About – HSAG

About Hill Surgery Action Group

Why were we formed

While the HSAG recognises the efforts of the Hill Surgery Patient Participation Group (PPG), HSAG felt we needed far more confidence regarding its ability to adequately represent patients’ needs and concerns before and after the merger.

At the time of HSAG’s inaugural meeting date, The Hill Surgery PPG operated without a constitution, chair, or officers. While they had PPG members, there needed to be a clear structure, aims, or goals to help support patients. Limited information was available in the surgery sites to guide patients to the group. (Read meeting minutes here).

The HSAG was formed to represent the many thousands of patients who feel negatively impacted by the merger and to provide a cohesive voice for patient concerns.

Our aims

HSAG wants to collaborate with The Hill Surgery and PPG to find solutions.

To allow patients and practice staff to meet and discuss topics of mutual interest regarding their primary healthcare provision and services.

To provide a means for patients to become more involved, make suggestions about the healthcare services they receive, and become better educated on the available services.

To explore general issues from patient complaints and surveys, contribute to action plans and help monitor improvements.

To contribute feedback to the practice management and PPG to propose developments or changes.

To support health awareness and patient education.

What we do

The group meets regularly to discuss patient concerns. We originally attempted to provide a communication channel between patients and the practice. Sadly the practice refused to deal with HSAG as an independent body representing their patients, and asked us to communicate via their PPG.

At the request of the PPG Chairperson, HSAG committee members worked hard to provide the PPG with an acceptable Constitution, Terms of Reference and board voting rights, which were proposed, approved and voted through. Sadly, after just a short few months of constructive meetings, the practice decided to change the format of its Patient Participation and effectively dissolved the PPG Committee.

Members of HSAG and the PPG complained to Sussex ICB but apparently PPGs are not independent bodies and the final say lies with the practice.

HSAG will continue to run independently of the PP Format until such times as the PPG is re-structured and able to represent appropriately HSAG members.

Regular Meetings

Seek Improvements

Monitor Quality

Run Independently

Our members

As of April 2024, the HSAG had almost 300 members, but is eager to increase its membership further.

The HSAG’s first meeting, organised by Nick Andrews, HSAG Chair, occurred on February 9, 2024, at Blacklands Parish Hall, where concerns regarding The Hill Surgery merger were discussed. Prior to that meeting, membership had grown through social media postings on the community platform Nextdoor, where Nick created a Group Page for people to join and voice their concerns.

Nextdoor was the primary pathway for members, but other platforms like Facebook have also contributed to a growing wave of general concerns, as have various care groups such as HVA.
This is why the HSAG developed a website to centralise communication for members, patients and interested parties.

Who we are

Meet the board

Limitations of HSAG

HSAG members cannot provide medical advice to other patients or deal with personal/medical issues or individual patient complaints.

These should be dealt with outside the meeting following the practice’s already established procedures. However, generalised complaints and suggestions will be represented by the HSAG officers.

Membership of the HSAG does not prioritise Hill Surgery patients over other Hill Surgery patients for treatment, appointments, or preferential treatment of any kind. This group is strictly a patient forum, and members have no rights other than those of registered patients of The Hill Surgery. Failure to recognise this condition of membership may result in HSAG deregistering members.

Take part

Become a member

Membership is free, and we welcome your participation in our community. For more detailed information, please see the application process further below.