Patient Participation Group Policy Statement

Overview
All residents of the Lime Tree Surgery’s catchment area are automatically eligible as members of Lime Tree Surgery Patients’ Group (the Patients’ Group). No registration, or payment, is required.

The Patients’ Group is managed by a volunteer committee whose members are elected at Annual General Meeting.

The Patients’ Group has no paid employees.

Purpose
Lime Tree Surgery Patients’ Group’s focus is to raise funds and receive donations to provide equipment and services for the benefit of all Lime Tree Surgery patients, where such equipment and services cannot be made available through the National Health Service.

The Patients’ Group does not provide a conciliation service over issues or complaints about the Surgery or the NHS.

Constitution

Lime Tree Surgery Patients’ Group has a formal Constitution which is on display at the Surgery. The Patients’ Group is a registered charity, no. 1053830, and an audited annual return is provided to the Charity Commission each year.

This Policy Statement is supplemental to the Constitution.

Health & Safety

We will take all reasonable care to ensure a safe environment for volunteers and visitors at meetings, talks and fundraising events. At our fetes and fairs we will not sell electrical goods, nor any secondhand goods that appear to be damaged or dangerous.

At meetings, talks and events we will ensure that no fire exits are blocked, and at seated events we will draw attention to the location of fire exits.

The Patients’ Group does not posses any premises, or computer display equipment.

Confidentiality
Lime Tree Surgery Patients’ Group does not possess, nor seeks to obtain, any individual patient medical or other details. If any information comes into our possession e.g. via the wording of a donation letter we will maintain strict confidentiality.

No patient data is held by the Patients’ Group on any computer system or similar.

The Patients’ Group does have a legal public duty to disclose any information to the appropriate authorities in terms of criminality, malpractice etc.

Equal Opportunities
The Patients’ Group policy is of zero tolerance towards discrimination including matters of age, gender, race, size, diet, physical or mental disability, wealth or health.

Complaints
Any complaint about the Patients’ Group should be addressed in writing to the Chair of the Group, c/o the Surgery.

Any individual does have the right to address complaints to the Charity Commission if a local resolution to the concern is not reasonably available.

Agreed by the Committee 26 September 2005