Agenda item

To receive a presentation from a senior Healthwatch officer on the Healthwatch Annual report (attached).

The Chairman of Healthwatch Havering presented the first annual report of the group to the Committee.

The Committee was informed that Healthwatch Havering was part of a new national concept which gave every individual in every community their own local independent consumer champion for health and care. The umbrella body being Healthwatch England, a part of the Care Quality Commission.  During its first year Healthwatch Havering had made a difference working with local partner organisations to improve services.

The Chairman of Healthwatch Havering explained that Queen’s Hospital been placed in special measures. Although not directly involved in that decision, Healthwatch Havering had submitted preliminary evidence to the inspection team and were also present by invitation at the meeting at which the CQC announced the findings of the inspection team.

It was also noted that the Healthwatch Havering social care team had been paying close attention to the borough’s care homes and, in particular, those identified by the CQC as being in need of significant improvement.

Although Healthwatch Havering had no direct remit to represent, or act as advocate for, individuals or to investigate individual complaints, people in distress did not always understand exactly who to approach for help and contacted Healthwatch Havering “because we are here”. Healthwatch Havering had taken the view that they had a general duty of care to help those in distress and carried out that duty by referring people on to those best placed to help them.

The Chairman of Healthwatch Havering explained how Healthwatch Havering was making a difference influencing official bodies and others by being formally represented at meetings of Havering Council’s Health, Individuals and Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committees and at a wide range of other relevant bodies, both local and regional to North East London.

Healthwatch Havering had developed an ambitious work programme for 2014/15, which would include an investigation of patient-related activity at GP practices

The Director of Healthwatch Havering added that Healthwatch Havering was making a difference in developing a role in public consultation and encouraging participation in health and social care issues.

In September, Healthwatch Havering had commissioned the Film Unit of the Media Studies Group of Sixth Formers of a local school - the Coopers’ Company & Coborn School, Upminster, to produce a short film of local peoples’ thoughts about local health services. This film was available on the Youtube website. Some Healthwatch Havering volunteers also provided a stand at Havering’s National Women’s Dayin March, at Havering College and were represented at the monthly meetings of Havering’s Over-Fifties Forum on a regular basis.

Healthwatch Havering was making a difference by participating actively at all meetings of the Health & Wellbeing Board which was a key provision of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The Committee was informed that Healthwatch Havering had presented an end of year report on its progress to the Board which included their work plan for 2014/15.

Following the presentation Members of the Committee received the following answers to their questions:

·         Healthwatch Havering gave care homes a two weeks warning before a visit. The Committee was also informed that Healthwatch Havering reserved the right to make an unannounced visit if there was a concern. Healthwatch Havering viewed its role as working closely with the CCG as a critical friend.

·         Healthwatch Havering was working closely with its partners to identify and understand why young people who were supposed to attend a GP surgery instead turned up at Accident & Emergency.

·         The organisation had a forward plan to consider issues around mental health provision for young people who were moving to Adult Health Care.

·         Healthwatch Havering was working with the hospice to provide its volunteers with Gold Standard training on end of life care. 

The Committee noted the annual report.