From 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 the NHS promoted the formation of GP PPGs. It issued documents: “Guidance”, “Creating a PPG – getting started guide”, a “Standard Reporting Template”, and an “Enhanced Service Specification for Patient Participation”, which gave detailed advice to Practices, offering them “…an overall payment of £0.36 per registered patient based on its achievement of the various components…” given in great detail.

The Specification’s “Aims” began “The purpose of … patient participation … is to ensure that patients are involved in decisions about the range, shape and quality of services provided by their practice. It aims to promote the proactive and innovative engagement of patients and carers through the use of effective Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) and to act on a range of sources of patient and carer feedback…” Specific aims followed.

The Herts Valleys Clinical Commissiong Group promoted a West Herts PPG Network, in April 2014 held a public meeting in Hemel, from May to June investigated if Practices had a PPG, and in April 2015 held a public meeting in Chiswell Green. I attended both meetings.

At the second, a representative from Parkfield PPG outlined the features of a good PPG.

Essential. Without the committed support of at least one partner and the practice manager and a core of patients to attend meetings and get things done, the PPG will fail.

Desirable. Someone must be responsible for admin, informing patients that the PPG exists, and recruiting them, probably a member of the practice staff with access to resources.

Activities.  Issue a newsletter. Survey patient opinion, with and on behalf of the practice. Discuss patient concerns and complaints with the practice manager. Discuss national NHS issues with the practice.

Campaign on national NHS issues. Raise funds for equipment.

So, why are we now, eleven years later, making another attempt to set up a PPG network? It is said that the GP contract requires practices to have a PPG but that the Care Quality Commission doesn’t insist on it, that some practices see PPGs as a threat to professional independence, or are too busy. When the Clinical Commissioning Groups were abolished, their successors, the Integrated Care Boards were, perhaps, less committed to PPGs and, as of 1 April 2026, the individual ICBs were abolished and replaced by Regional Clusters of ICBs, whose attitude to patient engagement and representation is not yet clear.

Herts patients have taken the initiative to fill the gap. Mike Carn and Justin Jewitt have set up a PPG Network for East and North Herts, and Kevin Minier one in South and West Herts. SAHPG supports their initiative. I wish Justin and Kevin every success and offer them three words of advice: “Keep things simple.” Don’t entangle and frustrate PPGs in committees, paper studies, working parties etc.  Do encourage, foster and support them.

JW (Chair SAHPG.) April 2026