A Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of people who are patients of the surgery and want to help it work as well as it can for patients, doctors and staff. The NHS requires every practice to have a PPG. PPG members are expected to approach the role with objectivity, tact and diplomacy, drawing on and using their own experience to inform discussions and decisions, in a manner that respects the priorities and concerns of all patients.

 

Why should I join a PPG? You may have been to the surgery as a patient, parent, carer or friend and all these experiences matter. You could bring different ideas to the PPG to help the surgery treat patients better or to improve what they do in some way. You could also gain a better understanding of the NHS and gather feedback from other patients. If you would like to know more about how you could contribute to the work of PPGs, please contact us for an informal chat – rhsppg@gmail.com .

 

The Rothschild House Group is unusual in having three PPGs to ensure that the views of all patients are represented, wherever their usual surgery is located. The three groups represent patients whose main surgery is in Tring (including The New Surgery) / Pitstone, Berkhamsted and Markyate. These three groups work together to support patients’ interests irrespective of their geographic location or registered surgery within the Rothschild House Group.

 

Representatives of the three PPGs, bring forward those issues which affect all patients to regular joint patient group meetings with Rothschild House Group staff (in present conditions these are virtual meetings).

Individual meetings of a particular PPG are held to regularly to discuss issues to be brought forward to the joint meetings, as well as issues related to that particular area or surgery, for example a local initiative such as a health campaign, classes, education event or site-specific issues.

 

The PPGs participate in our local Primary Care Network (PCN) meetings by providing a patient representative on a rotating basis and are involved in a number of other healthcare organisations, including Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning Group and local hospital trusts. This ensures that our patients’ views are represented at these regional health organisations and in turn our patients are kept informed about plans and new services which may affect their healthcare services.

 

We believe firmly that patient involvement in healthcare discussions helps maintain high standards of care and communication within the Rothschild House Group surgeries and in the wider NHS services to which patients may be referred.

 

We receive strong support from the management of the Rothschild House Group, who recognise the value of patients contributing to decisions about their healthcare. We are members of the National Association for Patient Participation (N.A.P.P.) which is a valuable source of information and advice, paid for by the practice.

For further information and to contact the PPGs please email rhsppg@gmail.com. Whilst this email is a single reference point, your email will be passed on to your local PPG. Please note - we are unable to deal with any personal health issues which should be taken up through the practice directly.

 

The joint group currently publishes a weekly email newsletter of local health information which has a large circulation beyond the patient groups’ membership. You can sign up for your personal copy from this link.

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Rothschild House Group Practice Representatives:

 

Dr Kate Thomson – Partner
Lisa Flaherty – Assistant Practice Manager

 

Rothschild House Group Patient Representatives:

 

George Edwards - Chair Tring/Pitstone
Chris Langford - Vice-Chair Tring/Pitstone

 

Madeleine Donohue - Chair Berkhamsted
Mike Wall - Secretary – Berkhamsted

 

Jane Timmis - Chair Markyate
Sally Le-May - Secretary Markyate
John Mayer - Treasurer Markyate