Agenda item

Members are asked to consider the information presented within the report and note the key issues described.

Alex Francis, Healthwatch B&NES Project Coordinator addressed the Select Committee, a summary is set out below.

Preventing ill health by helping people to stay healthy

She said that work was progressing with Julian House to understand the experiences of local homeless people and how we can help them to improve their health. She explained that a survey has been drafted by Healthwatch and is now being agreed with Julian House staff. The survey includes questions about a range of health and social care services in addition to the commissioned in-house medical service provided at Manvers Street Hostel and Julian House’s own services, namely the hostel and homeless discharge work at the Royal United Hospital Bath. She said that they hope to run the survey during the autumn.

Improving the quality of people’s lives

She informed them that Healthwatch regularly receives feedback regarding primary care and that this feedback varies greatly, but often includes:

·  Concerns about waiting times for appointments;

·  The need for more information and signposting to voluntary and community-based services to help people manage their health independently; and more recently,

·  Concerns about new housing developments and the provision of primary care services in areas where there is already a perceived strain on resources, for example, Foxhill and the Mulberry Park development

She said that Healthwatch also hears positive comments regarding primary care services, for example:

·  The group said that Newbridge Surgery has a really easy telephone appointment system for practice nurses and GPs. The GPs aren't always able to call back on the same day but you get allocated a day and time slot.

·  Commentator said that St. Chads is a great surgery. They provide staggered GP surgery start times to cover 7am - 8pm. The surgery also has a Friends group that raises funds for the surgery.

She explained since April 2015, people have been able to rate and review health and social care services via the online Healthwatch B&NES feedback centre. She added that Healthwatch is seeing a steady increase in use of this feedback centre by members of the public, patients and their families/ carers and that a new feature has now been added to the website which enables providers to respond to feedback about their services.

She said that Healthwatch has also heard feedback from members of the public regarding the relocation of services from the RNHRD to the RUH. All feedback regarding the relocation of services to the RUH will be shared with the Trust and NHS BaNES Clinical Commissioning Group Quality Group.

Tackling health inequality by creating fairer life chances

She stated that Healthwatch is working with B&NES Council, St Mungos Broadway and the B&NES Health and Wellbeing Network amongst others, to develop a Mental Wellbeing Charter. The charter is linked to ‘Think Local, Act Personal’, a national initiative which helps organisations to make personalised services truly person-centred.

She said that the Mental Wellbeing Charter has been drafted and will be discussed with service users, carers and their families through a series of community-based focus groups to ensure that it truly reflects their expectations and aspirations. She added that these will take place during October and November and that discussion had already begun with mental health and wellbeing service providers, both statutory and voluntary/ community sector, to build on the Charter and help implement it across their work.

Councillor Tim Ball asked if as part of her work she was able to visit localities to gather information from the seldom heard.

Alex Francis replied that she does visit a number of groups as part of her role and was happy to do so by request.

Councillor Lin Patterson asked if they had done any work within the travelling community within B&NES.

Alex Francis replied that staff had received culture and awareness training regarding this work area.

Councillor Paul May thanked her for a very good report and for the important role that Healthwatch plays. He offered to invite her to a future board meeting of Sirona. He asked if within a future report there could be a section on Primary Care / Tertiary Care.

Councillor Bryan Organ commented that he was pleased that the issues of exercise and loneliness in relation to older people were being addressed.

The Chair thanked Alex Francis for her update on behalf of the Select Committee.