Developing HealthWatch in Kent

Paul Cutler

Kent Local HealthWatch Development Group

15th July 2011

Centre for Public Scrutiny

www.cfps.org.uk

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Today’s presentation

• To introduce myself and the Centre for Public Scrutiny

• To begin to develop a shared understanding of HealthWatch

• To explore a common vision for the transition to Local HealthWatch in Kent

• To think about next steps

What would you hope people in Kent might say about

HealthWatch in 3 years time?• ‘it made a real difference for me’• ‘I had a voice and I was listened to’• ‘I chose a better way to get a service’• ‘I learnt something new’• ‘They are so easy to approach’• ‘HealthWatch had a real impact’• ‘It was fun being involved, I know we made a

real difference for people in Kent’

HealthWatch - statement of intent

• HealthWatch will be the independent consumer champion for the public

• HealthWatch will be representative of diverse communities

• It will provide intelligence to influence policy, planning, commissioning and delivery

• It will provide local information• It will help people access and make choices about

services• It will support people if they need to complain about

NHS services• It will be credible, effective and efficient

From LINks to HealthWatch

• From

• Influence services

• Community voice

• Local voice

• To

• Participate in decisions

• Also support individuals

• National voice too

No decision about me, without me

EVERYTHING about us, WITH us

Co-production

Vision for HealthWatch in Kent• What will it do for different groups?• What will it do for individuals?

• How can it best do that?

• How does it want to work with partners - commissioners, HwB, CVS?

• What sort of organisation will it be?‘Form follows function’

Some of the challenges• Prioritising issues within fixed resources• Making a structure that works across Kent• Relationship with Local Authority• Existing advocacy services• Future contracts - e.g. complaints advocacy• Balance group issues with individual issues• Balance proactive with reactive work• Capturing the data and knowledge• Skills and confidence• Organisational form• Membership

HealthWatch design

• Voice and participation of local people• Understand and engage in the full commissioning

cycle• Understand NHS and Local Authority structures,

roles and services

DataRelationshipsProcesses

Tools to help the transition

• HealthWatch Transition Plan• Joint Strategic Needs Assessment• Shadow Health & Wellbeing Board plans• HealthWatch regulations• Advice to LA commissioners • Pathfinder case studies and Action Learning Sets• NHS Constitution • Study visits to advocacy projects and PALS• Public Health Observatory• Online data• You’re Welcome

Building confidence

• Identifying common scenarios• Role play and practice• Research local solutions• Update on rights• Develop contacts database• Gather literature and online links• Create learning system• Example from NCB PALS LINks project

Health policy

• Health & Social Care Bill• NHS Future Forum and response• GP prospectus• Clusters• Shadow Health and Wellbeing Boards• Public Health• Pathfinders• Personal budgets• Evidence, research and case studies

Learning from the best of LINks

• Case studies from the Transition Plan

• Evaluation of LINks

• Scrutiny reports on LINks

• NCB work on LINks and young people

• Innovative practice

• Measuring outcomes

CfPS research about LINks - key messages

• Manage the transition to HealthWatch well or risk losing good LINks members

• Governance is important but a lot of time and energy can spent on revisiting it if it is not clear

• Create a strong, accessible brand• Training needs• Clear processes and structures early on

3 themes

• Representativeness

• The ‘body corporate’

• Roles and responsibilities

Representativeness

• What does it mean?• Why is it important?• What does the data tell us?• What does it mean for different groups? Local

voices• Finding the time to explore the issue• What are the barriers and challenges?• Diversity makes HealthWatch stronger• Evidence based best practice• Toolkits

Different groups, different realities

• Older people• Children & young

people• Ethnic groups• Cultures & faith• Disability• Learning disability• Poverty• Carers

• Rural and urban• Unemployed or working• Sexuality• Gender• Transport• Mental health• Local communities• Refugees• Different health needs

The ‘body corporate’

• Formal legal status• Organisational form - CIC, charity or social enterprise• Wider policy direction• Boundaries and corporate ethos• Key documents - Articles / Constitution / SFIs /

Scheme of Delegation• Governance• Policies - confidentiality, data, practices etc• Quality and standards

The ‘body corporate’ part 2

• Corporate goals and consistent agendas• Leadership• Management• Benefits• Risk • Reporting• Accountability - internal and external• Efficient and effective• Shadow Local HealthWatch• Expertise in developing new organisations - OD / HR• Identify training needs

Roles & responsibilities

• Clarity of role• Feeling clear and safe• Appointments• Contracts and expectations• Accountability• Support• Performance• Paid and unpaid staff - remuneration and expenses• Conduct• Corporate responsibility• Conflicts of interest

Four key roles

• Members

• Governors

• Managers

• Those doing the direct work

Creating a shared vision

• Set aside clear time with a boundary

• Define key terms and ideas - be clear

• Explore, challenge, debate and create

• Use different tools and exercises

• Pull it all together - synthesize

• Confront obstacles

• Agree and move forward

My reflections

• Start where you hope to end up• Map what you already know - e.g. advocacy,

services• Map what you want to find out• Identify and tackle barriers early on• Learn from those doing it already• Agree a structure and process• Quick wins• Reflection

How CfPS can help you

• Outsider / insider• State of Readiness assessment and report• Focus groups• Interviews• Workshops• Creative tools and exercises• Case studies and examples• Critical friend reflection• Research

References• HealthWatch Transition Plan (2011) DHhttp://bit.ly/f9qzQU • Health & Social Care Bill (2011)http://bit.ly/hZOZUk • Response to NHS Future Forum (2011)http://bit.ly/lauMRs• NHS Constitutionhttp://bit.ly/bXwVz8 • Marmot Reviewhttp://bit.ly/d1fd0H

Discussion

• What does a successful HealthWatch look like in 3 years time in Kent?

• What measures would you use to judge if HealthWatch has been successful?

• What do you need now to help you design a successful HealthWatch?