Agenda item - Healthwatch Brighton & Hove: Annual Report

Report of the Executive Director, Health & Adult Social Care (copy attached)

RESOLVED – that the Healthwatch Brighton & Hove annual report be noted.

9.1This item was presented by David Liley, Chief Officer of Healthwatch Brighton & Hove. Mr Liley told the Board that Healthwatch had a small number of employed staff, but over 70 volunteers, and together they produced a good deal of work, publishing 20 reports and 70 newsletters and bulletins over the past year as well as attending more than 1000 meetings to hold decision-makers to account. Healthwatch receives £178K per year from the local authority, and receives no routine NHS funding, other than for specifically commissioned pieces of work. Of particular note in the past 12 months were:

·         The work of Young Healthwatch (in partnership with the YMCA), especially initiatives focusing on access to mental health services, digital barriers to access, and encouraging vaccination uptake.

·         The HOPS initiative which had seen Healthwatch commissioned to contact people after discharge from hospital to check they are okay etc.

·         Work on access to dental services

·         Work on access to GP services.

9.2In response to a question from the Chair on funding, Mr Liley confirmed that Healthwatch’s funding comes ultimately from a Government grant which is passported by the local authority. Healthwatch is not asking for more general funding, but is eager to be commissioned to deliver specific pieces of work.

9.3       In response to a question from Cllr Robins on dentistry, Mr Liley told members that many dentists were excellent. However, there are real recruitment problems, and website information is not always clear. Ultimately, significant improvements to dental services will only be delivered via a new dental contract. Mr Liley noted that, in the future, the ICS will have responsibility for commissioning dental services (rather than regional NHS England commissioners), and it will be interesting to see what NHS Sussex’s plans are to improve access locally.

9.4       Cllr Hugh-Jones commended the work of Healthwatch and asked a question about cancer screening. Mr Liley suggested that Lola Banjoko would be best able to answer this, and Ms Banjoko told the Board that the key factor in improving screening was to get better community uptake in communities where screening rates are poor. This may involve the use of mobile units or targeting specific communities such as homeless people.

9.5       Mr Liley also told the Board that he particularly wished to thank Frances McCabe, who had chaired Healthwatch for a number of years with great energy, humour and effectiveness. Fran has now retired from this post, and is a Governor at University Hospitals Sussex, where she is leading work on patient participation. The Chair echoed this thanks on behalf of the Board.

9.6       RESOLVED – that the Healthwatch Brighton & Hove annual report be noted.