By Alex Minshull Chair, Greenway Community Practice PPG.
The Greenway Community Practice Patient Participation Group (PPG) at the Greenway Community Practice has been serving the Southmead community and neighbouring areas for decades providing GP services.
You may remember the surgery was voted the Best Practice in Bristol – Health Care Award Winner, and we are very pleased by this.
The Patient Participation Group (PPG) is made up of volunteer patient members along with representatives from the Practice including a senior GP and the Practice Manager. The PPG aims to: provide a patient’s viewpoint of experiences and concerns; encourage the Practice to improve services; raise patient’s awareness of health matters; and enhance communication between the practice staff and patients
We have set a number of priority areas for our work. We aim to help the Practice support the patients and wider community in their own self-care and self-help. This includes having healthier lifestyles by providing information and advice on diet and exercise, and signposting patients to ways in which they can deal with ailments such as colds and coughs and back pain.
The PPG is concerned that changes to the NHS should not impact on the services that the Practice offers. We strongly protect our NHS campaign group.
One of the ways the Practice and the PPG are looking to support the local community is through our Greenway Practice PPG Community Fund. Staff (and patients) at the Practice raise money for charitable purposes and part of the money goes into our Fund. Local organisations can apply for small amounts, typically £50 – £75. For example this could be to contribute to an outing, training, or an event.
The application process is simple and must be made at least 6 weeks prior to the funding being spent.
Individuals cannot apply; you do not need to be a charity but must be a constituted organisation of some sort e.g. a local community group or school.
Guidance and an application form can be downloaded on our website or call in to the surgery for more information.