Patient Participation Group

The West Park Surgery Patient Participation Group met on the 5th November at Park View Medical Centre. We discussed a varied set of topics. We had a particular focus on medical education and we had two guest in attendance who were two of our GP registrars, Dr Bal and Dr Hurasha, who came to share their experience of training to be a GP.

We spoke at length about the time it takes to be trained, some of the pressures that training is experienced as well as the supervision they are provided with in practice. The group provided good challenges to why if there are all these qualifying GPs it might be so difficult to get an appointment, which was discussed further.

Separately there was also an important conversation where the patient participation group is trying to advocate on behalf of all of the patients to reduce the amount of time it takes from being seen in hospital clinic to the information being sent through to the GP practice. They have raised this with the ICB chair and are awaiting response.

There was a further discussion around how they can be more active and advocate further on behalf of patients and will intend on visiting other local PPGs to learn areas of good practice and it will be the focus of the next meeting.

If you are interested in joining West Park Surgery’s Patient Participation Group, please email our practice manager, Debra Lewsley [email protected] .