Geoff Smith, HealthWatch Lead, LINk Board

The Government ‘Listening Exercise’ has ended, the Government response has been published and Government amendments tabled for the Health and social Care Bill which has been re-committed to the Bill Committee, with a tight deadline of 14^th July for completion. Report stage will follow before the recess and the Bill will then be considered by the Lords in September.

For LINks the outcome is disappointing. The many matters raised by LINks and NALM have not been understood or acted on. The only amendment to the relevant clauses is to make LHW subject to the Equalities Act 2010. NALM, LINks and individuals are pressing the Bill Committee and MPs, and will press the Lords, to secure the changes in the Bill that are essential if LHW is not to be ‘set up to fail’. The principal issues are:

1. Local HealthWatch will not be seen by patients and the public and particularly by users of social care services as independent. A body that is commissioned, funded and performance managed by a Local Authority is perceived to be subject to influence, direct or indirect, of the officers and Members of the Council and so unable to make unbiased reports and interventions.
2. The experience of Local Involvement Networks in securing adequate funding for their work from the grants made to local authorities by the Department of Health does not inspire confidence that there will be adequate funding for the greatly extended functions given to Local HealthWatch. Without such funding there will be no consistent Local HealthWatch service, the public will be confused and the reputation of HealthWatch will be irreparably damaged.
3. HealthWatch England is to be established at the same time as Local HealthWatch. A great deal of work is in progress throughout the country by Local Involvement Networks, Councils and Primary Care Trusts to plan and prepare for Local HealthWatch. HealthWatch England will have an important relationship with Local HealthWatch and it should be established in shadow form in October 2011 so that these relationships can be established before plans for the establishment of Local HealthWatch are finalised.
4. The Department of Health has indicated that although there will be national branding for HealthWatch there will be no national publicity campaign to encourage people to understand that it offers, how it can help them, and how to contact Local HealthWatch. The private sector should be invited to work with HealthWatch to provide a sponsored national campaign.
5. It is not in the public interest, or the interest of the Coalition Government, for HealthWatch to be set up in a way that will mean that, despite the work of volunteers and staff, it will fail.