The next patient congress will be on Thursday 23^rd February between 6pm and 8pm, venue TBA. The purpose of the next meeting is to be able to give those patients who have been elected as their practice representative for the Patient Congress, an insight of what their roles will be and what is expected of them. It will give them the opportunity to put themselves forward for the role of patient representative for the board, and to produce a pen picture of themselves so that they all get to know each other and share information about each other, so that they can they run their election in early/mid March for the board.

ASHFIELD MEDICAL CENTRE & PATIENT PARTICIPATION GROUP (PPG)

PATIENT PARTICIPATION CONGRESS

ELECTION OF PATIENT REPRESENTATIVE

MK Commissioning is developing an engagement process to ensure patients can be involved in decision making.

To do this, they are introducing a group made up of elected representatives from each Practice which will be called the PPG Congress.

This group will work together to influence the commissioning process to meet the needs of patients through representation on the main Clinical Commissioning Board (CCB) and five specialist programme boards.

Ashfield Medical Centre is able to elect a representative to the Congress and all PPG/PRG (Patient Representative Group) members have the opportunity to stand for election and to vote.

The representative must declare any conflicts of interest, as they are being elected to serve their Practice and local population and not any other groups.

The representative will hold the post for two years.

The first meeting of the fully elected PPG Congress will take place in mid-February 2012 and representatives to the Congress need to be elected by Monday 6 February 2012.

If you wish to be considered for election, please Email sueward100@sky.com by 27 January 2012. Should there be more than one candidate, then an election will take place in the week commencing 30 January 2012.

For more information please contact:

Kim Foy-Olowu, (CCG Practice Manager Representative) – Kim.foy@mkpct.nhs.uk

Andrew Foster, Communications & Engagement Officer Andrew.foster@northants.nhs.uk or 01604 651160