Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what terms of reference apply to the activities of practitioner-patient consultative groups; and what guidance they give to such groups.

General practice (GP) Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) are a requirement in the GP Contract, as specified in The National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts) Regulations. Providers must establish and maintain a group to obtain feedback from patients on the services they deliver.

The form a PPG takes is not specified. This provides flexibility for practices to work in partnership with people and communities in the ways that best support the local population. The contractor is expected to engage with the group at frequent intervals throughout the financial year, as agreed with the group, with the view to obtain, review, and implement patient feedback. As such, PPGs are financed under the Global Sum Payments, which covers all services included in these regulations.