• Doctor / patient confidentiality will be of paramount importance at all times.
• Members of the PPG will not discuss their own GP, their individual illnesses, condition or nature of treatment during any ‘virtual’ group correspondence or at any of the patient participation group meetings.
• Members of the PPG do not require information about individual patient’s identity, illness, condition or nature of treatment and should not seek it. If patients willingly disclose such information in the course of discussions, members should receive this in the strictest confidence.
• If a member of the PPG, or any patient, has a specific complaint there is a separate complaints procedure to follow, i.e. the PPG is not the appropriate forum to discuss individual’s complaints. Please refer to the practice’s complaints policy and procedure.
• Protocols (agreed with the practice) will be in place to enable the PPG to access other practice patients in order to undertake surveys, etc.
• Members are expected to conduct themselves with courtesy and consideration for others, whilst retaining the ability to be constructively critical where this is appropriate.
• Members of the PPG are not expected to approach the media without the prior approval of the practice.
• If speaking as a PPG member in a public forum or in a private or informal discussion, members should ensure that they reflect the current view of the PPG, whether they agree with it or not.
• PPG members have a responsibility to respect and promote the corporate or collective decision of the PPG even though this may conflict with their personal view.
• PPG members are, of course; ultimately free to comment as they wish as individuals. However, if they decide to do so they should make it clear that they are expressing their personal view and not the PPG’s view.
• Members should make sure that their comments are well considered, sensible, well informed, in good faith, in the public interest and without malice and that they enhance the reputation and status of the PPG. Comments should be with a view to improving the primary care services for the community of Scarborough.