Agenda item - Brighton and Hove Healthwatch Annual Report 2018

Joint Report of Executive Director, Health and Adult Social Care and  David Liley, Chief Executive Healthwatch (copy attached)

RESOLVED – That the Board agrees to note the Healthwatch Annual Report.

21.1    The Board considered a joint report of the Executive Director of Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive of Health Watch (the local independent consumer champion for health and care) which presented the Healthwatch Annual Report for 2018/19.

21.2    The Chief Executive of Healthwatch, Mr Liley introduced the report and picked out the headline areas of work which had been carried out by Healthwatch during the period covered by the report and the work programme to be carried out for the coming year. Mr Liley went on to explain that Healthwatch had had a very busy year and had overseen various issues across the city, it was important to bear in mind that this had been achieved against a backdrop of a 6% reduction in budget. This had been by achieving by using a number of economies including achieving reductions in rent finding new income streams and were a tribute to Healthwatch’s staff. This had been managed going forward but funding and resourcing continued to present a challenge.

21.3    Amongst work of note had been follow up visits to adults in A &E. The provision in place for children were operating at a very high level and so it had not been deemed necessary to revisit that strand of work. Healthwatch had done something different this year in terms of vising A&E departments over 24 hours in order to obtain a picture 2 general hospitals including the Royal Sussex. Three hospitals had been visited in December and would represent the most comprehensive review across the region, East Sussex, West Sussex and Brighton to date. It was intended that this would be unique and would provide an interesting picture from patients’ perspectives. Work was also planned in reviewing patient’s experiences of GP Practices and in terms of the complaints procedures in place, which were tortuously complex. Healthwatch had a number of other projects underway identified in the report.

21.4    The Executive Director of Health and Social Care referred to the input received in developing the Winter Plan. Healthwatch was critical and challenging in a positive way which was very much welcomed and was very important. Healthwatch delivered a great deal on a modest budget. Their relationship was not cosy, they were independent and had an approach which fostered informed discussion and debate.

21.5    Councillor Shanks referred to issue of hospital discharges. Asking whether Healthwatch had plans to look into instances where individuals were admitted to hospital unnecessarily, or where hospital stays were to lengthy and a patient should have been sent home or send to more appropriate accommodation at an earlier time. Mr Liley explained that whilst this might be addressed in future would impact on the other areas which they were focusing on. A high proportion of referrals were from GP surgeries and that did need to be addressed. Dr Supple, CCG, concurred with that view confirming that work was programmed to assess that further and to ensure appropriate strategies in place. A lot of work had been commissioned and was in place relating to frailty and those who had multiple health conditions and how their needs were most appropriately met.

21.6    Councillor Appich, the Deputy Chair, said that she had been very fortunate in visiting the Healthwatch with the Chair and had been very impressed at the level of work carried out with few resources in particular visits to A &E and on-going mystery shopping over 24 hrs for example, lots of frail elderly people who were observed and it had been difficult to understand why they were there. Mr Scarff, CCG, stated that he welcomed the contribution of Healthwatch which had helped to facilitate triangulation of resources and development of planned responses which would help to inform processes the CCG was continuing to look at and this as a cornerstones of strategy for future services.

21.7    The Director of Public Health referred to the important role which Healthwatch played in helping to speak for those for instance, who required end of life support who found it hard to speak up for themselves.

21.8    Mr Bartlett, Safeguarding Adults Board, referred to the unique role of that Healthwatch and the perspectives and the skill, diplomacy, experience and expertise that they had brought to the table safeguarding, particularly when assessing very serious cases, where hard but right decisions had been made.

21.9    The Chair, Councillor Moonan, welcomed the report stating that the City was grateful to have such an outstanding Healthwatch and wanted to thank all the staff and in particular the volunteers.

21.10- RESOLVED – That the Board agrees to note the Healthwatch Annual Report.