Agenda item

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

Alex Francis, Healthwatch B&NES addressed the Select Committee. A copy of the update can be found on their Minute Book and as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

Trans Health & Wellbeing Survey

In 2017, Healthwatch B&NES worked with other Local Healthwatch in Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire to jointly commissioned a survey into the health, care and wellbeing needs and experiences of local Trans* and Non-binary** people. This work was carried out by The Diversity Trust, a local organisation that specialises in engaging with equalities groups.

*Trans is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or gender expression diverges in some way from the sex they were assigned at birth.

**Non-Binary refers to any gender that is not exclusively male or female. A similar term is gender neutral or gender queer. Some other non-binary identities include: agender, bigender and genderfluid.

A series of recommendations have been made as a result of this survey, including:

·  The need for transgender awareness training for health, care and wellbeing staff

·  The need for service providers to develop policies on challenging transphobic bullying, harassment, victimisation and discrimination in line with the Equality Act (2010) and the Public Sector Equality Duty (2011).

·  A recommendation for service providers to develop a Trans Inclusion Policy, involving and consulting with Trans staff and patients, on best practice in supporting Trans colleagues and patients through their transition.

Lay Involvement With Healthwatch B&NES

Following the recommissioning of Healthwatch B&NES from 1 April 2018 we have reviewed our governance and the roles that lay people play in how Healthwatch B&NES is run. Our newly established Executive Board provides leadership, sets work plan objectives and oversees the delivery of Healthwatch B&NES to ensure that it effectively captures the public ‘voice’ and uses its role to influence and shape the provision of local health and social care services.

The provider link volunteers aim to work closely with key Trust personnel to help facilitate regular dialogue, share feedback from the public (and receive a response where possible), and increase understanding around the work that each organisation is doing.

This approach has worked well with the RUH, with our lay representative being a valued member of the Patient Experience Group, having regular meetings with the Trust Chair and Head of Patient Experience, and being involved more widely in RUH activity, e.g. recruitment of a new Complaints Manager.

‘What matters to you?’ public event

On 4 July 2018 Healthwatch B&NES held an open meeting in Saltford for members of the public and representatives from VCSE organisations to share their experiences of using local health and social care services, or those of the people that they work with or support. Topics or concerns raised by attendees, included:

·  Prescribing policy reviews and the implementation and consistency of prescribing across the district.

o  Attendees were unclear whether the prescribing reviews were being led locally or nationally, and whether there should be more local consultation to establish people’s needs and identify groups that could be adversely affected, e.g. people on low incomes.

·  Non-emergency patient transport services (NEPTS)

o  Attendees were particularly concerned about inequalities, rural isolation and vulnerable people being adversely impacted by any changes – and the need for these people to be able to input to future service provision.

Healthwatch will hold another public event in the autumn in another part of the district.

Councillor Robin Moss said that he would agree with the concerns raised regarding rural residents and their ability to access non-emergency patient transport services. On the matter of prescriptions he queried whether people who cannot afford to pay will cease taking certain medicines because of the new policy.

Alex Francis said that the policy could have an impact on low income residents. She informed the Select Committee that NHS England has carried out a consultation on the process and that similar questions had been raised at the CCG Board. She added that Healthwatch will continue to inform the public where required and explain who to ask their questions to.

Tamsin May, Head of Communications, BaNES CCG confirmed that a national consultation had taken place and that the aspects of age and vulnerability of affected patients is being considered.

Councillor Bryan Organ asked if any advice was available for young people below the age range of 16 – 80 regarding Trans Health & Wellbeing.

Alex Francis replied that advice was available through Off The Record.

Councillor Lizzie Gladwyn said that there was also a community group named Bath Gender Equality Network (BGEN) that could provide advice.

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