We are keen to promote the engagement of patients through the use of our Patient Forum and to seek views from practice patients. 

The key requirements of the patient forum are that GP practices:

·  develop a structure that gains the views of patients and enables the practice to obtain feedback from the practice population, e.g. a patient forum

·  agree areas of priority with their patient forum

·  collate patient views through a patient survey

·  agree an action plan with their patient forum

·  publicise the results of the patient survey

·  publicise the actions taken and what is achieved as a result.

 If you are a registered patient of this surgery, and would be interested in serving on this group, please email patient.forum@icloud.com , pick up a form at reception or sign up using the form on the sign up for patient survey page.

Rushden Medical Centre

 PATIENT FORUM CONSTITUTION

Our Practice Patients Participation Group Rules

1)         Name:

The name of the group shall be Rushden Medical Centre Patient Participation Group.

2)         Objectives:

The objectives of the group shall be to promote the benefit of the patients of the Practice without distinction of gender, race, colour or political, religious or other opinions by encouraging development and quality of health promotion and health care services.

This aim will be achieved by liaising with the doctors and staff, other community health workers, Health Authorities and other persons or organisations concerned with health care.

The Group will be affiliated to the National Association for Patient Participation (N.A.P.P).

3)         Membership:

This shall be open and free to all Patients& Staff of the Practice, irrespective of political party, nationality,religious opinion, race, gender or colour.

4)          Aims:

a)     Communication – Members of the Group will act as a communication channel between the Practice team and the community in order to help patients use the facilities to the best advantage and the practice to implement policies influenced by representative patient views,  not personal views.

b)    Patient Charter – The group may from time to time conduct surveys on behalf of the Practice in order to develop and monitor the practice mission and patient services.

c)      Health Education – The group will participate and help the Practice to review the health education needs in thecommunity in order for the Practice to provide appropriate and useful community health education material. 

d)     Community Needs – The group will have a role in assisting an assessment of community needs to help the Practice improve its services.

e)       Primary Care Trusts – The group will be informed and involved with reviewing the general policies relating to the Primary Care Trust which impact on the Practice. 

f)       Practice Based Commissioning / Consortium Group (Wellingborough and  East Northants) - the Patient group will consider and review the commissioning plans of this cluster and provide their opinions on behalf of patients.

g)     LNK/ Or Health Watch.

5.            Committee& Officers:

The Committee shall consist of 3 officers – a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary. These roles of the Committee members will be nominated and elected annually.

The Committee shall be empowered to manage the affairs of the group and to take any action on its behalf to the aims of the group.

Roles of the Officers

Chairperson:                to chair the meetings and manage the affairs of the group.

Vice Chairperson:         to chair the meetings on the chairman’s behalf and manage the affairs of the group when required.

Secretary:                      to take minutes and distribute agenda, minutes and any other information required on behalf of the group.

6.           Election& Retirement of committee members:

Any patient may nominate themselves for election to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting.

All officers and committee may offer themselves annually for re-election. If more than one Nomination is received for an officer position, then a vote must take place.

7.            Meetings of the Group:

The group shall endeavour to meet not less than four times in any one year.

The Committee will normally meet with the Practice representative every 6-8 weeks.

8.           Minutes:

Minutes shall be kept and the Secretary shall enter a record of all proceedings and resolutions.

9.           Dissolution:

If the Committee decides at any time that on any grounds it is necessary to dissolve the Group it shall call a Special General Meeting.

10.             Alterations to the Constitution:

Any proposal to alter this constitution must be delivered in writing to the Secretary not less than 14 days before the date of the meeting at which it is first to be considered and shall be advertised together with the date of the meeting.

An alteration will require the approval of a two thirds majority of Committee members or a simple majority of those voting at the Annual General Meeting.

Notice of such meeting must be given in accordance with normal procedures.

This constitution was adopted as the Constitution of Rushden Medical Centre Practice Patient Participation Group on25^th July 2012.

All meetings are held at the medical centre starting at 2:00pm.

The dates for the next meeting's of the group are as follows:

2015

 t.b.a

Please find below the minutes from PPG Meetings.

PPG Meeting Minutes for the 25th September 2013

Agenda for Meeting 25-09-2013

June PPG Minutes