Patient Reference Group
What is a Patient Reference Group (PRG)?
With an update to the GP contract in April 2011, came a requirement for each practice to set up its own Patient Reference Group (PRG). We are required to promote proactive engagement with patients and undertake local surveys. This is intended to ensure patients are involved in ongoing planning and decision making about practice changes. A PRG would consist of a group of registered patients who are representative of our practice population at large. The group would meet regularly to discuss issues and ways of improving services for the benefit of patients.
What issues would a PRG look at?
A PRG could work with the practice on issues such as access to appointments, both same day and book ahead, but will also look at issues such as continuity of care, the range of skills available, mechanisms to access practices and geographical access. The issues to look at would be discussed and agreed between the PRG and the practice.
What then?
Once the priority areas were agreed, the practice would undertake and collate surveys, discuss the survey results with the PRG, agree the action plan with the PRG then publicise those actions on the practice website.
I've heard about a virtual PRG. What's that?
Membership of the PRG is open to all currently registered patients of Ivy Grove Surgery. However, some patients may be unable or unwilling to attend PRG meetings. Although the details are not yet worked out, it may be possible to talk to, debate issues with, get consensus from, agree actions with members of the PRG without their need to attend face to face meetings, a so-called virtual PRG. Obviously the performance of the group would have to be monitored to ensure that it maintained the same standards as a normal PRG.
OK, I'm interested, what do I do?
The next meeting of the PRG is set for November 1st, 2011 from 6.30pm to 8.00pm.
If you are one of our patients, and want a say in improving the service we give and want to take part in discussion and decision making, then please consider coming along to the meeting and joining our PRG.
Our online group (virtual PRG)
We have now set up an online group ready to invite people into or for people to join if they wish (link opens in a new window). Because our PRG is only open to registered patients, access to our group is restricted. Its activities, postings and online discussions will not be available on public listings on the internet.
To actively join our group, you must either be invited, or you must submit your membership request first (link opens in a new window). We will then confirm your subscription once we have identified that you as a registered patient. Because of these restrictions, you will need to have an account associated with Google, who hosts our group. There are two ways: either use your existing email address or get a new gmail address.
Join our group with your existing email address
You can use any existing email address to join the group - you do not need to have a specific Googlemail or Gmail address. To do this, you can associate your existing email address with a Google account (link opens in a new window).
Join our group with a new Gmail address
If you wish to open a new Google account and get a new Gmail address to use with our group, you can sign up for a new account (link opens in a new window).
We apologise if this process seems unnecessarily protracted and cumbersome, but this is necessary to protect the confidentiality of our group membership and to enable free and open discussion without undue influence. If you are interested in joining the group, please submit your email below, or visit the group (link opens in a new window).
If you wish to email our Patient Reference Group, please feel free to use the address below.