Issue - meetings

To consider the Annual Report of Healthwatch Blackpool for 2016-2017 including key findings from service reviews and changes made as a result of the involvement of the organisation; and to consider the operational Work Plan for 2017-2018.

Ms Sheralee Turner-Birchall, Chief Executive, Healthwatch Blackpool and Healthwatch Lancashire and Ms Katie Taylor, Senior Project Officer, Healthwatch Blackpool presented Healthwatch Blackpool’s Annual Report for 2016-2017 and Work Plan for 2017-2018.

Ms Taylor explained that Healthwatch acted as the independent ‘voice of the service user’ for people using health and social care services. Healthwatch undertook surveys and other activities including directly speaking to people to obtain the views and experiences of service users, friends and family and staff. Healthwatch made recommendations, including trends identified, to commissioners and providers of services.  Healthwatch Blackpool was commissioned by Blackpool Council but was independent.

Ms Taylor reported that the Healthwatch contract for Blackpool had over the last two years been provided by Groundwork (until April 2016) and then Empowerment until the end of 2016. Healthwatch Lancashire took over contract provision for Blackpool from Jan 2017 and formed Healthwatch Blackpool. The two organisations were separate legal entities but retained the ability to combine and share resources as necessary. Healthwatch Blackpool comprised of 1.5 full time equivalent staff (one full time Senior Project Officer and one part time Project Officer). The Chief Executive also committed some direct time.  Wider ad-hoc support from Healthwatch Lancashire covered communications, specific projects and other areas of work. The flexible access to pooled resources had been working well.

Ms Taylor added there had been a transitional period from the start of the contract, January 2017, through until the start of April 2017 when the first full year started.

Transitional work had included retaining and carrying forward Empowerment work, publishing Empowerment service reviews, setting up organisational systems and refreshing the website amongst other activities.

Ms Taylor referred to Empowerment work which had included five service reviews one of which had concerned the quality of community mental health services for adults. The other reviews had covered care homes, carers’ support, outpatient services at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals and services provided at the Harbour (Lancashire Care Foundation Trust’s in-patient mental health facility within Blackpool).

Ms Taylor explained that Healthwatch Blackpool developed its Work Plan following feedback from the services users and the public. Work undertaken during 2017 had included reviews of community pharmacies, access to mental health services, access to cervical screening and a winter pressures review of Accident and Emergency services at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals.

Ms Taylor added that several projects were planned for 2017-2018. These included regular ‘Enter and View’ inspections (nine GP practices had been visited and nearly 350 patients consulted) and reviewing Learning Disability and Autism services (a broad group including carers had been consulted with GP and dental services satisfactory but hospitals particularly for communications were not). Progress with John’s Campaign at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals (more flexible visiting hours especially for family and friends of dementia patients) had been considered. Resilience support for young people using services had also been considered including what support they wanted, e.g. for reducing self-harm and mental health issues. Another key piece of work was helping ensure that the public and voluntary sector were well-informed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5