management
PPGs
Despite a DES encouraging practices to start up a PPG, only two-thirds of practices currently have one. NIKKI WITHERS finds out why this is and how practices can go about setting up a successful group
M
any people believe that measurement of the patient perspective is imperative to providing high quality and responsive healthcare. It is therefore interesting that, despite a direct enhanced service (DES) encouraging GP practices to start a patient participation group (PPG), only two-thirds of practices have them. “From experience, excellent practices
and PPGs go hand-in-hand,” says Stephanie Varah, chief executive of the National Association for Patient Participation (NAPP). “Starting a group, however, may be unfamiliar territory for GPs and their staff.” Indeed, many GPs and practice managers are shying away from introducing a PPG to their practice. But once up and running, they can bring significant benefits to the practice.
PPGs are not a new idea. The first PPGs were set up by GPs over 40 years ago. Since then, more and more practices have welcomed the idea of involving their patients in decisions that may lead to changes to the services that their practice provides or commissions. Some practices run face-to- face meetings with their PPG, while others have a ‘virtual group’ that feeds back through online surveys and social media. Many use both approaches to maximise feedback from the whole patient landscape.
ENSURING ENGAGEMENT The original PPG DES was introduced in April 2011, initially for two years, but has now been recommissioned for a further year. The aim of the DES is to ensure that patients are involved in decisions about the range and quality of services provided and commissioned by their practice. It aims to ‘promote the proactive engagement of patients through the use of effective PPGs, as well as seeking the views of patients through the use of a local practice survey’. The six key components of the DES are: to develop a PPG; agree on areas of priority; collate patient views through the use of a survey; discuss the findings of the survey and agree on changes to services; agree on
an action plan; and to publicise the actions taken and subsequent achievements. Practices that complete these key
components will receive an overall annual payment of up to £1.10 per registered patient.
BRAINER OR NO-BRAINER? To some practice managers, the idea of having a PPG is a no-brainer. It can bring significant benefits to the practice, such as reducing costs, improving services, using resources more efficiently and developing a supportive network outside of GP appointments. The groups can also help the GP teams provide services that truly reflect what patients want and need. For others, the idea of setting up a PPG
doesn’t seem so great. “There are a number of reasons that practice managers may not be keen on introducing a PPG,” Varah explains. “Starting a PPG may not be within the skill set of practice managers and GPs, and may be unfamiliar territory to them. They may attempt to start a group taking the wrong or bare minimum of steps, leading to the group not flourishing.” She assures me that this does not mean that it can’t be done, and shouldn’t stop practice managers starting one up. “It just requires investment of time at the outset to start it moving,” she says. Time is another reason that practice
managers may be reluctant to introduce a PPG. Since the changes to the health service in April, practice managers have been feeling the increasing pressures on workload, and so, understandably, adding to this may not be at the top of their priority list. “There is some additional investment of time needed to get PPGs going,” Varah admitted, “but in the longer term the time investment should reduce considerably as patients get more involved. In the long run they even take pressure off the practice.” Practice manager Kate Starkey, of Winchcombe Medical Practice PPG, agrees: “I think that a lot of practices consider setting up a PPG a chore. But if they get the right patients involved, it can actually take work away from the practice team.” Another concern for some practice
managers is that they won’t be able to manage the expectations of patients,
october 2013 35
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