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Please see Merger Update letter for patients, 29/1/2026
Previous Updates......
This is a message from your Patient Participation Group that works with the Village Surgeries Group (VSG) Practice.
Back in July, the VSG Partners wrote to inform all patients that, as of 1st April 2026, The Village Surgeries Group (Tattenhall and Farndon) intended to merge with Laurel Bank Surgery (Malpas). Time has flown by, and as we approach the turn of the year, the plans for this have progressed; we’d like to provide a brief update from our perspective.
The Managing Partner from Laurel Bank, Edward Rigby, has attended our recent meetings and our first message is that there’s been a very open exchange, and we feel well informed and happy. We’ve also had a first meeting with members of the corresponding Laurel Bank PPG; in due course we’ll become one group.
This note is not intended to be a detailed communication but to convey that, in our view, this will be a positive change for us as patients, very little will change but any change will be positive and the GPs and staff we see today will still be there. However, as always, everyone reacts differently to change, and we recognize that there will be questions and uncertainties out there.
More communication is planned from the Practice between now and April but, in the meantime, we are offering a channel of communication through the PPG for questions, concerns and suggestions which we will endeavour to address in future communications. Please email anything to our e-mail address vsg.ppg@nhs.net
Patient PG
Non-urgent advice: The Aims of the Patient Participation Group
- To improve communication between the Practice, Patients and the wider community about matters concerning the Practice and health in general. Click here to read our Communications Review and action plan
- To offer opinions in a constructive manner and to put forward ideas on behalf of other patients.
- To act as a consultative group for any changes at the Practice.
- To monitor complaints and comments received about the Practice.
- To support, improve and protect services deemed necessary for an effective service for patients.
- To encourage a spirit of self help and support amongst patients, including promotion of health and wellbeing in the Practice catchment.
- To promote and campaign for patient services, without distinction of gender, race, physical and learning disability, sexuality, age and political or religious views.
These aims will be achieved by liaising with Patients, Practice staff, community health workers, NHS England commissioning bodies, other PPG’s and other public and third sector organisations concerned with health care.
What is the purpose of a PPG?
Non-urgent advice: Who are we and what do we do?
Your PPG was formed in 2017 and our role is to be a ‘critical friend’ to The Village Surgeries Group. We advise the on the VSG on the patient perspective and provide insight into the responsiveness and quality of services. It is very much a 2-way dialogue, with the Practice using us as a consultative group for any planned changes.
We have carried out 2 patient surveys to ensure your views are appropriately represented. We also work with the VSG, as well as other rural surgeries in Cheshire West, to encourage patients to take greater responsibility for their own health.
A key part of our role is communication. We provide a quarterly digital newsletter which is emailed by the Practice to all patients for whom the Practice holds an email address. In addition, the newsletter is posted on the Practice website, facebook site and a hard copy is displayed on the noticeboard in each surgery waiting room.
Minutes of Meetings
Click on the links below to download the documents:
Page created: 01 March 2024