We have formed a new PCN Patient Participation Group (PPG) Board.

The Chesham & Little Chalfont PCN is formed from 4 practices:

Little Chalfont Surgery

New Surgery

Watermeadow Surgery

Gladstone Road Surgery

The PCN practices have identified patients with lived experiences from the Core20Plus5 groups that make up the PCNs population.
These are people whose views are seldom heard and are able to provide insight into certain aspects of health and wellbeing that historically have been more challenging to garner.

The patients cover the following areas: 

Severe Mental Illness (RM)
Alcohol Misuse (SB)
Asylum Seeker (RM)

Learning Disability (PR)
Maternity (PR)
Accessible Needs - Difficulties Reading and Writing (SB)
Health Anxiety (SB)
Hypertension (AR)
Multiple Long-Term Conditions (AR)
Older Adults (SB)
Deprived Geographical Areas as per IMD

The patients will act as subject matter experts and function as the PCN PPG Board.
The practices will be able to liaise with these patients to gather feedback on relevant matters that arise, particularly in relation to areas of their lived experience.

Next Steps:
The PPG Practice Leads will liaise with the identified PCN PPG Board members over the coming months as matters arise. The PCN practices will look to support them to continue engage in providing feedback, and address any barriers or fears that may arise from aiming to do so.

The practices have had to be proactive in their approach to identifying the aforementioned subject matter experts for the PCN PPG Board.
Having a practice PPG Lead for each of the PCN practices has been really helpful in coordinating this and acting as a point of contact for the patients.
The practices have also had to be novel in their approach to offering how to engage with members of the Core20Plus5 population. Quite often they have commented that they are happy to be involved but would not be able to make meetings. Therefore the PCN will look to tailor the approach to communicating with each member of the board and personalise this approach where necessary to increase engagement and overcome barriers eg by communicating via phone/email/ video as requested by the individual patient.