Terms of Reference - James Wigg Practice

The Group is called THE PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG) of the James Wigg Practice.

To foster effective communication, engagement and collaboration between the Practice and its registered patients.

To provide a forum for patients to make suggestions and give feedback about the practice and the quality of patient services offered.
To contribute to the continuous improvement of services and quality of care, and in the monitoring of current provision and levels of patient satisfaction.
To provide support for the Practice and help to implement change.
To promote a patient led culture.
To represent the patient voice, as appropriate, beyond the Practice.
To work towards a membership representative of the patient population.

The group shall be made up of volunteers who are registered patients at the James Wigg Practice.
The Representative Partner of the James Wigg Practice will be a member of the Patient Participation Group.

Three elected officers will be elected from the patient membership and will have dedicated roles and responsibilities: Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary.
The three office holders will be elected at the annual general meeting of the PPG and will have a term of office of one year. Members can nominate themselves and will circulate a brief statement of their reasons for standing, and all members will be notified of the candidates by email at least a week in advance of the meeting. The election will be by the patient members present at the meeting, either by show of hands or secret ballot, to be decided at the time.
The Chair and Vice Chair will be responsible for the running of meetings, and ensuring that decisions are made and implemented. The Secretary will be responsible for ensuring that the Practice informs the wider membership of meetings and also for taking minutes. These officers will also take responsibility for feeding back from the PPG to the Practice and facilitating the welcoming of new members.
All officers may take on the responsibilities of the other roles where necessary and these responsibilities may be assumed by other PPG members when an officer is not available or has delegated responsibilities.
The Practice manager or deputy will provide administrative support to the PPG and attend PPG meetings.

Meetings will take place at the Practice at least five times a year.
The agenda for each meeting will be agreed by the Chair and Vice Chair from suggestions from the PPG, the Virtual PPG and the Practice.
Meetings will be advertised through the Practice website, through notices in the surgery, by email and by other means.
Minutes of the meetings will be made available through the Practice website.
In addition to regular meetings there may be special meetings called where the topic merits a dedicated meeting; or an urgent meeting.
Two weeks’ notice will be given of all regular meetings, agendas will be available at least one week before the meeting.
Every year the group will also have an annual general meeting (AGM).
Meetings will follow these ground rules –
- The meeting is not a forum for individual complaints and single issues.
- We advocate open and honest communication and challenge between individuals.
- We will be flexible, listen, ask for help and support each other.
- We will demonstrate a commitment to delivering results, as a group.
- Members should speak up whenever desired, but always go through the Chair.
- All views are valid and will be listened to.
- No phones or other disruptions.
- We will start and finish on time and stick to the Agenda
- Latecomers are asked to enter quietly with no disruption.
- Chair will take speakers in the order in which they signal that they wish to speak.

In parallel with the main group which meets regularly, a Virtual PPG will be established, linking a wider membership by email.
An active programme of recruitment to this wider group will be put in place, and a member of the PPG will be asked to look after the Virtual PPG, its membership and communications, via an email address.
Agendas of upcoming meetings will be circulated to the Virtual PPG at least a week in advance of the meetings, with explanatory notes, and the Virtual PPG will be invited to email their comments before the meetings, when their views will be considered along with those of the members present.

The terms of reference will be reviewed on an annual basis. Amendments to the Terms of Reference can be made with a 2/3 majority vote at a general meeting of members.