Agenda item

The Committee considered the Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees – Annual Report 2023-2024.  Local Healthwatch organisations are required to produce an Annual Report setting out their aims and achievements, and this latest document, an overview of which was given by the Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees Project Lead who was in attendance, included the following:

·       Message from our Chair

·       About us

·       Year in review

·       How we’ve made a different this year

·       Your voice heard at a wider level

·       Hearing from all communities

·       Advice and information

·       Volunteering

·       Finance and future priorities

·       Statutory statements

Attention was initially drawn to the ‘Year in review’ section which summarised the organisation’s engagement with local people regarding health and social care matters.  The publication of nine reports, containing a total of 47 recommendations, during the course of 2023-2024 was also highlighted (the most popular being the views and experiences of people accessing or requiring ADHD support services), as was the collation and sharing of four ‘Word on the Street’ reports which provided partners with timely feedback on intelligence received.

A summary of how Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees had made a difference throughout the year was outlined.  Notable work involved the continued development of the Community Representatives network (including two non-voting seats on the Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees Board and an ongoing endeavour to ensure the right people were ‘around the table’), the continued delivery of the coffee morning programme (promoting inclusion and reach), further development of the Youthwatch initiative (engaging with young people to gather their views on health services), and the completion of ‘enter and view’ visits to the Borough’s pharmacies.  In addition, one of the most challenging pieces of work undertaken was the engagement with people accessing drug and alcohol services, with recommendations made to inform future delivery models.

On a wider front, collaboration with other Healthwatch functions across the region to influence decisions made at a North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) level had resulted in reviews around support for family, carers and older people with a learning disability (aged 40+), and in relation to NHS dentistry services.  Work on the latter topic sought to make meaningful recommendations that would immediately impact the existing offer (not just consider recovery plans over a longer period), with the final report due to be published in September 2024.

The top three priorities for the 2024-2025 year were noted, namely to focus on tackling health inequalities (particularly the migrant community), to continue to develop engagement with young people, and to work across the Tees Valley to raise awareness and provide feedback in response to the local hospital group model of working.  Recent facilitation of an anonymous survey to understand experiences and expectations of the broad range of North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) was also highlighted.

Praising Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees for the content and layout of its latest Annual Report, the Committee began by expressing its thanks for the organisation’s contribution to its recent review of Access to GPs and Primary Medical Care, as well as the subsequent publication of the ‘Top Tips for Accessing your GP’ document (supporting one of the Committee’s recommendations).  Members also commended the stakeholder event which was held in February 2024 to discuss future priorities and determine the Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees work plan for 2024-2025.

Reflecting on the work undertaken by Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees throughout 2023-2024, the Committee highlighted the importance of establishing what people expected of services (and when they expected it by), ascertaining feedback from the public / service-users and acting on it, and the value of peer support.  In relation to the review of NHS dentistry, Members asked if there was any Borough-specific data to share as the state of NHS dental provision locally may be different to other parts of the region.  It was reported that dentistry was one of the main issues that Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees was contacted about, with further work at a local level planned as there was a clear need for an open, honest conversation around dental contracts.

Reference was made to the ‘Word on the Street’ reports which Members felt were aptly titled and something that local people could easily tap into.  The Committee was informed that these reports were not yet publicly accessible as it was the first year of production and Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees wanted to determine how useful they would be.  Internal discussions would take place around making them available to a wider audience.

The Committee concluded its questions by querying whether a mechanism was in place to monitor progress on the recommendations made within a Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees report.  Members were informed that relevant providers had to respond within 20 days of receiving a report, and that, moving forward, consideration was being given to re-visiting services which had been previously reviewed to see how / if recommended changes had been made (though this would involve lighter-touch engagement).

AGREED that the Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees – Annual Report 2023-2024 be noted.