Issue - meetings

Update on Local Healthwatch in Bath and North East Somerset.

Andy Thomas

(10 minutes)

Andy Thomas, Head of Strategy Engagement & Marketing addressed the Board and highlighted the following points from the report.

Healthwatch England provides advice to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, NHS England and English local authorities. He added that the Secretary of State is also required to consult Healthwatch England on the NHS mandate, which sets the objectives for the NHS.

Healthwatch England also provides advice and support to Local Healthwatch

organisations. Based in upper-tier and unitary local authority areas in England - and funded and commissioned by them – they gather evidence from the views and experiences of patients, service users and the public about their local health and care services and provide feedback based on that evidence.

Following a procurement process for a local Healthwatch in Bath and North East Somerset, the Care Forum were commissioned for a period running from 1st April 2018 to 31st March 2021, with the option to extend for up to 24 months following this.

The Care Forum was granted two 12-month extensions to the original contract for Local Healthwatch in Bath and North East Somerset, from 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022. from 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023.

There is therefore now a requirement to re-procure Local Healthwatch in Bath & North East Somerset from 1st April 2023, and initial work is underway to plan for this procurement process, which will be undertaken by Bath & North East

Somerset Council.

The current indicative timetable identifies a review of the previous specification over the summer in the light of these and other changes, with a view to beginning the procurement process in the autumn.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is therefore invited to nominate a member to assist with this process of reviewing and updating the specification, ahead of the procurement process beginning.

Paul Harris said that he would be happy to be involved.

Mary Kearney-Knowles said that she would also be willing to take part in the process.

The Board RESOLVED to;

i)  Note the position relating to Local Healthwatch procurement in Bath and North East Somerset as set out in the report.

ii)  Agree that Paul Harris and Mary Kearney-Knowles represent the Health and Wellbeing Board and sit on a working group to review the specification for Local Healthwatch in Bath and North East Somerset.