The panel to receive a presentation from Healthwatch.

Karen Marcellino, Healthwatch Manager, Vicky Shipway, CEO Colebrook SW, Peter Edwards, Volunteer and Health and Wellbeing Board Member and Craig McArdle, Head of Co-operative Commissioning provided the panel with an update.  It was reported that -

a)            the Health and Social Care Act introduced the requirement for Healthwatch both locally and nationally and replaced the Local Involvement Network (LINks);

b)            the local authority commissioned the £179,000 contract to Colebrook SW .  Healthwatch is an independent consumer champion with three key functions –

·         Influencing

·         Signposting

·         Watchdog

c)            Colebrook SW set up the staffing, created a service base and looked at the transition from LINks to Healthwatch.  Colebrook SW has the overall responsibility for the Healthwatch contract and wanted Healthwatch to be seen as independent as possible;

d)            the key performance indictor regarding signposting people to services at the right time had proved quite difficult to achieve.  As a result they changed their monitoring systems and reviewed how they gathered feedback and pinpoint gaps;

e)            Healthwatch worked on Burrator Ward assessing the difficulties on that ward with dignity in care.  Healthwatch made some recommendations to Plymouth Hospitals Trust, the Trust implemented the recommendations and invited Healthwatch back to the ward to look at the improvements;

f)             Healthwatch were involved with the Pledge 90 review looking at mental health provision in the city and made several recommendations and has fed this into their work;

g)            Healthwatch collected 2293 pieces of feedback from local people covering 4 themes –

·         Staff attitudes

·         Involvement and engagement

·         Appointment booking service

·         Access to a service

h)            they were actively visiting care homes since last August feeding into Plymouth City Council’s Quality Review process with experiences gathered from residents from nursing and residential homes across the city;

i)             Peter Edwards as well as being a Healthwatch volunteer also sits on the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB).  His role on the board has an equal footing with other partners and gives him the opportunity to share locals issues and to shape the plans for Healthwatch and the Health and Wellbeing Board;

j)             there was a need to get the public engaged and take responsibility for their health.  The remit of Healthwatch was to have that conversation with the public and to understand their views; 

k)            theHealthwatch Champions Project was designed to work with particular interest groups to support that community to provide feedback on health and social care matters.  There were Healthwatch Champions in place within hard to reach groups e.g. learning disability and transgender groups;

l)             that volunteers were an important part of Healthwatch.  The volunteers represent Healthwatch on various forums, making the challenge and sharing people’s views.

In response to questions raised, it was reported that -

m)           they were aware of patients waiting 5 weeks to receive x-ray results but were not seeing this as a trend from the public.  Healthwatch keeps an eye on local media and Councillors could liaise with Healthwatch and feedback concerns from ward residents; 

n)            they link in with other Healthwatch services and lobby on common themes.  They work closely regionally and have access to a network across England to share best practice.  Healthwatch England lobbies nationally;

o)            Colebrook SW had no influence over Healthwatch they hold the contract and monitor the key performance indicators;

p)            the Steering Group currently has 6 members with 2 more people waiting to join and advert for a the recruitment of a new Chair.  The Octopus Project has a seat on the Steering Group and commencing in October an Advisory Forum open to all voluntary and community sector groups, the public and service providers is an open platform for people to share experiences, issues and concerns.

Agreed that –

1.         Healthwatch is invited to return to the Caring Plymouth panel in 12 months’ time to share their next Healthwatch Plymouth Annual Report.

2.         Healthwatch share their recommendations with the Caring Plymouth panel to seek alignment and add weight to the Healthwatch recommendations on a quarterly basis.