Developing Local HealthWatch

1. Developing Local HealthWatch Trudi Wright, HealthWatch Project Manager

2. Proposed functions • Independent consumer champion • Act as a point of contact for individuals, community groups and voluntary organisations to ensure engagement • Advocacy and complaints function • Signposting, information function to support patient choice • Core member of HWB • Influencing role on the health and social care economy

3. So, what’s new? How is it different from the Local Involvement Networks • Move from influence to decision making – collation of views and experiences and bring to the Health and Wellbeing Boards, to influence decision making • Views and experiences to be used nationally- as well as locally • Holding providers to account- report on services and make recommendations • Signposting- information on accessing health and social care services and promoting choice. • Escalation to HWE- where appropriate

4. What else is new? • Complaints advocacy (from April 2013) – may be commissioned from LHW • Corporate body- can employ own staff; • Subject to public sector duties (e.g. Equalities Act 2010, Freedom of Information Act 2000)

5. Local Authorities will…. • Be responsible for funding LHW (not ring fenced!) • Commission a LHW organisation • Be responsible for ensuring accountability and value for money of LHW

6. Strengthening the collective voice of patients and the public

7. HealthWatch - What will it do and how can the VCS contribute or get involved? • Obtaining views and experiences of patients & public • Use existing information • Use a wide range of techniques • Robust mechanism for collating information • Training for volunteers/community members • Proactively seek out those who don’t normally come forward

8. 2.Making peoples views known • Systematic reporting processes • Look for trends • Publish accessible & well evidenced reports – which will help/support liaison with local commissioners and providers • Use existing arrangements- LHW can’t do everything!

9. 3. Promote & support involvement of people in scrutiny, commissioning and provision of services • High profile and visible presence • Establish credibility and reputation • Collaboration with existing networks • Ensure members/volunteers understand all parts of the health and social care system • Robust links/collaboration with other fora/networks, e.g. patient panels, neighbourhood associations, faith groups etc • Training for members/volunteers on e.g. enter and view, interviewing, equality and diversity, safeguarding, etc

10. 4. Recommending investigation or special review via HWE or CQC • HWE and LHW’s will need to establish effective information flows, and agreed processes based on good governance. • Need for more clarity on how information from complaints (& PCT PALS) can be used effectively

11. 5. Provide advice and information about choice/access to services • Know the local community - what exists already • Awareness of local services • “High Street presence” • Identification of what isn’t available so gaps can be filled • Trained advisors, good IT support & accessible information • Robust methods of evaluation & defined success criteria

12. 6. Make views and experiences of people known to HWE, & provide steer to HWE in role as national champion • Need to have robust methods of feeding information back to HWE • Have accountability as central principle to/from HWE • HWE to be bridge for LHW’s to wider agendas • HWE to audit evidence of LHW contributions to improving health/care outcomes nationally

13. But it’s not all crystal clear…. “There are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don't know. United States Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, February 2002

14. For example • Transition … from LINKS to LHW…. (the legacy) • Children and young people • Scrutiny and responsibility- conflict of interest? • Where does “signposting for choice” stop and advice/casework start? • How does LHW gather local intelligence without sufficient infrastructure? • Less money • High expectation of Healthwatch (especially after the Francis Inquiry)

15. Contribution of the VCS • Existing (strong) relationships with health and social care providers and patients and the public • Longstanding involvement in health and social care networks • Experience of engagement and involvement • Experience of volunteer recruitment and retention • Presence and access points throughout the area

17. Support to Healthwatch providers • HWE • Web in a box / Information hub / guidance and training (enter and view) • Monitoring of standards and quality? • Yorkshire & Humber Healthwatch Commissioners • 2013 / 14 Training and development programme for LHW providers (staff and volunteers) Work in Progress • Designed and delivered by Involve Yorkshire & Humber plus specialist providers • Modules potentially around; support for volunteers, working with children and young people, interrogating data, strategic influence

18. Looking ahead – what can we expect? Challenges • Meeting the very high expectations of Healthwatch • Accessing enough new, skilled volunteers • Making an impact / evidencing its success • Using its influence to achieve service improvements • Ensuring the patient and public voice is heard and acted on with CCG’s and council services Opportunities • Use its position on HWB to present the patient experience and challenge the dominance of commissioners • Champion the benefits of CCG’s and commissioners working more closely with the VCS • Generate new income streams from the new operating environment • Target new people to get involved as volunteers

19. For more information • www.involveyorkshirehumber.org.uk • www.healthwatch.co.uk • LGA Briefings on Healthwatch • http://www.local.gov.uk/web/guest/health/-/journal_content/56/10171/3700506/ARTICLE-TEMPLATE • Trudi.wright@kirklees.gov.uk (07980 911654 / 01484 226371)