Issue - meetings

The Board received, for information, the latest LGiU Policy Briefing on HealthWatch issued 14^th May, 2012.

It gave an overview of the Legislation and the practicalities of HealthWatch England and Local HealthWatch.

The Care Quality Commission had indicated that HealthWatch England would be set up in October, 2012, and, following representations from local authorities and LINks, the start date for Local HealthWatch had been put back from April, 2012 to April, 2013.

The Act imposed a duty on upper tier and unitary local authorities to contract with a Local Health Watch organisation for the involvement of local people in the commissioning, provision and scrutiny of health and social services.  These arrangements should include reporting arrangements to HealthWatch England.  The Act also made provision for contractual arrangements between local authorities and Local HealthWatch which much be a social enterprise.

Local HealthWatch organisations must produce an annual report on their activities and finance and had regard to any guidance from the Secretary of State in preparing the reports.

Health and Wellbeing Boards were required to have a representative of Local HealthWatch amongst their members.

The Government currently allocated £27M each year to local authorities for LINks through the Local Government Formula Grant.  In 2012/13 an additional £3.2M would be made available to support start-up costs for Local HealthWatch.  In 2013/14 the current £27M for LINks would become funding for Local HealthWatch organisations each year.  Additional funding would also be made available to local authorities from 2013/14 to support both the information function that Local HealthWatch would have and also for commissioning NHS Complaints Advocacy.

Agreed:-  That the briefing be noted.