Dr Simmonds and Dr Kühnen

Dr Simmonds and Dr Kühnen Family Practitioners Local Patient Participation Report 2014-2015

The patient participation group (PPG) for the practice of Dr R Simmonds & Dr M Kühnen at Canterbury Health Centre was created in August/September 2011 in response to the Government’s, and the Department of Health’s, initiative to get patients more involved in the range and quality of the services provided by their GP practice. The Canterbury Health Centre PPG is now in its third year of being.

The patient participation group maintained its membership, and this year has 131 members all of whom are registered patients. All members are “virtual members”, there are currently no postal members, though the facility does exist for any patient who does not have access to the internet to be a member of the group. The group covers an age range between 18 and 88 years and represents patients from a variety of socio-economic, racial and religious backgrounds.

All new patients who join the surgery are invited to join the PPG. The practice staff regularly undertake patient contact data verification exercises, and all patients who have their details updated/verified are invited to join the PPG at that juncture. In addition thereto there are posters and leaflets displayed around the practice inviting membership.

The practice has endeavoured to obtain feedback from the PPG and the wider practice population via the website, notices displayed at the practice and via the production & distribution of a practice newsletter.

No issues have been raised by the PPG membership with the practice during the year. Feedback via both the NHS Choices Website and the Friends & Family Test has been positive. Indeed, at the date of writing, 92.5% of patients who have filed a Friends & Family return have indicated that they would be extremely likely to recommend this practice.

As there have been issues raised by the PPG, the practice has not agreed any action plans and has concentrated on maintaining the standard of service which the practice population has endorsed.

As a result of the previous PPG action plan, the following have been introduced:-

 The practice newsletters now include a short health advice section written by a GP

 HCA clinics have now been increased

 The practice has signed up to the Enhanced Patient Offer bringing additional services closer to the patient.