Local Healthwatch Staffordshire Service

The public sector is changing, and it is clear that local authorities must work in a different way with their residents if they are to sustainably help citizens to stay healthy, happy and independent for longer. Our communities therefore have the biggest stake in what's available to help them in their area and therefore need to be at the heart of developing solutions that everyone in the community can buy into, including the most vulnerable people. A key part of our approach to empowering our residents is Healthwatch Staffordshire. Since its establishment in April 2013, Healthwatch Staffordshire has been an independent consumer champion for health and social care services in Staffordshire, engaging with residents and influencing commissioning, with the aim of improving the overall quality of health and social care provision. Looking ahead, we want to commission a provider to work with us in delivering a new approach to the Healthwatch Staffordshire service. The new model is aimed at providing residents with a voice and a way of influencing health and care services in a more efficient and effective way. The service will comply with the Health and Social Act 2012 that set out duties for all local authorities with social service responsibility to commission and establish a Local Healthwatch for its area. The service will support and shape the Staffordshire Sustainability and Transformation Programme (STP), the Health and Wellbeing Board, Scrutiny and wider health and care commissioning priorities by ensuring plans reflect the patient and user voice. In doing this their role is to work with partners to improve the overall quality of health and care outcomes across Staffordshire. Specifically, the new model will feature: • A commissioned provider deliver core priority Healthwatch functions of community engagement and representation, as well as influencing commissioners and decision makers to improve services. • Preparation of a focussed delivery plan that sets out its priorities in conjunction with the Council. This will be informed by both public and Council and STP strategic priorities. • Strong engagement across the system, with partners regularly and positively engaged and the views and experiences of patients, users, the public and professionals being represented and used to influence the quality of services across health and care. • Healthwatch Staffordshire to take a system leadership role for Information, Advice and Guidance. This role will bring together and influence different information, advice and guidance provision across the system to ensure effective signposting so that service users can access to the right information and take responsibility for their own wellbeing. • The Independent NHS Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS) being delivered through a separate contract that has brought together all of the existing advocacy functions across the Council under a single contract to reduce duplication and provide a more consistent offer.

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