Charter Patient Participation Group
Coming soon .......
Minutes and reports from AGM 16th April 2018
Who are we ?
We are volunteer patients who work with the managers and clinicians at the practice to support and promote the best possible health care for all patients at the practice.
We also act as the patients’ “voice” in seeking to influence the local provision of health and social care. We do this by working with other health-related organisations in Brighton and Hove on health issues beyond the practice, such as clinical commissioning.
- We consult with the practice on the development and provision of community needs.
- We contribute to and are kept informed of practice decisions.
- We promote the needs of the community by encouraging and supporting activities within the practice to promote preventative medicine and healthy lifestyle choices.
- We produce a quarterly newsletter with news of the work of the PG.
- We ensure that patient information and advice are readily available and clearly presented.
Virtual members
We want to gain a wide variety of opinion.
We are exploring how to work online with members who cannot attend meetings. Perhaps you can help us with this ? Or you may wish just to receive e-newsletters and to participate in the occasional online surveys.
Are you interested in volunteering for The Charter Patient Group? Would you be able to help with any of the following activities?
- Talk and listen to patients with whom you share some needs or Interests
- Search websites at home for information useful to patients
- Help with refreshments at quarterly patient group meetings
- Take notes at quarterly patient group meetings
- Lay out information in the waiting areas
- Think of questions for surveys to send to patients
- Send your ideas to the patient participation group committee
- Join the committee which meets four times a year
- Write for the patient group newsletter and/or produce the newsletter
- Join special groups in Brighton and Hove that support health and social care
- Design publicity materials
- Help organise events for patients
- Use your IT skills to support the work of the PPG
- Keep our website up to date
Please contact The Charter Patient Group if you would like to get involved:
- If you are viewing the PC version of this website, click the PPG Menu 'Contact Us' drop down menu to send a webform directly to us.
- If you are viewing the mobile version of this website the 'Contact Us' webform can be found at the bottom of this page.
- Or Email:
Who Are We?
Anyone who is a patient at the Charter Medical Centre, and is over the age of 18, can be a member of the group.
The committee is formed of people from a variety of backgrounds, who each bring something different to the PPG.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What does the Patient Group do?
A. Two things: we work with the practice to try to ensure that Charter Medical Centre is the best it can be and with other health related organisations in Brighton and Hove on health issues beyond the practice, such as clinical commissioning.
Q. What is there to do? I think Charter is pretty good already.
A. So do we, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. For instance, the last practice survey showed that some people find it hard to get through on the phone, so we are planning to look in more depth at this, to try to work out why difficulties arise so that fewer people have problems making appointments.
Q. Who can join the Patient Group?
A. Anyone who is registered a patient with the practice, regardless of how much or how little you currently use the medical centre. We’d like as many people as possible to join, so that all the different sorts of service user are represented.
Q. I’d like to help but I’m pretty busy, how much time will it take?
A. We know how busy everyone is. You can choose the level of involvement that suits you best. Most people opt to join the virtual group, which means that they don’t have to come to meetings or get closely involved in the group’s work. We keep in touch by email or letter, letting you know what we’re working on and asking you to take part in occasional surveys about different aspects of the practice’s service delivery.
Q. What about the other type of member?
A. If you have a bit more time, you can join the participation group, which meets regularly and gets more actively involved in the Patient Group’s work. The steering committee, which plans the group’s activities and does most of the detailed work, is drawn from members of the participation group.
Q. I’m interested in the steering committee – how do I join?
A. We have an annual general meeting each Spring when elections are held for the main roles – chair, treasurer and so on. Others volunteer to be committee members for the year and take on jobs such as membership secretary. If a vacancy arises during the year, a new member may be co-opted.
Q. I’m worried about the treatment I’m receiving. Can you help?
A. Unfortunately we can’t as we aren’t medical practitioners. If there’s something about your treatment that’s worrying you, it’s usually best to start by talking to your GP or practice nurse about it. If you’re still unhappy after that, the practice has a complaints procedure which you can use.
Q. What about confidentiality?
A. The only information the Patient Group will have about you is your contact details – so we can get and keep in touch with you. The other personal details the practice staff have remain confidential between you and them. It’s your information, so it is always for you to choose who you share it with. When you sign up to join the group, the only choice you’re making
is to share your name and email or postal address.
Q. If I take part in surveys, what happens to that information?
A. If the surgery comes from the surgery the PG don’t see any individual data, that’s between you and the practice and, of course, there will usually be nothing to identify you on the survey response. All the Patient Group see are the overall numbers – how many people responded to each question, how many ticked which box and so on. If the PG send out a survey we will make this clear.
Q. Is there a membership fee?
A. No - you just need to have an interest in helping to make Charter the best it can be.
Patient Group Newsletters
Patient Group Newsletter Summer 2016
Patient Group Newsletter December 2015
July 2015 newsletter
Charter Patient Group Dec 2014 Newsletter final.pdf
September 2014
June 2014
March 2014
December 2013
September 2013
Minutes from Charter PPG's Quarterly Public Meetings
Minutes September 201.pdf
2014/15 Surgery survey results, reports and action plans
Patient Participation Report 2014_2015
Patient Participation Report 2014/2015
2013/14 Surgery survey results, reports and action plans
Survey results for GPs and Advance Nurse Practitioners 2013-14
Survey results for the Nursing team 2013-14
Patient Participation Report 2013-14
Action Plan 2013-14
Demographic Report
2012/13 Surgery survey results, reports and action plans
Local Survey 2012-2013
Local Survey Results 2012-2013
Patient Engagement Report 2012-2013
Action Plan 2012-2013
2011/12 Surgery survey results, reports and action plans
Action Plan 2011-2012
Minutes from Charter PPG's Annual General Meetings
Minutes of AGM Meeting 23 03 15
AGM 03 - 10 March 2014
AGM 02 - 04 March 2013
AGM 01 - 26 March 2012
Latest NAPP bulletin
NAPP bulletin March 2015