raising funds and purchasing new equipment;
- creating local networks;
- supporting carers and producing newsletters
Patient Panel Groups provide a platform for open and honest discussion,
and a simple ‘grass roots’ way of affecting change and involving
patients in improving the health and wellbeing of their local
community.
Other ways to make a difference
There are many different ways that patients can get involved and help shape health services.
Some
GP practices may have a website which can be a great and innovative way to share practice information from opening and closing times,
GP working hours and promoting good health messages.
The website can also be use to give patients the opportunity to share comments and feedback, ideas and community information.
Comments & suggestion boxes, which are often held in the surgery receptions, are a simple but effective way to give patients the chance to share comments and suggestion to help improve the service.
The increasing popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook are a new and innovative way for better communication between practices and younger patients.
To find out more on how you can get involved or help start any of the above mention engagement methods in your
GP please contact the
Patient & Public Engagement Team on
024 7624 6199.
- Commissioning
Process by which the health needs of the local population are identified. Priorities for investment are set and appropriate services are purchased and evaluated. Primary Care Trusts do not provide all of the healthcare services needed by the local population, they buy-in or commission services from other provider organisations. Typically this includes local hospitals. - GP
GP stands for General Practitioner. GPs are family doctors.