Patient Participation Group

We would like to know how we can improve our service to you and how you perceive the Practice and our staff.

At Fulwell Medical Centre we have had a successful patient group for many years. We have extended the group to include a “virtual group” who are happy to be contacted occasionally regarding issues at the surgery and give their views.

All new patients are routinely asked if they would join the Patient Group and a letter of explanation is distributed with new patient packs. The current age group in the group does not fully represent the practice as a whole.The practice is actively looking for patients from the following groups:

  • Under the age of 40
  • Belonging to an ethnic minority
  • Parents
  • Carers

If you are interested in joining our Patient Participation Group, please contact Mrs Carole Hutchinson, Practice Manager or Mel Nobrega, Assistant Practice Manager. Alternatively you can complete the online form by clicking on the button shown below.

OR: if you prefer, you can download the sign-up form below, print it out, fill it in, and post it to the Practice, put it through the letterbox, or hand it to a Receptionist.

We aim to acknowledge your request within a few days.

Please note that the PPG cannot become involved in matters of a specifically medical or clinical nature.

The information you supply us will be used lawfully, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Data Protection Act 2018 gives you the right to know what information is held about you and sets out rules to make sure that this information is handled properly.

What would be expected from a group member?

We are looking for patients who can make a positive contribution to the development of the practice.

Membership entails being consulted on issues via email, helping to compile the annual survey and reviewing the results of the survey, giving your opinion and proposing new initiatives. The review can be done via email or by attending  a meeting with other members of the group and representatives of the practice.

Profile of the patient group

The group has two parts: the meeting group and the virtual group.

The meeting group is made up of the patients who have agreed to attend occasional meetings to discuss issues, contribute to and discuss the patient survey. Currently the meeting group has seven members, six female and one male, aged between thirty-one and eighty-two. One member of the group is a parent of small children.

The virtual group is made up of patients who have agreed to be contacted by email for their views on various issues and who contribute to the construction of the patient survey.  There are twenty six members of the virtual group who are a good representation of the practice population. The age range is from eighteen to eighty two and the group is roughly evenly split between male and female. It includes members of ethnic minorities and has carers amongst its numbers. The virtual group is asked annually if they would be interested in being members of the meeting group.

Patient group representation

The practice has a section in the patient leaflet that asks all new patients if they would like to join the patient group. The practice website similarly asks all patients if they would like to join either the meeting or the virtual group. It outlines the role of the group and what is expected of patients who do join. The website currently makes a special invitation for patients in groups that are under represented.

The Practice opening hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 6:00pm.

Access for appointments can be made in three ways:

  1. By attending the practice in person
  2. By telephone during core hours
  3. By on line access (24 hour access)