NHS Bradford & Airedale tPCT

Step 1: The initial set-up meeting identified communications, training and membership as key issues and targeted work will take place in each of these.  The Primary Care Trust (PCT) will produce a regular newsletter and the project will also link closely to the community engagement activities of the four commissioning groups that are buying services to meet local needs.

Step 2: The PCT surveyed 415 members of its Patient Panel to understand their views on patient participation within GP surgeries.  Nearly half (45%) said that they would be interested in joining a Patient Participation Group (PPG) if their practice had one.  The N.A.P.P. survey of practices is now complete.

Step 3: The PCT plans to organise six monthly networking events, the first of which took place at Bradford Football Club in May 2009, and has some great ideas about using these sessions to produce visual resources to promote PPGs further.  N.A.P.P. has been invited to present to the Boards of the different commissioning groups to gain their insights and hopes.

Step 4: The Action Plan has already been drafted and will be refined as the project develops.  The work is coordinated through quarterly steering group meetings.

Step 5: The resources that were prepared as part of the Growing Patient Participation Campaign have been widely circulated, especially the Step by Step guide to Getting Started.

For more information about the work going on in Bradford and Airedale, please email alexis.ritchie@bradford.nhs.uk