PPI group

Yeovil District Hospital is committed to involving patients and the public in the planning and delivery of services relating to health and social care. Involving patients and the public is a vital part of ensuring quality care and ultimately a better patient experience.

Key to ensuring we get feedback from patients is our Patient and Public Involvement Group. This is made up of volunteers who regularly attend meetings with the opportunity of sharing their opinions on a variety of hospital issues. You can become as involved as you wish; we have many lay members who belong to a single group or project which can be either short- or long term. Travel expenses are paid.

In practice, members attend as observers or participate in some of the 17 or so hospital committees that meet on a regular basis. These meetings deal with some of the complex functions that are essential to the smooth running of the hospital.

Involvement in a more temporary way might be through interest in a specific short-term project or helping develop patient information leaflets which are easily understood and designed to ensure that patients have all the facts they need to make an informed choice.

Joining the PPI Involvement Group has various rewards:

• the satisfaction and reassurance of knowing your views and concerns are being heard and that you are working for the benefit of patients and the general public
• a better understanding of the structure and functions of your local hospital
• the opportunity to work with health service professionals across the Trust and contribute to the future service needs of the hospital.

There is great scope for public involvement and we warmly welcome new members. Anyone who is interested in joining the group should contact Communications Officer, Amy Mercer on 01935 384233 or by email amy.mercer@ydh.nhs.uk