Agenda item

Healthwatch Medway CIC was established in April 2013 when Medway Council awarded the contract for delivery of two Healthwatch functions (citizen engagement, information and signposting) to Medway Citizens Advice Bureau. Medway Healthwatch is funded by Medway Council and is held to account by the Council for its ability to operate effectively and provide value for money. This annual report covers the period from April 2015 to March 2016.

Discussion

The Operations and Engagement Manager of Healthwatch Medway, Heidi Butcher, introduced a presentation to update the Board on Healthwatch Medway’s Annual Report and its wider work. Key points raised included the following:

·         Healthwatch was a statutory body that provided residents a voice in connection with health and social care services. It aimed to listen to residents, empower local people and take the voices of local people to those who can make changes.

·         Healthwatch Medway’s priorities for 2015/16 were in relation to the local acute hospital, access to and the quality of general practitioner services, access to and quality of social care services, mental health provision and the building of relationships with service commissioners.

·         Work undertaken by Healthwatch Medway during 2015/16 had included:

o   The Dementia Care Homes Enter and View programme.

o   Close working with the Medway Dementia Action Alliance.

o   Helping to empower families to make informed decisions.

o   Promoting healthy living at engagement events.

o   Training Healthwatch ambassadors to promote healthy living.

o   Working with community groups to promote healthy living.

o   Focusing on different issues, dependent upon location.

o   Targeting GP ‘Enter and View’ visits at areas with the lowest patient satisfaction.

o   Working with local community groups to identify local issues.

·         The future priorities of Healthwatch Medway included the following:

o   Continue to work with the local acute hospital.

o   Progress the ‘Enter and View’ programme.

o   Develop relationships with GPs to improve patient accessibility to services.

o   Support improvements to mental health provision.

o   Generate income through engagement and consultancy activities.

·         People living in Rainham tended to be more satisfied with local health provision compared to people living in Gillingham, Rochester or Strood.

·         One of the most significant concerns in Medway was in relation to mental health provision and the difficulties faced by people in accessing community and inpatient mental health provision.

·         Information provided to patients admitted to hospital, who had dementia and their families was a cause for concern. There could be a lack of information about the support and services available following discharge.

·         Healthwatch Medway considered that it had a unique, trusting relationship with local service users and that it made a strong contribution to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Members of the Board raised issues which were responded to as follows:

·         Engagement events: It was requested that Councillors be kept informed about local engagement events. The Operations and Engagement Manager of Healthwatch Medway advised that local ward Councillors would be informed about events taking place in their area.

·         GP Appointments: Concerns were raised that it was already difficult to get a GP appointment due to shortages of GPs and surgery closures. It was questioned why patients in Rainham generally had a positive experience of primary care provision when this was not the case elsewhere in Medway. The Medway Clinical Commissioning Group Responsible Officer advised that the Primary Care Development Plan, which was due to be submitted by Christmas, would set out future plans in relation to GP services and it was suggested that this should be included on a future Health and Wellbeing Board agenda.

Decision:

The Board:

a)    Noted and commented on the content of the Healthwatch Medway Annual Report and commented on the actions undertaken by Healthwatch Medway and its plans for the future.

b)    Agreed that the Primary Care Development Plan be presented to the Board at the next meeting.