The Patient Group was formed in 1993. The objectives of the Patient Group are:
An elected committee of the Patient Group meets on a regular basis with one of the practice partners and the practice manager. Every member of the Patient Group is invited to an annual general meeting, at which, by tradition, the doctors have provided a group of speakers to follow the short business meeting.
A good relationship exists between patient representatives and the Practice.
From its inception the Patient Group adopted a membership subscription, which was £10 per household per annum in 2018. However, from March 2019 the patient group became a charity and no longer requests a subscription. However, if members are prepared to make a voluntary annual donation to help to fund the education programme and the general running of the patient group that would be much appreciated.
How should Government find out what patients want from their Health Service? The development of an active patient group is seen as an effective process at the level of general practice.
A well run Patient Group can raise the level of trust between doctors and patients. By developing effective lines of communication, doctors can place patients at the centre of planning, and make patients aware of the difficulties which prevent the achievement of a medical utopia.
In an ideal world, every practice would have a patient group to represent the views of patients and to act as a channel of communication from the practice to its patients. In reality, patient groups do not yet exist in the majority of practices, although the number is growing, actively supported by the NHS.
The patient group founded by Davenport House as long ago as 1993, with 20% of its patients as members, is far from typical. The needs of a patient group from an impoverished inner-city practice are as different from those of Davenport House, based in the relative affluence of Harpenden, as they are from a scattered rural practice in deepest Dorset.
The principles that unite such disparate groups are common to all, but the means to achieve these ends are as varied as the communities they serve.
To find out more about Patient Participation visit the informative website of the National Association of Patient Participation (N.A.P.P), to which the Davenport House Patient Group is affiliated.
| Equipment Purchased | Date |
|---|---|
| Medical Cauterising Equipment | Jan-05 |
| 2-Section Hydraulic Couch for Treatment Room | Jul-06 |
| Contribution towards patient touch screen check in | Jul-07 |
| Finger Pulse Oximeter | Oct-09 |
| 6-Panel Display in Reception Area | Oct-09 |
| Contribution towards new Spirometry System | Mar-11 |
| Lobby Area Light Box | Aug-12 |
| Portable fridge 12 Litre | Sep-12 |
| Blood pressure POD | 2014 |
| TV Screen for information display (upstairs) | Sep-15 |
| TV Screen for information display (downstairs) | April 17 |
| Upgrade of phone lines | Sept 21 |
Recent purchases |
|
| PAT Testing | £394.79 |
| Phone Upgrades | £1465.00 |
| Legionella testing & staff training | £1477.60 |
| Annual tap temperature checks | £300.00 |
| New fridge | £1442.00 |
| Phone upgrades | £8,000.00 |
The Patient Group is run by a committee of volunteers who meet on a regular basis with members of the practice team. If you are interested in the organisation of the Patient Group - from planning its educational programme to creative input to the regular emailed bulletin to helping with the routine business of the committee - and would like to become more actively involved - please contact the group’s chairman:
Our programme of talks is an important element of the work of the Patient Group. The committee is always pleased to learn of topics which would interest members. If you would like to make your own interests known, please contact the Education Secretary (education@patientgroup.org.uk)