The Peverell Park Surgery Focus Group is a voluntary group established in 2001 to act as a "critical friend" to the Practice. It has a current membership of 5, all of whom are enrolled with the Practice. The Focus group provide a point of contact for both the Practice and the patients registered at the Practice. They can help any patient who might have a view on how the services provided by the Surgery might be improved or expanded; whilst on the other, it can provide a sounding board for any new initiative which the Partners may wish to introduce. Members of the Group can be contacted on Plymouth 791438 during normal surgery hours.

The Group meets on 4 or 5 occasions during the year and works closely with the Practice Manager. It tends to be ‘task orientated’ and conveys details of work it has undertaken through the Surgery Newsletter which it compiles 3 or 4 times a year. Among its more noteworthy achievements have been:

• the encouragement of a successful campaign to relocate an electricity substation thereby creating additional surgery space;
• identifying accommodation for a local Mother & Baby Group;
• participating in the appointment process for new doctors;
• influencing the internal design of the re-vamped surgery

During its lifetime the Group has also organised and overseen, periodically, the completion of questionnaires which have provided patients with the opportunity of commenting upon the work of the Practice and offering ideas as to how services might be built upon or improved.

For the Group to continue its work effectively in the future, patients are encouraged to contact Group members by phone or to take advantage of the facility for completing "suggestion slips" and leaving them in Reception.