Get Involved
Involving local patients, members of the public, carers and patient representative groups is important to all of us at the CCG. We want to know we are commissioning the best possible services that meet the needs of local patients and represent the best possible value for money.
One of the key ways you can help is to tell us about your experiences of using local health services – what went well, what didn't go so well or where you think improvements could be made.
There are many ways to get involved and let us know your experience:
- Engage with us directly. Our contact details can be found on the Contact Us page
- Join our Newsletter mailing list by filling in the box at the bottom of this page or emailing us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Join your local doctor’s Patient Participation Group (find details at your GP surgery)
- Get involved with Healthwatch Essex
- Make a comment, give us a compliment, or tell us how we can do things better by contacting our Patient Experience Team.
- Follow us and get in touch on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or YouTube.
- Attend our Board Meetings held in public, and ask us a question - follow the link for the next meeting date.
- Know your rights, set out in the NHS constitution
Read our newsletter
We send out a bi-monthly newsletter for anyone interested in the work of the CCG. You could be a patient, a member of the local community or just someone interested in how the local NHS works in your area. Our latest issue is available to read.
If you would like to receive a copy of the newsletter to your inbox, contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or fill in the form at the bottom of this page.
Please note we use DotDigital (an email distribution service) to send our newsletter to you. This allows us to gather statistics regarding email openings and clicks to articles so we can see what people find interesting and use to improve the content of the newsletter. They have their own privacy policy which you can read.
Sign up to our Citizens Group network
We have launched an an online network for general public, patients and voluntary groups. We are conscious that everyone's lives are very busy and that sometimes a traditional day or evening meeting can take up time or be hard to get to. We want to include as many people as possible to ensure that those who are interested in getting more involved in how the services they use are planned, are able to in a way that is convenient to them. If you are interested please contact us - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Patient Participation Groups (PPG)
GP practices work with these groups to ask patients their opinions on:
- The services the GP practices provide
- Their experience of the care they receive from hospitals, community and mental health providers
The aim of the PPG is to represent patients' views and work with GP practice staff to support and develop local services. PPGs may also work together to influence broader issues and to share good practice and ideas.
To join a PPG, you can speak to anyone at your local practice or look for details on their website. You can look to see which is your local practice on our site.
Voluntary and Community Sector Organisations
We also engage with local voluntary and community sector organisations that provide essential support and a voice for patients - if you are part of an organisation and would like to work with us, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
All of the above groups and events are open to the public and patients from Epping, Harlow and Uttlesford. If you would like to attend one of these meetings, or would like more information about how to get involved, then please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Interested in having a say on national health programmes? Visit NHS England’s consultation hub to find out more about current consultations.
Information in Other Languages and Formats
If you would like to receive any information in any other languages, large print, Easy Read or Braille then please contact our communications team.
Accessibility Statement
NHS West Essex CCG has events and opportunities throughout the year which allow local people to become involved in shaping local services.
These can include topic-specific focus groups, workshops and online surveys alongside stands and activities and events across Harlow, Epping and Uttlesford.
The CCG’s Governing Body and Primary Care Committee meetings are open to the public, as is the CCG’s Annual General Meeting. Full details of these events can be found on our event pages.
The CCG is committed to ensuring that any public involvement event it holds caters for the needs of all local people and therefore provides:
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters on request
Hearing loops within event venues
Wheelchair accessible venues
Halal / vegetarian catering where possible/ required
Language interpreters on request
Papers/ agendas in accessible formats including large print on request
We have also installed Browsealoud on our CCG website to ensure all pages can be translated into around 100 languages, allow for pages to be read out loud, and views and colours can be changed to suit the viewer.
Newsletter subscription
Fill in the form below to join our newsletter mailing list.