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Shaping HealthWatch in Stoke-on-Trent
The Government’s health and social care reforms are centred on the principle that patients and the public should be at the heart of everything our health and care services do. The Health and Social Care strengthens the collective voice of patients, users of care services and the public through the establishment of a new consumer champion HealthWatch.
HealthWatch will exist locally as Local HealthWatch, and nationally as HealthWatch England. HealthWatch England will be established from October 2012 and will provide leadership, support and advice for local HealthWatch organisations. Local HW will replace Local Involvement Networks (LINks).
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has a responsibility to ensure that Stoke-on-Trent has its own Local HealthWatch, from April 2013.
The Government’s vision is for HealthWatch to:
- Be the independent customer champion for the public, locally and nationally, to promote better outcomes in health for all and in social care for adults.
- Provide intelligence to influence policy, planning, commissioning and delivery of health and social care services.
- Provide information and advice to help people access and make choices about services
- Help people access independent complaints advocacy to support people if they need help to complain about NHS services.
- Have credibility and public trust through being responsive and acting on concerns when things go wrong and operating effectively and efficiently.
What will HealthWatch do?
HealthWatch will have three main functions:
Influencing: helping shape the planning of health and social care services
Signposting: helping people access and make choices about care
Advisory: advocacy for individuals making complaints about healthcare - HealthWatch will take on the formal responsibility for NHS advocacy from April 2013.
With a seat on decision-making boards in Stoke-on-Trent, Local HealthWatch will ensure that the views and experiences of patients, service users and carers are taken into account when local needs assessments and strategies are prepared, giving it an important role in promoting and improving public health, and tackling health inequalities.
More information
Further information about HealthWatch is available from the Department of Health.
Officers from Stoke-on-Trent City Council have been working together with representatives from other key groups and organisations to ensure there will be a smooth transition from LINks to the local HealthWatch in April 2013. Consultation took place during November and December 2011 to help develop the service specification for HealthWatch and consultation is now taking place about the opinions for Local HealthWatch in Stoke-on-Trent.
Please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DLLCBS5 to share your views
If you would like to get involved in shaping your local HealthWatch then please contact Yvonne Banks, Service Development and Modernisation Team Manager, People: Adult and Neighbourhood Services Directorate, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1HH. Email yvonne.banks@stoke.gov.uk Tel 01782 235948