Annemari Poldkivi, Healthwatch Bury Research and Public Participation Co-ordinator will give a presentation at the meeting.
Minutes:
Anne-Marie Poldkivi and Barbara Barlow representing Healthwatch Bury gave a presentation on Healthwatch Bury, the new consumer champion for both health and social care in Bury, at local level and Healthwatch England, at national level.
The meeting was informed of the key objectives for Healthwatch Bury:-
· To give adults, children and young people (both individuals and communities) a stronger voice to influence and challenge how health and social care are provided in Bury and to help people get the best out of those services.
· To provide advice and information services.
· To collect resident’s views on local health and social care services. This information will help build a picture of where services are doing well and where they can be improved.
· To work with a wide range of existing services and organisations in Bury.
· To provide evidence and feedback to organisations responsible for commissioning or delivering local health and social care services.
· To work with the Clinical Commissioning Group to help make sure that services really are designed to meet local people’s needs.
· To represent the views of people who use services and all local citizens on Bury Health and Wellbeing Board.
· Provide information about what to do when things go wrong and
signpost people to the independent NHS Complaints and Advocacy Services.
The Chair invited questions/comments from the audience:-
- Is this a new organisation or is it an established service with a new name?
The Healthwatch service has been provided in the past by what were previously known as the Community Health Council, the Patient Forum, and The Link. Healthwatch is a Government funded service and Healthwatch Bury have now established a Board to oversee their work. Healthwatch Bury is an independent organisation and it’s funding is distributed from Central Government via the local authority.
- Councillor Shori commented on the need of a local independent body which is able to regulate service provision and champion local people’s views on health care provision. Healthwatch Bury also needs to work closely with Bury’s Health Scrutiny Commission.
- The Bury community needs to be aware that Healthwatch Bury exists and needs to publicise it’s successes
Healthwatch Bury will produce Newsletters and E-Bulletins. One early success is that Healthwatch Bury will take the lead on a Child Abuse study working with local residents and services.
- Will Healthwatch Bury’s existence be vulnerable to further Government austerity cuts and the information it collates be used at a political level to reduce local health budgets further?
Healthwatch Bury will need a strong, focused and robust Board of Members to ensure it is successful and there is the possibility that it may need to self-finance in the future. Any information/statistics would be sent to the Department of Health.
- Which local Healthwatch scheme would a Bury resident contact if they are accessing health care outside of the Borough?
Any Bury resident could have contact with Healthwatch Bury irrespective of which are they are accessing services and Healthwatch Bury would contact the provider on their behalf.
- Does Healthwatch Bury have a young person representative or have plans to consult local young people?
There is a younger representative on the Board. This will be a consideration for the Healthwatch Bury Board in the future.
It was agreed:
That the information provided be noted and Anne-Marie and Barbara be thanked for their contribution to the meeting.