Patients are our partners

Churchill Health Care believes that myhealthlondon will really help encourage transparency about the NHS in London. It is one of the things that drives myhealthlondon, but we think it will do much more than that. myhealthlondon is about encouraging Londoners to take control of their healthcare; to work with local GPs, like us, in how they manage their own personal healthcare; to give people more choice; and to help make the decisions as to what local healthcare should look like. 

There are a number of ways in which you can take control of your own health.  From making the right lifestyle choices for you and your family; about quitting smoking; about healthier diet and more exercise, it is in your hands.  But you don’t have to do this alone. As your local GP practice we are here to help you, try us, it won’t hurt a bit.

Your lifestyle choice is not the only choice you have.  In fact you have a number of choices, like the right to choose a GP practice  and the right to change your GP practice if you are not happy with the practice you are registered with now. Click here for more advice.  You also have the right to choose which hospital you, or a member of your family, go to if your GP refers you for an operation or to see a specialist.  What is important to remember is that you have the right to be involved in all decisions that affect your healthcare, including your treatment. To see just exactly what your rights and choices are in the NHS please read the simple booklet called the NHS Constitution, here.

Making sure health professionals listen to you, and that you understand what they are saying to you

Going to see your GP or hospital consultant can often be daunting.  We go to the doctor usually because we are worried about our own health or the health a family member.  That can make us vulnerable, sometimes unable to express what we want to say properly, and often unable to understand what we are being told.  As GPs our focus is on getting the best for you.  We don’t want you to walk away from your consultation no wiser than when you came in and we certainly don’t want you to go away thinking that we have ignored you as a person. To help you, and us, we suggest taking a look here.   If you are unhappy with anything to do with your healthcare you can contact your local patient advisory and liaison service (PALS),  for more information. Remember, you can always talk to us if you are unhappy, sometimes we don’t know until you tell us.

Have your say in how we make decisions as to how we run our practice, and how health services are delivered locally

We are pleased to say that myhealthlondon is actively promoting the setting up of patient participation groups (sometimes known as patient reference groups and PPGs) throughout London and that our practice is very keen to recruit patients to our own PPG.

So what do we mean by patient participation groups (PPG)? At its simplest, patient participation means patients taking an active interest in their health care.  At the next level it is helping GPs plan how they run their local practice or even helping to plan local healthcare.

At present, most patient participation groups (PPGs) are involved within GP surgeries and health centres. Their priorities are developed and agreed locally in order to meet local needs and to reflect the interests and energies of the participants.  A summary of how PPGs make a difference can be found in this booklet here.Some groups have, for some years, looked beyond the surgery to the decisions made within the NHS that directly affect their community. Regrettably, most often it has been in reaction to decisions taken without adequate consultation. In many cases, patients and primary care professionals have supported each other in promoting the patient and public interest.Research carried out by the NHS Information Centre in January 2009 revealed that 40% of English practices now have a PPG. These groups are autonomous but they work with their GP practices to improve their practice and their local health services.

So join your local PPG or help start a group based around your practice or health centre, it can all be done online.  You can get advice from the NAPP National Association of Patient Participation Groups. http://www.napp.org.uk/