The new PPG has been meeting regularly since July 16 and we would be pleased to hear from you. A list of members is available at both surgeries. We also have comments boxes in the waiting rooms. Our email address is: TBC

We thought it would be helpful to explain the role of PPGs and here is a summary.

PPGs and practices work in unique partnerships to:

•     Contribute to the continuous improvement of services and quality of care
•     Foster improved communication between the practice and its patients
•     Provide practical support for the practice and help to implement change
•     Help patients to take more responsibility for their health.

PPGs can also help with:

•     Advising the practice on the patient perspective
•     Organising health promotion events
•     Communicating with the wider patient body
•     Running volunteer services and support groups to meet local needs
•     Carrying out research into the views of those who use the practice (and their carers)
•     Influencing the practice or the wider NHS to improve commissioning
•     Fundraising to improve the services provided by the practice

The current PPG has done an excellent job over the years and we are currently reviewing how we operate it, recognising that technology and social media can play an important role in enabling us to connect with our patients. I’m pleased to announce that Healthwatch Suffolk will be helping us over the next few months to establish a new structure for the PPG. We are therefore looking for representatives from our patient list. If you are interested in getting involved, in any capacity, then to please write to me at the practice briefly describing the demographic you represent e.g. parent of young children, commuter, disabled, elderly etc., and how and in what capacity you would like to engage with the practice e.g. attend meetings, use social media, PPG administration, local representative, volunteer at events etc.

The group would like to contact patients on occasion by email and/or text so that they can obtain the views of the widest group of patients possible. We would like to obtain your email address and mobile phone number to do this. Please complete the Patient Contact Form to provide your consent for this.