National Patient Participation Week / PPG Awareness Week – Blog from Paulette Huntington, Patient Participation Group (PPG) member and Vice Chair of the People Panel

I have been a Patient Participation Group (PPG) member for over 12 years.  During that period I have seen quite a number of changes within the NHS.  The most important, I believe, is that the NHS now takes more seriously the views of patients and makes more efforts to engage with them.  This is where the PPGs can have a significant effect at a local Practice level.

I believe a PPG to be a bridge between the patient and the Practice.  Covid put the brake on what my PPG were doing.  We could no longer hold events in our surgery waiting room, we could no longer talk to patients face to face.  Since Covid little has changed in this respect as surgery waiting rooms are no longer so full with patients waiting to see a clinician.  As a PPG we try to connect with patients via our regular newsletter and by talking to patients in the various villages where we live, as we are a rural Practice.  At our meetings, and between meetings, we work closely with our Practice staff and we are seen, amongst other things, as a sounding board for Practice initiatives.  We are always open in our meetings and ‘tell it as it is’.  There is no antagonism and I hope we work well together.

I joined my Practice PPG as I was asked if I would, as they were being formed, knowing very little about them, or what they were going to do, at that time.  Since then, my role has expanded into other groups within the Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership.  I am passionate that patients should be able to have their voice heard and be able to influence what the NHS provides.

After all, we all have that vested interest as we are all patients.

Paulette Huntington, Patient Participation Group (PPG) member and Vice Chair of the People Panel