Subject:

Healthwatch Brighton & Hove Annual Report 2018-19

Date of Meeting:

22 January 2020

Report of:

Executive Lead, Strategy, Governance & Law

Contact Officer:

Name:

Giles Rossington

Tel:

01273 295514

 

Email:

Giles.rossington@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Ward(s) affected:

All

 

 

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

 

 

1.         PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT

 

1.1         Healthwatch is the local independent consumer champion for health and care.

 

1.2         Healthwatch is a co-opted member of both the Brighton & Hove HOSC and the Health & Wellbeing Board, and is this year presenting its annual report to both committees (the annual report is included as Appendix 1).

 

2.         RECOMMENDATIONS:    

 

2.1         That members note the Healthwatch annual report (Appendix 1).

 

 

3.            CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

 

3.1         The 2012 Health & Social Care Act required each upper-tier local authority in England to commission a Healthwatch organisation to undertake the statutory responsibility for being the independent consumer champion for health and social care.

 

3.2         Healthwatch Brighton & Hove is an independent Community Interest Company (CIC). Details of the activity of Healthwatch over the past year are included in the Healthwatch Annual Report (Appendix 1).

 

3.3         Healthwatch Brighton & Hove engages with thousands of health and care service users every year. It is therefore well placed to identify issues of concern to local people. HOSC members may wish to reflect these concerns in the committee work programme.

 

 

4.            ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

 

4.1         There is no statutory requirement for Healthwatch to present its annual report to the HOSC, but there are obvious benefits in Healthwatch sharing its intelligence with the HOSC.

 

 

5          COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & CONSULTATION

 

5.1       The development of the Annual Report is based on Healthwatch Brighton & Hove’s consistent approach to seeking to hear people’s stories about their experiences of health and social care services. They use their statutory powers to Enter and View any premises so that their authorised representatives can observe matters relating to health and social care services. They also gather information and insight through outreach and by sending trained volunteer representatives to a wide range of public meetings, specialist and strategic committees and decision-making forums to inform their work.

 

6.         CONCLUSION

 

6.1         The Healthwatch annual report is presented for information.

 

 

7.         FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:

 

Financial Implications:

 

7.1         There are none to this report for information

 

           

 

Legal Implications:

 

7.2         There are no legal implications to this report

                                                                   

            Lawyer Consulted: Elizabeth Culbert Date: 02/01/2020

 

 

            Equalities Implications:

 

7.3         Healthwatch Brighton & Hove represents all local residents, but as health and social care services are used more frequently by particular protected groups (e.g. older people; people with disabilities), there is an inevitable focus on these groups. This is reflected in this year’s annual report by the sections on giving a voice to people receiving home care; on oral health in care homes; and on the process of applying for disability-related benefits (see Appendix 1 for more details).

 

            Sustainability Implications:

 

7.4         None identified.

 

Any Other Significant Implications:

 

 

 

            Crime & Disorder Implications:

 

7.5       None identified

 

            Risk and Opportunity Management Implications:

 

7.6       The work of Healthwatch Brighton & Hove in capturing local people’s experiences of health and care services offers an opportunity for the city council and for local NHS bodies to reflect these experiences in the design and operation of services. HOSC members may also wish to reflect on areas of concern identified by Healthwatch when setting the committee work plan.

 

            Public Health Implications:

 

7.7       Evidence gathered by Healthwatch should, and regularly does, inform public health planning, particularly in terms of gathering data for the city Joint Strategic Needs Assessments and for specific needs assessments.

 

            Corporate / Citywide Implications:

 

7.8       Evidence gathered by Healthwatch has the potential to inform Council and city planning, particularly in terms of evaluating strategic risks.

 

 

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

 

Appendices:

 

 

1.         Healthwatch Brighton & Hove Annual Report

 

           

Background Documents

 

None