Huntingdon Road Surgery Patient Group Constitution
As revised and approved at the AGM in August 2018
- Purpose
The purpose of the Patient Group (PG) is to facilitate communication between Huntingdon Road Surgery (HRS) and the patients registered at the HRS. This helps inform HRS in making decisions about the healthcare it provides and also helps inform patients at HRS about the healthcare services provided. The PG also keeps its members informed of developments in health care at regional and national level.
- Role of the PG - the PG helps deliver this purpose by:
- initiating reviews of patients’ opinions of services at HRS and collating feedback.
- ensuring HRS takes account of these reviews and feedback to help improve its service to patients.
- organising meetings of patients and interested parties on topical health care issues of interest to patients.
- supporting patients to have their views listened to by ensuring good communications between patients and HRS. This should only be undertaken with the patient’s consent
- producing newsletters
- other activities as agreed by the PG and HRS
It should be noted that the PG does not deal with patient complaints. These should be directed to the Office Manager, or to the Patient Experience Team at CATCH Locality Commissioning Group.
3. Membership of the PG
Membership of the PG is open to all patients at HRS and it is important to the development of the practice that the PG is as representative as possible of the whole patient population. The PG also includes a GP partner and may include other members of the administrative team or HRS staff as appropriate. Community representatives and other professionals may attend by invitation.
The PG meets at least four times a year and the PG Secretary circulates an agenda in advance of each meeting. This enables all PG members to raise any issues and pass on their comments and ideas to the Secretary for consideration at the meeting whether or not they are able to attend. The Secretary records all decisions taken in the minutes of the meeting which are sent out to all PG members within the following two weeks and added to HRS website.
Within the PG there is a group of not more than 12 active volunteers, known as the Committee. The Committee acts as a steering group for the PG activities and is responsible to the whole PG for ensuring that these activities are carried out. The Committee includes the PG Officers. Formal applicants to join the Committee are considered by the Committee in consultation with HRS. Members of the Committee will be asked to sign a confidentiality statement and to conform to the statement. Any breaches of confidentiality may result in removal from the Committee. The Committee meets as frequently as necessary with minutes of the meetings kept by the PG Secretary
From time to time, the PG may also set up working groups to focus on particular tasks or issues that affect HRS patients. Membership of such working groups is open to any PG members with a relevant interest, and they may co-opt community representatives and/or appropriate professionals to assist them where appropriate.
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the PG is to be held each September. Should any urgent matters arise, the GP Partner and Chairperson may call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to which all patients will be invited.
- How to join the PG
We want our PG to be truly representative of our patient population. No special qualifications or experience are required and we encourage you to participate.
If you are interested in becoming a PG member, please complete an application form and deposit it in the PG Post Box in either Huntingdon Road or Girton surgeries. If you would like to make any comments or suggestions please let us know by using the ‘Contact Us’ tab in the ‘Patient Group’ section of the practice’s website or by leaving a note for the PG Secretary in the PG post boxes in Huntingdon Road or Girton surgeries.
- Election of PG officers
Elections of officers to facilitate the running of the PG will be held annually at the AGM in September each year. Nominations can be made by any member of the PG and these should be seconded by another member. All nominations should be submitted to the PG Secretary at least two weeks in advance of the AGM to allow details to be circulated to all members in advance of the AGM. Officers must be willing to serve on both the PG and Committee for a period of 1 year and may or may not choose to stand for re-election.
Officers include:
- Chairperson – to manage the conduct and running of the PG and Committee meetings
- Vice-Chairperson – to deputise for the Chairperson
- Secretary – to take responsibility for agendas, minutes, correspondence and general administration
- Assistant Secretary – to deputise for the Secretary when necessary and to share the workload
- Publications Officer
- A Treasurer may also be elected should the need arise
- Confidentiality
Confidentiality is an extremely important principle in the provision of healthcare and this principle will be extended to the activities of the PG. All members of the PG will be expected to maintain confidentiality, within the PG, to HRS and specifically to individuals within the group, of all sensitive information.