Agenda item

4.1

Judy Robinson introduced the report and recommended that the Board read the Healthwatch England Annual Report that had been recently published. Healthwatch Sheffield had produced its own Annual Report for 2018/19.

4.2

Lucy Davis and Holly Robson presented the report and reminded the Board that Healthwatch had been established by legislation and received funding to operate.  The aims of Healthwatch were to get the views of the users of health services and make recommendations.

4.3

Lucy Davis and Holly Robson gave a presentation which looked at the Annual Report and set out:

·         The vision and purpose

·         Highlights from the year

·         How Healthwatch had made a difference

4.4

A Stories of Health exhibition had been held in the Winter Gardens and information and advice was given over the telephone.  Healthwatch Sheffield was currently based in Voluntary Action Sheffield.

4.5

The challenges included how to effect change, how to value voices and experiences, how to obtain peoples’ views to shape the commissioning process and how to effectively link voices across the city.

4.6

The 2020-2022 strategy was currently being written and would focus on specific priorities and include feedback from both individuals and organisations.

4.7

Councillor George Lindars-Hammond asked if Healthwatch felt that it was taking the place of health and social care complaints systems and was their work impacted by stress on the system.  Holly Robson responded that some conversations were complaints and people valued the independence of Healthwatch, but it was not the best route for complaints.

4.8

Councillor Jackie Drayton said that Healthwatch were doing a good job.  They had focussed on adults but had now broadened their scope as an organisation to hear everyone in the city.  Young Healthwatch was fantastic.  Healthwatch was valued and trusted in the city.  It also provided an outlet for people who may have had a bad experience with the NHS but who didn’t want to complain.  How could Healthwatch influence without using peoples identity?  She also thanked all of the volunteers for their hard work.  Jundy Robinson thanked Councillor Drayton for her comments and explained that there were a range of focus groups that people could attend to give their experiences.

4.9

Mike Hunter informed the Board that Healthwatch were invited to contribute and comment on the Health Trusts Annual Report and the Health Trust welcomed increasingly strong challenge.

4.10

RESOLVED: That, (1) in considering the questions set out in the report in relation to the Healthwatch Annual Report, the Board’s answers be as follows:

1.    How are the board considering qualitative data coming from communities, alongside quantitative data when you plan an initiative or develop their work?  The Board can steer and ask bodies to consider both qualitative and quantitative data when planning work.

2.    How can you ensure that this happens in a timely way to enable it to have a true impact? The Board can look at quality data from a number of sources.

3.    How does the Board make community engagement a consistent part of strategic planning? Community Engagement is part of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

4.    How will you connect with Healthwatch in each of your own areas of work? That is for each individual body to consider.

(2)the board considers qualitative data alongside quantitative data in all its work: where there is dissonance between the two, the importance of citizen voice and experience should not be put aside,

(3) new systems embed engagement at an early (question formation) stage, and;

(4) that Board consider how it can support services to respond to feedback from engagement and in particular, how it can embed ownership of resulting action in strategies and workplans going forward.