Patient Participation Group

A Patient Participation Group (PPG) was launched in 2013 in Gillingham to enable all patients of the Barn and Peacemarsh surgeries to have a say about services provided by the GP Practice. The PPG is promoted by Gillingham Health Forum in partnership with the GP Practice and NHS Dorset.

The group is a voluntary group aimed at advising the GP Practice on improvements to services; ensuring links are made between patients and the range of local support available and acts as a representative group to be called on to influence decision-making on the provision of health and social care.

Anyone interested in joining the Steering Group, which has regular meetings with Gillingham Medical practice staff, can make direct contact with the chair of the Steering Group: chairgillinghamppg@gmail.com

The Terms of Reference provide more detailed background information.

The PPG has also created a list of Local Pharmacy and Medical Services (below for version 6 uploaded on 26/4/2018), a potentially lifesaving leaflet about using defibrillators and where to access them locally in an emergency (version 2 uploaded on 28/9/2016) an extremely useful reminder of how to get the best from your doctor's appointment (version 2 uploaded on 17/1/2017), information about Vitamin D (uploaded on 26/9/2016) and advice on whether you need to see a doctor (uploaded on 17/1/2017).

They produce a newsletter titled "An Apple A Day"

Clearly, since the onset of Covid, activities have been curtailed, but the Steering Group still works actively with GMP to support it in the role of critical friend.