Issue - items at meetings - Establishment of a Local Healthwatch

Joint Report of the Strategic Directors: Communities & People (copy attached).

(1)               That the commencement of a procurement process to appoint a suitably qualified organisation to enable the local HealthWatch to fulfil its proposed statutory duties as set out in the Health and Social Care Bill be agreed;

(2)               That the Strategic Director People be granted delegated authority to enter into contract on suitable terms on behalf of the council upon completion of the procurement process and once the relevant legislation is in force; and

(3)               That the extension of contract with the current hosts of the LINk to April 2013. be agreed.

170.1    Councillor Jarrett introduced the report which outlined the need to establish a local Healthwatch as a result of the Health & Social Care Bill 2011, which would replace the current statutory body of LINKs.  He noted that it was proposed to go through a procurement process to appoint a suitably qualified organisation to enable the local Healthwatch to fulfil its role.

170.2    RESOLVED:

(1)         That the commencement of a procurement process to appoint a suitably qualified organisation to enable the local HealthWatch to fulfil its proposed statutory duties as set out in the Health and Social Care Bill be agreed;

(2)         That the Strategic Director People be granted delegated authority to enter into contract on suitable terms on behalf of the council upon completion of the procurement process and once the relevant legislation is in force; and

(3)         That the extension of contract with the current hosts of the LINk to April 2013. be agreed.