Health and social work services

Tender description

Giving people a greater say in how the health and care system works was a central pillar of the coalition Government’s ambition and a key component of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. To achieve this the Government outlined a framework for a network of local Healthwatch organisations with the aim of creating a credible, representative and influential public voice in the system. Responsibility for the commissioning of these services was passed to Local Authorities through the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The Act imposed a duty on upper tier and unitary local authorities to contract with a local Healthwatch organisation overseen by national Healthwatch England, the national body established as a statutory committee within the Care Quality Commission (CQC), whose purpose is to be “the independent national champion for people who use health and social care services… (making) sure that those running services, and the government, put people at the heart of care”. Aims and objectives of service: Nationally, Healthwatch has been set up as part of the government’s vision for the NHS to “be genuinely centered on patients and carers” and “give citizens a greater say in how the NHS is run”. Local Healthwatch services are commissioned in order to ensure the views of local people are gathered, heard and acted upon in relation to the provision, access and quality of local health and care services. Effective leadership is required to build collaborative and influential relationships, underpinned by robust governance structures enabling Local Healthwatch to develop priorities that are locally relevant and take account of strategic aims as well as local experiences. Accountabilities: Lincolnshire Healthwatch is accountable to: a) local service users and residents; b) the commissioning Local Authority (LCC) which has a duty to ensure compliance and delivery of a quality service in partnership with Healthwatch England; c) Healthwatch England which will provide leadership and support the appropriate regulatory body dependent on the type of corporate body formed (i.e. the Charity Commission, Companies House or the Financial Services Authority or its successor). Local Healthwatch shall publish an agreed decision making policy reflecting its governance, accountabilities and transparency. Governance: The Grantee shall have robust governance and management structures to fulfil their responsibilities and ensure: — impartial decision making to direct Local Healthwatch priorities and activities that is independent from other interests and prevents undue influence from any other organisation (including statutory bodies) or individual. This includes influence from within the “body corporate” described above (if it has any other interests apart from Local Healthwatch), — the involvement of lay members and volunteers, — its primary purpose is not political, — it holds meetings in public (except where there are legitimate reasons to meet in private on occasion), — it makes demonstrable efforts to ensure involvement of people from across the Lincolnshire population, including under-represented groups, — it uses the intelligence it gathers to inform future priorities, — it publishes and updates its priorities / action plan not less than once a year. Local Healthwatch governing bodies shall conform to the Nolan principles of standards in public life. As they provide public functions, they will have duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Freedom of Information Act and safeguarding responsibilities when they come into contact with vulnerable adults and children. In delivering their functions the Grantee shall ensure the safety and security of any personal information they capture and hold regarding individual patients and members of the public to ensure that they comply with relevant data protection legislation and regulations. This includes compliance with the legal framework set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which takes effect from 25.5.2018. The list above gives only minimum requirements. The way in which Local Healthwatch organisations govern themselves going beyond this minimum will contribute to developing the trust of the communities they serve and their credibility with those communities and their partners in local government, the NHS and the community and voluntary sector.