Patient Participation Group

The Sonning Common Health Centre Patient Participation Group (PPG) is a group of patients and GP practice staff who meet to discuss practice issues and patient experience to help improve the service, to provide practical support to the health centre team when required and to organise health events of interest to our local community.

We aim to be representative and welcome your views, feedback and ideas for improvements to the healthcare services provided. The PPG patient members can not provide any medical advice, discuss medical issues or concerns about treatment. These should all be addressed directly with the Health Centre staff.

To contact the PPG email schcppg@gmail.com or fill in a PPG Contact form available from the Health Centre reception.

HenleySonNet – Primary Care Network which includes The Bell Surgery, The Hart Surgery, Nettlebed Surgery and Sonning Common Health Centre invite you to a free and informative talk about new roles within our network – Social Prescribers and Clinical Pharmacists.

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Contact the PPG by emailing schcppg@gmail.com

Upcoming talks here:

Previous talks/events:

Click on the posters to view the talks.

PPG other activities

The PPG team is always keen to provide practical support to the Heath Centre. Recent activities include marshalling attendees for the flu and Covid vaccination clinics, undertaking a car park survey to monitor misuse and suggest improvements, participation in deciding the priorities of gift fund spending, resulting in new automatic doors and an information screen in the waiting room.

PPG: who are we? 

It is a requirement of NHS England for all GP practices to have a PPG and for this to be representative of the practice population and we believe that the Sonning Common Health Centre PPG reflects this with a wide variety of skills, work experience and ages. The Sonning Common PPG also works with other PPGs within our PCN (Primary Care Network) to share information between local practices and hold joint health information events.

Our current PPG members are all long term patients of the Sonning Common Health Centre who recognise how lucky we are to have an excellent local healthcare team and want to support them in practical ways to help improve the patient experience. The PPG team is:

Vicky (Chair): a physiotherapist who worked in the NHS for 9 years before starting her own practice in the private health care sector.

David: an IT industry entrepreneur now retired having run his own and other people’s companies in the technology sector.

Barry: After University Physics Research in NMR went into manufacturing and service industries. In mid- life launched an entrepreneurial career in finance as well as a career with Ofsted. In the noughties entered local politics becoming Mayor of Henley-on-Thames and helping to save Townlands Hospital. Now retired in Peppard.

Marlena: worked for 16 years in adult social care planning and commissioning services for people with disabilities, older people and carers and now a life coach helping people overcome stress, anxiety and life challenges. Has proudly completed four wheelchair half marathons.

Gareth Edwards– My family became patients of the Health Centre when we moved to Sonning Common in the early 1970s. Born and educated in Wales, followed by five years at Reading University. I spent my working life in the food industry, with responsibilities including nutrition and food safety assessment of new foods. I have spent the last 20 years as an independent consultant, advising on food issues in the UK, Europe and other international countries. I am a member of the Nutrition Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH).

Sally Charlesworth – Retired from roles in a number of public sector organisations including Local Government (Housing), NHS (Midwifery), and Education (Primary School Teaching Assistant): not at all retired from many years of being a Mum and now a Grandmother!

Sue Litchfield – I worked as a medical administrator at a GP surgery for 15 years before retiring. I then undertook voluntary work at Sonning Common Health Centre. Currently as Health Champion within the PPG, I organise the Topic table in the lobby, help event planning and have prepared and now update ‘Healthy Activities for all ages’.

Angela Cordell – I am relatively new to Sonning Common & love living here in this friendly community. I’ve had to use the services of our wonderful surgery a lot in this past year and saw a chance to give back & serve my community. I enjoy Nordic walking, cooking and gardening . I am a great grandmother & get lots of joy spending time with all my family who are on the other side of the river, the wrong side!!!

Neville Varnham – Two years into retirement after a career in IT, solution selling and Project Management, including 8 years’ self-employment. Although I have never worked in healthcare I am confident that I can tackle tasks relating to data, analysis, processes, projects and communication. My motivation for volunteering in the PPG is that I believe we have an excellent Health Centre, very much worth protecting and nurturing, and if I am able to help do that, even in a small way, I think it would be effort well spent.

If you are interested in learning more about the role of a PPG member contact our chair, Vicky, by email: schcppg@gmail.com

PPG and AGM (Annual General Meeting) Minutes

Minutes of our meetings are available to any patient of the Sonning Common Health Centre.

Here are links to the meeting minutes.

Further Information

To learn more about your Sonning Common Health Centre PPG, to comment on any of our activities, to suggest subjects for future events or if you have any questions or ideas – please email schcppg@gmail.com or click on the link below to leave a message via the Health Centre’s contact us form.

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