Oxford has 18 practices serving a diverse population of around a quarter of a million patients. A quarter of patients are students, the highest proportion in the country (2011 census). The city also has a significantly higher number of ethnic minority residents (36%) than other areas and has the second highest ethnic minority population in the South East. (JSNA 2018)
Patient Participation Groups (PPGs)
All practices are required to have a PPG. However the way in which they are organised in the city is as varied as the population. Some are managed and run by the practice, some by the patients themselves, some meet regularly, others are ‘virtual’ and communicate by email. Some have a patient who acts as Chair, and a few have a more formal committee structure.
The thing that they all have in common is that members are all volunteers, and that other than resources provided by the practices, there is no funding.
What do they do?
What PPGs do is also varied. There are some great examples including community health days and walks from practices. However, other PPGs are less well developed, and report spending time discussing the number of posters in the waiting room!
What are the challenges?
PPG members are, on the whole, retired, not ethnically diverse, and do not reflect the diverse population of Oxford. How to change this has been a constant topic of debate amongst PPG Chairs.
How can I find out more about my PPG?
Many practices have a section on their website which explains how their PPG works. You can also ask the reception staff at the practice.
You can also download the information page below.
Oxford Patient Network 