Your questions answered
What support is available from NHS Gloucestershire ICB's Engagement team for my PPG?
The NHS Gloucestershire ICB Engagement Team supports practices and PPGs to engage with their practice population about changes and developments such as branch closures, staff changes and premises developments.
The Team also provides planning advice and practical hands on support for PPG activities such as: survey development, event planning, event facilitation, loan of equipment.
We can also help and support a PPG that may be going through changes, for example, may want to re-launch or has a change in their Chair. Please do contact us and we will be happy to help you and your PPG.
What equipment can I hire from NHS Gloucestershire ICB?
NHS Gloucestershire ICB has a range of equipment that PPGs can hire at no charge. This includes:
Table top and floor standing display boards, NHS branded table cloths, Ketso facilitation kits, speaker systems, portable hearing loop and flip chart paper and pens.
The NHS Gloucestershire Information Bus (and driver!) is also available for PPGs and practice events. Please contact us if you are interested in knowing more, call 07342 093 777 or email glicb.informationbus@nhs.net
How have you worked with Healthwatch to support PPGs in Gloucestershire?
Healthwatch Gloucestershire attends the PPG Network meetings. NHS Gloucestershire ICB worked with Healthwatch Gloucestershire to produce a facilitating feedback pack for PPG members in Gloucestershire.
Facilitating Feedback Introduction
Vox Pop and Digital Storytelling
Event Evaluation Survey template
What useful resources do NHS England provide?
Understanding NHS jargon – When you are new to working with the NHS it can be difficult to get used to some of the language and terms that are used. A jargon buster can be found here
Learning and development opportunities from NHS England for volunteers can be found here
Help with involving a more diverse group of participants can be found here
The NHS Youth Forum have provided some top tips for involving young people in PPG’s which can be found here
What is the GP Friends and Family Test?
The Friends and Family Test (FFT) is an important feedback tool that supports the fundamental principle that people who use NHS services should have the opportunity to provide feedback on their experience. It asks people if they would recommend the services they have used and offers a range of responses. When combined with supplementary follow-up questions, the FFT provides a mechanism to highlight both good and poor patient experience. Since it was initially launched in April 2013, the FFT has been rolled out in phases to most NHS-funded services in England, including GP practices, giving all patients the opportunity to leave feedback on their care and treatment.
The real strength of the FFT lies in the follow up questions that can be attached to the initial question. These are a rich source of patient feedback that can be used locally to highlight and address concerns much faster than more traditional survey methods. The results can be used by practices to track progress over time. An example of this can be found here.
There are three key requirements of GP practices set out in the guidance:
1.to make the opportunity to provide feedback through the FFT available to all patients at any time;
2.to submit FFT data to the NHS England analytical team via the Calculating Quality Reporting Service (CQRS) each month; and
3.publish the data locally.
Practices are allowed to use a collection methodology that suits their local circumstances. Patients do not need to be asked to answer the FFT question after every appointment or contact with the practice, but they should be made aware that the opportunity to provide feedback is available.
What is NHS.uk?
The NHS website (previously known as NHS Choices)was launched in 2007 and is the official website of the National Health Service in England with over 48 million visits per month.
NHS.uk provides comprehensive health information service with thousands of articles, videos and tools, helping visitors to make the best choices about health and lifestyle, but also to make the most of NHS and social care services in England.
On line service directories let visitors find, choose and compare health, support and social care services in England. NHS.uk also publishes reviews and ratings across health and social care services, including GP practices. An example can be found here
What is the GP patient survey?
The GP Patient Survey is an independent survey run by Ipsos MORI on behalf of NHS England. The survey is sent out to over a million people across the UK. The results show how people feel about their GP practice. An example of this can be found here.