What is the Finchampstead Patient Reference Group (FPRG)?

At Finchampstead Surgery, the Finchampstead Patient Reference Group (FPRG) was formed to meet a series of Government initiatives for the Surgery to have a Patient Participation Group to representative the Practice’s patients. As in similar groups attached to other surgeries nationwide, this group provides input and feedback on a variety of topics related to the surgery and other local healthcare providers.

The FPRG is managed and administered by the Finch Patients Forum (FPF), a committee made up of patient representatives and two members of the Practice; the Practice Manager and a GP. The FPF recruit patients to become members of the FPRG who agree to take part in a number of short on-line surveys on relevant topics. Those who do not have internet access can receive paper copies from the Surgery.

The surveys cover a range of matters related to the Surgery and the work of other healthcare providers allowing FPRG members’ views to be noted. They also give the opportunity to raise any aspects of the Surgery’s services not covered in surveys and make suggestions as to how these might be improved.

It is important to note however that the FPF is interested in improving services for the benefit of patients overall and will not consider individual complaints or issues which should be taken up with the Surgery in the normal manner.

Terms of Reference

Why join the FPRG?

To have your say on planned changes to healthcare services in the local area. You may not require such services at the moment but at some stage you and/or your loved ones will need to use them. We want to ensure that they are not only of excellent quality but fully meet your requirements, dealing with whatever situations might arise in a caring, efficient and professional manner. In return for a small amount of your time, your voice can be heard along with those of other members and collective opinions can be contributed to the planning and development of new and existing services in the area. Survey results together with other topical Surgery/health-orientated information is distributed via the FPRG newsletter which is emailed to members and paper copies are available in the Surgery. Newsletters are not issued on a regular basis but as required when information needs to be conveyed.

How to Join

Simply complete this form or alternatively, pick up a leaflet at the Surgery or one of a number of local pharmacies, fill in the details and return it to the Surgery or  send an email to ppg.finchampstead@nhs.net asking to join the FPRG and giving your name and email address and we will do the rest.

What Members of the FPRG Should Expect…

To be a member of the FPRG means you agree to complete one or two short surveys throughout the year. These can be completed online or on paper at a time convenient to you and returned to the surgery for analysis. Results will be distributed via the newsletter.

Our membership of Wokingham Area Patient Participation Group (PPG) Forum

The FPF is one of 13 similar PPG’s in Wokingham. Each of these can send representatives to the Wokingham Area PPG which is attended by the Wokingham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). The Forum allows both patient groups and the CCG to raise issues, discuss ideas and design patient consultations. The Forum meets quarterly and provides support to patient groups enabling them to share information and experience. Further information can be found here.

• Wokingham area PPG

Data & Security

Although affiliated to the Finchampstead Surgery, the FPF is an independent body and therefore has no access to data held by the Surgery. Therefore in order to carry out our activities we have to collect and maintain our own data directly from members of the FPRG. Data collected will be held securely and will not be shared with third parties nor will it be used to promote individual healthcare services.

Primarily the data collected will be used to enable us to communicate with you on matters directly related to the FPRG as outlined in the section ‘What members of the FPRG should expect’. Secondly the data will be used in the analysis of the findings to help us to understand whether any opinions expressed are held more strongly by particular members of the community such as specific age groups or people living in particular areas. All completed surveys will be combined and analysed together and anonymous general feedback will be published. Nobody will have access to individual responses. In some instances individual comments or experiences may be used to emphasise findings but these will not be attributed to named individuals.

The information we request from you and hold in our database will be the minimum required to carry out FPRG activities. From time to time we will have to ask you to refresh the information you have already provided in order that we can keep it up to date. Occasionally we may also have to ask for additional information if needed to enable us to investigate specific areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Patient Reference Group?
A group of patients who agree to share their opinions to help ensure that the Surgery provides the services the community needs.

Why should I join?
We would like as many people as possible to have their say in what is required and how services should be developed so that the Surgery can offer the best possible service to patients.

Will you ask me about my medical condition?
No. You will only be asked questions about the practice and the service it provides.

Will I require any medical knowledge?
No.

Will this really make a difference?
Yes. You will be provided with updates on what is being done as a result of the surveys.

Can I change my mind?
Yes at any time you can ask to be removed from the group and this will be done as quickly as possible.

Who else will have access to my contact details?
All information you provide will be kept safe and secure and will only be used for the purpose it has been provided for. Your information will not be shared with anyone else.

Who will see my answers?
All completed surveys will be combined and analysed together but will remain anonymous. General feedback will be published but nobody will have access to individual responses. In some instances individual comments or experiences may be used to emphasise findings but these will not be attributed to named individuals.

Will my doctor have access to my feedback?
No. Your doctor will see the anonymous general feedback produced as a result of the analysis of the surveys, he/she will not have access to individual comments made by named individuals.

Will I be told or do I need to understand the Finchampstead Surgery resources and their budget?
No. Obviously budget and resource limitations will have to be taken into account in any proposed changes that are considered and those decisions will be made by the Partners. An explanation of any constraints on the findings and recommendations will be fed back to you.

Leaving the FPRG

The opinions of all members of the group are very important and we will be sorry to see anyone leave. If you wish to unsubscribe simply email us at ppg.finchampstead@nhs.net giving your name and your contact details and you will be removed from the circulation lists as quickly as possible. If no internet access is available, simply drop into the surgery and request your details be removed. It would be helpful to know the reason for leaving but this is not obligatory.