Development of Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) in Sunderland

Healthwatch Sunderland (HWS) supported the development of Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) across Sunderland during the period April 2016 to March 2017. A wide range of attitudes and experiences towards PPGs was discovered, ranging from vibrant and participative meetings, to no meetings or PPG at all from some practices. 

During the project timescale, HWS supported the creation of new PPGs, provided extra guidance to those PPGs already in existence through the provision of a Best practice Guide, and received commitment from the practices who are yet to hold a PPG, that they will continue the work started and hold a PPG in the short term. 

Public facing practice staff were not aware of the benefits of PPGs to the patients and the practice. 

 There is a general lack of diversity across many PPGs. 

Many practices are unaware of how to set up and run effective groups.