Representatives from Leicester LINk will be attending the meeting to outline the forthcoming changes in Health and Social Care and of setting up of 158 Health Watch’s across England that will gather the experiences of local people on health and social care services, and have powers to scrutinise and make referrals to Health Watch England and the Care Quality Commission.
Minutes:
Martin Hefferman from Health Watch (formerly known as LINk) gave a presentation to the meeting. Mr Eric Charlesworth, Chairman of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland LINk was also present at the meeting. This presentation referred to the current changes in Health and Social Care arising from The Health and Social Care Act 2012, which was considered to be the biggest reform of the National Health Service since it began.
The meeting was informed of the principle provisions of the Act which included the change of the Local Involvement Networks (LINks) to Health Watch with effect from 1 April 2013. Other changes included the abolishment of Primary Care Trusts, which would be replaced by Clinical Commissioning Groups and the formation of Health and Wellbeing Boards.
Members of the community were informed about the Leicester City Clinical Commissioning Group and the Health and Wellbeing Board and the liaison work with the City Mayor where social need and aims and objectives were being mapped. Community representatives and members of the public were asked to contact Health Watch with any areas where it was felt that a gap in service currently existed. Members of the community were urged to contact Health Watch with their experiences of health and social care.
At this point in the presentation a feedback questionnaire was circulated to the meeting in respect of the ‘Health Watch Leicester – Interim Vision’. Attendees at the meeting were asked to indicate whether they agreed with the Vision Statement and the questionnaire included a section for completion where consultees were asked to comment on any suggested alternative wording. An invitation to the Shadow Board’s engagement event was also circulated. It was noted that the development of a Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Leicester had begun and the importance of this consultation exercise in the process was expressed.
At the conclusion of the presentation attendees were invited to complete an evaluation sheet whereby they could indicate what they felt the principle values of Health Watch should be. As part of the evaluation attendees were also asked to complete their contact details in order that they could be invited to future public meetings.
The Chair invited comments from community members present and in response to questions Mr Charlesworth stated:-
· Although Health Watch did not have any formal representation on the Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board as it did not officially exist until 1 April 2013, representatives of LINk attended the Board meetings.
· The LINk Board met once a month and anyone interested in taking part could register their interest with LINk to receive details of meetings etc.
· The responsibility of the PCTs to commission health services would cease on 31 March 2013 and pass to the Clinical Commissioning Group which would comprise GPs in Leicester City.
· As a result of the restructuring under the Act this was the first time that the public would be involved in having a say on health services locally and it was therefore very important for the public to get involved at this stage.
· LINk could offer assistance to people who wished to attend LINk meetings and could pay for carers and transport if required. All LINk meeting were held in buildings that were fully accessible to everyone.
· Anyone wishing to contact LINk should use the free phone number 0800 7319432.
Martin was thanked for his presentation.