More people are being encouraged to have a say in their surgeries as part of the current National Patient Participation Awareness Week.
Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) provide a way for patients to help shape the services their local GPs provide.
Many are looking for more members of the public to get involved, including those at Sutton Medical Group which covers Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge and Abbeyview Surgery.
The latter’s PPG, which covers a host of local villages, has used the week to launch an appeal for new members.
Its chairman Sally Waltham, said: “’We work with Abbeyview Surgery to provide good GP services responsive to the needs of the local community.
“Our achievements are many and wide ranging from organising a variety of health related events to monitoring services using patient feedback.
“We are a friendly informal group and are seeking new members to widen the involvement in providing this support.”
A display on the PPG’s work is available at the surgery all this week or you can get more information by emailing abbeyviewpatientsgroup
@gmail.com
Around 15,000 people use the Sutton Medical Group and its PPG wants more to help with its fundraising events and initiatives.
Chairman Helen Williams said: “We meet monthly with the Practice to represent patient views as well as organising fundraising activities.
“Over the last two years we have raised more than £2000 which helps to fund non standard equipment.
“In response to patient suggestions we have recently purchased some higher chairs for our waiting rooms which help those people with mobility issues or joint pains.”
