Setting up a group begins with making people aware that an opportunity exists to take part. It is advised that the group contain two practice members one administrative the other a Clinician. It is advised that  the group is big enough to be representative and small enough to  allow all present an opportunity to raise and discuss matters thoroughly

Our current group consists of:

Practice Manager Janice Langley, Dr Sarah Postlewhite, Patients:  John Brown (Chair) Edward Dodd  Anne Jones, Peter Hicks (Deputy Chair),  Kevin Wright, Jacqueline Nightingale, Patricia Norris and Sharon Hurst .All members are eligible to vote. 

The criteria for membership is that individuals must be articulate, assertive, committed & capable of representing the views of all patients rather than themselves. Ideally the group should try to attract a mix of gender, age, race &. Include an advocate for the sensory impaired or disabled.

The role of the group is to help identify patient needs, interpret patient data, and to work with the practice in its plans for future service developments & improvement.

Effectively we use our experience & objective independent patient satisfaction data to stimulate discussion & help the practice form its strategy.

The CPG have a collective responsibility to offer guidance of a strategic nature only. The practice has wider obligations which it seeks to meet through operating Short, medium & long term plans.

These plans have aims, objectives, financial  implications & time scales.

It is anticipated that the CPG group may be asked to play a wider role in reviewing the practices aims and objectives in the future.

It is critical to groups of all kinds that certain principles of conduct are observed. The CPG has adopted the 7 principles known as the Nolan principles, they are  selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty & leadership. All seven apply to this group but the following three must be clearly understood.

Selflessness:

Your role is to act in the interests of patients & the practice

 It is not to benefit yourself, family or friends

Integrity:

You must not place yourself  under obligation to any outside

influence whom might seek to colour your decision making

Openness

It is important to be open, it is equally important to restrict confidential information unless given group permission to release it.