Patient participation groups. A way to improve primary health care

Principal aims of the Government's proposed changes for general practice are to devise arrangements that are sensitive to the views and opinions of the public and to create a service that is responsive to the needs of the patient. The green paper briefly touched upon the use of patient participation groups (PPGs) but the white paper--a statement of what the Government actually intends to do--appears to rely on local public opinion surveys conducted by FPCs as the main way of taking account of the patient's view. Clive Dench suggests that PPGs may be a more effective and efficient means to achieve Government policy and offers a system for the development of PPGs.