Healthwatch EnglandHealthwatch Hertfordshire Launch2013

What Healthwatch England does

• Give national voice to the issues that most affect people who use health and care services, their families and carers

• Actively seek views from all sections of the community – not just those who shout the loudest, but especially those who sometimes struggle to be heard

• Work closely with those who represent different groups of service users and others eg regulators, professional groups

• Lead and support local Healthwatch so they have the tools they need to fulfil their task and work with us including supporting local partnerships

• Develop an intelligent view of the issues and trends, based on all the above and evidence from:

• People who use services• Local Healthwatch• Charities and those who support vulnerable people (potential Alliance) 

• Raise the most important issues at the highest levels 

Healthwatch - set up

• Roughly £3m budget, 30 staff

• Healthwatch England fully staffed by summer 2013

• London and Leeds offices, with 4 local Healthwatch staff based across the country

• 152 local Healthwatch with dedicated budget - small staff plus volunteers; diverse set up and governance structures

Healthwatch England - Making a difference In 2013/14 our priorities are to:  • Ensure consumers and users of health and social

care can exercise their right to be heard

• Ensure consumers and users of health and social care can exercise their right to redress

• Support you at this key stage of development

• Establish Healthwatch as an effective organisation that makes a difference for consumers and users in a changing health and social care landscape

Key deliverables

• First national conference 20th June 2013 for Healthwatch network

• Support for local Healthwatch organisations:

• Set up support• Regional networks• Communities of interest• Specialist training e.g. Enter and View• Guidance to local landscape and how to

influence• E-learning• Standards of delivery

.

Key deliverables

• Redress: • Consumer experience of concerns and

complaints process

• “Deep dive” on a highly vulnerable group – those who need someone to advocate on their behalf

• Gathering local Healthwatch data on good and poor practice

• Campaign on key improvements to the complaints process, including Francis recommendations

Key deliverables

• Representation:

• State of the Nation Report, focused on eight consumer rights – October 2013

• Report on how consumers are currently given a voice in the health and social care system, good practice and areas for improvement

• Deep dive on vulnerable groups – children, mental health service users

• And, flexible response to issues arising from local Healthwatch or directly from consumers

Healthwatch Englandwww.healthwatch.co.uk