A further £10,000 has been added to the fund designed to support the activity of Patient Participation Groups (PPGs).
Organisers say the increase comes after an “overwhelming response” to the Making a Difference fund, with more than 100 applications received in the first of two rounds of awards from those looking to secure a share of the £20,000 initially made available.
The fund was launched in August 2009 by the Growing Patient Participation campaign, to support PPG-led initiatives aimed at improving health services available to the local community.
A first round of awards was made at the end of last year, and PPGs have another chance to bid for funding in a second round, the deadline for which is next Tuesday (12 January 2010).
PPGs can bid for up to £4,000 to fund a new initiative or support the continuation of valuable existing activities. All types and sizes of initiative will be considered, however the successful bids must demonstrate that they are achievable, will respond to local patient needs, and will have a real impact on the health and well-being of the local population.
Entries received to date include funding bids to:
- Support services for vulnerable patients.
- Help run health promotion events.
- Devise new ways of communicating with patients.
- Carry out research into out-of-hours service provision.
Related story: £20,000 fund launched to support Patient Participation Groups
