We started working with Healthwatch Sefton in 2019 to explore how we might support GP practices to develop their Patient Participation Groups (PPGs).

This came about after Healthwatch received feedback from PPG members that it was difficult to set up and run a successful group. We have also received similar feedback from our GP practices.   

What we did

To find out what support practices and PPG members would like to help make their meetings successful, we held an initial event on Wednesday 15 May 2019 at St Stephen’s Church in Hightown.

We saw 25 people attend, a mix of staff from here at the CCG, practice managers, PPG members and Healthwatch Sefton. It brought us together to start exploring how we could work more collaboratively to build and strengthen PPG groups in the future.

The agenda covered what the PPG network currently looks like across Sefton and how those groups might work with the new Primary Care Networks (PCNs) that are developing across Sefton.

The event encouraged those in current PPG groups to share what has worked well for them and what they might change to help them to improve through workshop style discussions.

Find out more

• You can view the agenda from the event here. 
• You can see the presentation from the event here. 
• You can download a report of the event here.
• How you can join your PPG.

What happens next?

Together, we developed an action plan at the event highlighting some of the areas for further work and next steps, which are captured in a summary report from the event. We all agreed to hold a PPG information and recruitment event to raise awareness and to encourage people to get involved and join a group.