KEYWORTH MEDICAL PRACTICE
PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP
From John Tarrant:
The Patient Participation Group was founded in April 2007. We are now twelve people – see attached list of who we are.
It took us some months to become known and to gear up for meaningful activity. By the Autumn we were taking shape and at the end of the year had an exercise activity ready to launch in 2008. But first read my abbreviated report on 2007 to the Practice which is the next article.
Having inaugurated ourselves on
The response was from 60% female and 40% male patients – over half the total were sixty plus years of age. Almost two thirds of all patients felt that the PPG would make them better informed and ensure that their views/suggestions were passed to the doctors and nurses. The majority of patients who participated in our survey felt that that PPG had a role to play in helping patients to be better informed about Practice services and an even greater majority felt that the PPG should ensure that patients’ views and suggestions were passed on to Practice staff.
At our last meeting we agreed to focus our efforts on establishing two specific activities:
1. Getting daytime and evening availability of room(s) at Keyworth Practice building for self-help activities.
2. Recruiting patients for such activities and organising how best to conduct them with Practice supervision.
Some progress is already underway. Dr Wood and George Buckley are addressing exercise groups and will be assisted, as necessary, by Margaret Warren. Frances Cameron is working with the PCT on organising self help groups for long term conditions including stroke. Alan Hughes is interested to bring post surgical cardiac patients together. Eric Freeman will focus on spiritual /emotional aspects including self help for bereaved patients and dyslexic children/young adults. All these projects will be developed with Practice input and supervision. Daphne Butler had for some time been running an excellent group for cancer sufferers and survivors in the Centenary Lounge which was expensive. The PPG secured the use of a room in the Health Centre instead and has saved her £££s!
It was agreed that the above activities would constitute our core programme for 2008. In addition, the PPG will act as a ‘consumer panel’ for the Practice whenever doctors/nurses wish to sound-out new procedures or structures with patients – likewise, the PPG will be a regular source of patient feedback for the Practice.
On the basis of the above plans it was agreed that the PPG would now meet formally once per quarter
Dr Wood and George Buckley held
two briefings – one in the evening and one at
Both sessions were capacity attendances in the Health Centre’s large, downstairs room and subsequent walking activity has been progressed under the helpful tuition of Rachel Terry, Community Physical Activity Officer. Several small groups now walk regularly in Keyworth so that they enjoy each other’s company and security.
From Tina Brace:
A meeting was held in Tollerton on Monday, 19 March to replicate the Keyworth meeting on exercise. The Group which met was small but extremely enthusiastic! There was a lively discussion on a variety of issues concerning the barriers to exercise and possibilities for overcoming these and encouraging more people to participate.
There were some very positive outcomes and a switch to see action taken which might enable more to engage in physical activity.
From Carol Tarrant:
On 13 March eight of us spent a very useful and informative day on Volunteer Walk Leader Training led by Rachael Terry, Community Physical Activity Officer for Rushcliffe Community Partnership at Keyworth Health Centre. This day was as a result of an evening organised by George Buckley of the Patients’ Participation Group at which he extolled the virtues of exercise.
The day was spent firstly discussing the benefits to health, mental and physical, of doing some form of walking, virtually on a daily basis – followed by a practice walk around Keyworth. In the afternoon we discussed necessary things like risk assessment, route planning, responsibilities, promotion etc. It now remains for us to set up some form of walking for all abilities in Keyworth. Watch this space!
From Rachel Terry:
The Activity Friends project is going well and we now have 6 members who have helped over 30 older people in Rushcliffe get out more. Activity Friends has helped people access a range of opportunities from getting on the exercise for health scheme, setting up a dog sitting business, chair based exercise and simply motivating them to get an appointment with their GP. The success of the project is due to the work of volunteers who give their time freely to help their peers and we need more training dates.
Being an Activity Friend can be very rewarding. Activity Friends in Rushcliffe have increased their own physical activity levels and made lots of new friends as well as helping others their age do the same. You can spend as little or as much time as you wish being an Activity Friend. Training is free, informative and very enjoyable. Please call Rachael Terry for more information on becoming or meeting an Activity Friend – 0115 956 0330.
From John Tarrant:
Principia is an organisation devoted to encouraging patient participation in the provision of NHS Health Care in Nottinghamshire. It held a meeting at the Keyworth Centenary Lounge on 4 March which was attended by about 30 people. I gave a short presentation of the PPG and its work and warmly invited anyone interested to contact our group by mail or by contacting me direct on 937 3456 or johntarrant90@hotmail.com
There were numerous stalls with much information of help to people with chronic illness or who simply wish to lead a healthier lifestyle.
APRIL 2008
Patient Participation
Group Member List
John
Tarrant 2 Flinders Orchard,
Keyworth,
Tel: 9373456 johntarrant90@hotmail.com
Tina Brace 18a
Rachael Benning Knollmead,
Daphne
Eric Freeman
Frances Cameron 55 Melton Road, Tollerton,
Margaret Warren Greenfields,
Margaret Healy 1 Stanton Mews, Brown’s Lane, Stanton on the
Bernice Thurrell Orchard Lodge,
Judith White