Omnia Practice Patient Participation Group
Ann Parnaby, coordinator of the Omnia Practice PPG in Birmingham, talks about injecting creativity into the running of the PPG and responding to patient feedback.
Creative beginnings
The Patient Participation Group at the Omnia Practice in Birmingham was born out of an Art in Health group that was run at the surgery when they were looking for new art to display in their extension. The practice secured grants and donations from various means to employ a local artist, who delivered workshops in photography, weaving and clay making at the surgery, once a week for fifteen weeks.
Ann Parnaby said: “When the idea of an Art group was first mentioned to the patients there was no interest at all, but with a little coaxing and assurance we secured a group of around twelve people which grew to as many as twenty people some weeks. As the weeks progressed and the group felt more secure with each other, it came to light that they all had a talent that they had buried for some years.
“Some people did abstract art, some sketching and some painting - but none had ever tried photography and this is where the greatest achievement was. We have large collages in the surgery that are real show stoppers. When the art was complete and all the money was used for outside help, the group became the Patient Participation Group. By this time the group had forged real friendships and felt a great sense of purpose - and most carried on their art in their own time.”
Building momentum
The PPG has now been running for eighteen months, with eight members who meet quarterly to discuss ways to improve the patient experience. The Omnia Practice is in an inner city area, with a very mixed culture. The group is very willing to embrace diversity and makes positive steps to ensure that suggestions enhance all patient experiences.
Activities have included setting up a suggestion box in the reception area, which can be used anonymously for suggestions about the practice, and producing a quarterly newsletter which is used to provide health information and detail any changes within the surgery, such as appointment times. All teams in the surgery have input into the newsletter, each submitting an article for inclusion.
Responding to feedback
The group also uses the annual patient survey conducted at the surgery, and aims to address any comments of concern. The staff appreciates the positive comments about the practice and the PPG always aims to turn any negative comments into positives before they meet again as a group in order to demonstrate progress and success.
The group also suggests what they would like to see on the health promotion boards at the practice, which ensures that patients have all the information they need, and that the important messages are repeated regularly to achieve impact.
Poets' Corner
The PPG has also recently launched a ‘poet’s corner’ and is calling on patients who have a flare for poetry or wish to express themselves, to drop into the surgery with their written poetry which will then be displayed for all to share.